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Tracta was a French car maker based in Asnières, Seine, that was active between 1926 and 1934. They were pioneers of
front-wheel-drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional lon ...
vehicles.


The business

The business was directed and cars were designed by the engineer
Jean-Albert Grégoire Jean-Albert Grégoire (7 July 1899 in Paris – 19 August 1992) was one of the great pioneers of the front-wheel-drive car. He contributed to the development of front-wheel-drive vehicles in two ways. The first way was in developing and promoting ...
, who controlled the business, with financial support from his friend Pierre Fenaille.


The cars

The cars were initially built in small numbers for competition use, but they were exhibited and offered for road use at the 1927
Paris Motor Show The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
. They used a front-wheel-drive system featuring Grégoire's patented Tracta
constant-velocity joint Constant-velocity joints (also known as homokinetic or CV joints) are mechanical joints which allow a drive shaft to transmit power through a variable angle, at constant rotational speed, without an appreciable increase in friction or Backlash (e ...
and sliding pillar independent front suspension and a
live axle A beam axle, rigid axle or solid axle is a dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but historically they have als ...
with quarter-elliptic leaf springs at the rear. 1100, 1200, 1500 and 1600 cc engines made by
S.C.A.P. S.C.A.P. (Société de Construction Automobile Parisienne) was a French manufacturer of cars and proprietary engines, existing between 1912 and 1929. Products S.C.A.P mainly manufactured small four-cylinder engines, with capacities from 894  ...
were available with optional
Cozette Cosette () is a fictional character in the 1862 novel ''Les Misérables'' by Victor Hugo and in the many adaptations of the story for stage, film, and television. Her birth name, Euphrasie, is only mentioned briefly. As the orphaned child of an u ...
supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
. The 1500 cc car was claimed to reach 80 mph. The first cars were made in a workshop in
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
but Grégoire soon moved to a small factory in Asnières. After about 140 cars were made there came a change of engines with larger six-cylinder 2.7-litre units from
Continental Continental may refer to: Places * Continent, the major landmasses of Earth * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' ( ...
and 3- and 3.3-litre ones from Hotchkiss fitted in coupé and saloon-bodied road cars.


Competition

Three cars competed in the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hour race, including one driven by Grégoire (in partnership with) himself. All three finished, albeit well down the field. Tracta returned to Le Mans in 1929, now with four cars, three using supercharged 4-cylinder four-stroke engines and a fourth with an experimental two-stroke engine designed by the engineer Cozette (who at the time was better known as a designer of superchargers). Only two of the Tractas competing in 1929 completed the race, the two-stroke experimental car retiring after 43 laps. By
1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...
only two Tractas appeared a Le Mans, but they did both finish.


The end

The company failed to make money from car manufacture and production stopped in 1934. Grégoire kept the factory at Asnières and used it for his own design and engineering work. He would use it for the chassis and engine of his "Sports Cabriolet" in the mid 1950s, following his acrimonious break with Hotchkiss over the technically adventurous but commercially disastrous
Hotchkiss Grégoire The Grégoire is a luxury car produced from 1950 to 1954 by the French automaker Hotchkiss. Only about 247 were produced, with serial numbers 500 to 747. The Grégoire was a modern-looking four-door saloon. Reportedly as a response to disappoint ...
.


Afterlife

In 1955 Grégoire introduced an intriguing Sports Cabriolet prototype, with body by
Chapron Henri Chapron (30 December 1886 - 14 May 1978) was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His carrosserie, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Chapron was born in Nouan-le-Fuzelier (Sologne), and began his c ...
, front-drive and a 2188 cc supercharged ohv
boxer engine A flat engine is a piston engine where the cylinders are located on either side of a central crankshaft. Flat engines are also known as horizontally opposed engines, however this is distinct from the less common opposed-piston engine design, ...
ahead of the front wheels. Only four cars were built. In mechanical terms the car was closely based on the
car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...
Grégoire had developed for Hotchkiss in the late 1940s, but it featured a stylish new two-door body, constructed by
Chapron Henri Chapron (30 December 1886 - 14 May 1978) was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His carrosserie, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Chapron was born in Nouan-le-Fuzelier (Sologne), and began his c ...
. It is not clear how seriously Grégoire contemplated selling the Sports Cabriolets exhibited in the 1950s, but they provided an impressive showcase for his engineering philosophy and talent. The car is generally described as the Grégoire Sports Cabriolet. Nevertheless, Grégoire had retained rights to the Tracta name. Two of the Sports Cabriolets produced turned up in October 1956 at the 43rd Paris Motor Show: one was exhibited on the
Henri Chapron Henri Chapron (30 December 1886 - 14 May 1978) was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His carrosserie, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Chapron was born in Nouan-le-Fuzelier (Sologne), and began his c ...
stand and the other on a small stand against the wall, positioned next to that of the British AC company, and the identified by the name "Grégoire (Tracta)". The car was listed by the manufacturer in 1956 at 3,500,000 francs, significantly more than the 2,869,000 francs quoted at the time for the much larger and more powerful Facel Vega FVS.


References

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Gallery

Image:1929TractaA-front.jpg, 1929 Tracta A, class winner and 7th total at the 24 hour race at Le Mans, 1929 Image: 1929TractaA-rear.jpg, 1929 Tracta A Le Mans (rear) Image: 1929TractaA-engine.jpg, 1929 Tracta A Le Mans:
S.C.A.P. S.C.A.P. (Société de Construction Automobile Parisienne) was a French manufacturer of cars and proprietary engines, existing between 1912 and 1929. Products S.C.A.P mainly manufactured small four-cylinder engines, with capacities from 894  ...
4-cylinder engine, 995 cc, 45 hp Image: 1929TractaACV-axle.jpg, 1929 Tracta A Le Mans: Grégoire patented front axle with front-wheel drive
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France Front-wheel-drive vehicles