Willème was a French

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

manufacturer.

History

Willème was founded in 1923 by Louis Willeme, after working for

Automobiles Grégoire Automobiles Grégoire was a French manufacturer of cars and aero engines, established in 1902, that operated for about 20 years in the early 20th century. The company grew from an earlier enterprise making engines under the name "Cyclone", establi ...

. Most were made with

Deutz AG Deutz AG is a German internal combustion engine manufacturer, based in Porz, Cologne, Germany. History The company was founded by Nicolaus Otto, the inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine, and his partner Eugen Langen on 31 ...

engines; some with in-house engines; some with AEC. In the 1960s, Willème also sold rebadged AEC and BMC trucks. Willème went bankrupt in 1970 and were taken over by PRP ( Perez et Raymond), who continued to produce Willème's TG range of trucks. Eventually, some

MOL Trucks MOL is a manufacturer of specialist trucks and trailers, based in Hooglede, Belgium. It was founded in 1944. In the 1970s, MOL made a variety of oilfield trucks with air-cooled Magirus Deutz engines. MOL bought the rights to Willème truck design ...

were based on Willème designs. Some Willème heavy-haul trucks are still in service.

Products

Willème specialised in heavy haulage roadtractors and large lorries.

Early models

The DW12A was used as a

tank transporter A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit and a mating full trailer or semi-trailer (typically of the "lowboy" type), used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehi ...

by the

French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

Post-war trucks: S10, L10, and R15

10- and 15-ton trucks, with Deutz engines, sold between 1945 and 1953.

610 and 615 series

Sold 1953-1963.

TL and LD series

Available with both AEC and Willème engines. *The AEC-engined 5741-CG was sold as an 8-wheel heavy wrecker. *Some models, such as the W8SA, were also built as oilfield trucks. *RD 6x4

Willème-PRP

*W200, 8x4, 245 tonne gross weight. *The TG200 was an 8x4 heavy-hauler, capable of handling 200 ton loads. *TG250: 250 tonnes gross weight *The TG300 was 8x8 capable of hauling up to 1000 tonnes, powered by a

Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) is an American diesel engine manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America, which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of the mulitinational Da ...

V16. Some were built by Trabosa.

External links

Video
of a restored Willeme TG200

ballast tractor A ballast tractor is a specially weighted tractor unit of a heavy hauler combination. It is designed to utilize a drawbar to pull or push heavy or exceptionally large trailer loads which are loaded in a hydraulic modular trailer. When feasible ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willeme Truck manufacturers of France Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France