Zédel was a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

automobile manufacturer established in 1901 by

Ernest Zürcher Ernest is a given name derived from the Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious", often shortened to Ernie. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), son of Maximilian ...

and Herman Lüthi. The name of the company was created by combining the first letters of the founders' names, "Z" and "L". During the early years of the twentieth century a factory was set up across the frontier in France, and the Swiss operation was closed a few years later, so that from around 1905 the business had become, in effect, a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

one.

History

The company's origins go back to 1896 when Ernest Zürcher (known in German language sources as Ernst ZürcherAlthough the business was established in the French speaking western part of Switzerland, the names of the company's founders suggest that their families originated in a German speaking region of the country. Sources exist in both languages.) set up a workshop in

Neuchâtel Neuchâtel (, ; ; ) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital (political), capital of the cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (canton), Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel ...

and in 1897 became the first

producer of

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

engines.Ernest Schmid: ''Musée de l’Automobile. Fondation Pierre Gianadda. Martigny.'' ProLitteris, Zürich 2004, . (französisch)''Schweizer Autos'' Ernest Schmid: ''Schweizer Autos. Die schweizerischen Automobilkonstruktionen von 1868 bis heute.'' Auto-Jahr, Lausanne 1978, . He was commercially successful, and on 4 January 1901, with Hermann Lüthi, he founded the company "Zürcher & Lüthi & Cie SA" at nearby

Saint-Aubin-Sauges Saint-Aubin-Sauges is a former Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Boudry (district), Boudry in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Neuchâtel (canton), Neuchâtel in Switzerland. On 1 January 2018 the former municipal ...

. On 21 March 1902 Hermann Lüthi withdrew from the business which was now renamed as "SA Fabrique de Moteurs et de Machines ZL". In 1903 the company established a production facility in

Pontarlier Pontarlier ( ; Latin: ''Ariolica'') is a Communes of France, commune and one of the two Subprefectures in France, sub-prefectures of the Doubs Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eastern ...

, between

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

and

Besançon Besançon (, ; , ; archaic ; ) is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Doubs in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The city is located in Eastern France, close to the Jura Mountains and the border with Switzerland. Capi ...

and, importantly, on the

side of the frontier. The location was chosen in order to avoid the tariff barriers that protected French manufacturers from Swiss imports. Shortly after this, on 30 June 1905, Zürcher closed the Swiss production facility at Saint-Aubin-Sauges. Establishing production in France also gave Zedel direct access to experienced automotive engineers and technicians in France which was at this time still, in terms of output, the world's leading automobile producer. By 1906 (and possibly a little earlier), Zedel was producing automobiles (known as ''Zedels'') at Pontarlier. By 1914 about 400 units had been produced. Swiss production of engines, motor bikes and automobiles resumed briefly from 11 November 1907 when Zürcher appointed a Swiss engineer called Samuel Graf as director of the company's Swiss affiliate and the

facility was reopened. However, Swiss production came to an end again in 1908. In 1919, the company was taken over by Jérôme Donnet, an automobile pioneer who had prospered during the

war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...

as a producer of

flying boats A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull (watercraft), hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for b ...

. The company became known as Donnet-Zédel, although in October 1919 they were still exhibiting at the

Paris Motor Show The Paris Motor Show () 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 takes place in Paris expo Porte de V ...

under the "Zedel" name. For 1920 the manufacturer was offering a 4-cylinder 2742cc engined car with a wheelbase, priced in bare chassis form at 14,000 francs. Also offered were a torpedo bodied car with 4/6 seats from 21,000 francs and a saloon/sedan style closed bodied "conduite intérieure" version at 26,000 francs.

History

Sources and notes

See also