Berliet 130 B9, Departement Creuse, France 13 24April2009
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Berliet was a French manufacturer of
automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...
s,
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
es, trucks and military vehicles among other vehicles based in
Vénissieux Vénissieux (; Arpitan language, Arpitan: or in the Lyonnais dialect) is a Communes of France, commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in eastern France. Geography Vénissieux is located on the sou ...
, outside of Lyon, France. Founded in 1899, and apart from a five-year period from 1944 to 1949 when it was put into 'administration sequestre' it was in private ownership until 1967 when it then became part of
Citroën Citroën ()The double-dot diacritic over the 'e' is a diaeresis () indicating the two vowels are sounded separately, and not as a diphthong. is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded on 4 June 19 ...
, and subsequently acquired by Renault in 1974 and merged with
Saviem The Société Anonyme de Véhicules Industriels et d'Équipements Mécaniques (), commonly known by the acronym Saviem (), was a French manufacturer of trucks and buses/coaches part of the Renault group, headquartered in Suresnes, Île-de-France ...
into a new
Renault Trucks Renault Trucks was a French commercial truck manufacturer with corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it was a subsidiary of Volvo since 2001. In July 2024, John Cockerill (company) completed the takeover ...
company in 1978. The Berliet marque was phased out by 1980.


Early history

started his experiments with automobiles in 1894. Some single-cylinder cars were followed in 1900 by a twin-cylinder model. In 1902, Berliet took over the plant of Audibert & Lavirotte in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. Berliet started to build four-cylinder automobiles featuring a
honeycomb radiator A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic cells built from beeswax by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae) and stores of honey and pol ...
, and a steel chassis frame was used instead of wood. The next year, a model was launched that was similar to contemporary Mercedes. In 1906, Berliet sold the licence for manufacturing his model to the
American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer that operated from 1901 to 1969, initially specializing in the production of locomotives but later diversifying and fabricating at various time ...
. Before
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Berliet offered a range of models from 8 HP to 60 HP. The main models had four-cylinder engines (2412 cc and 4398 cc, respectively), and there was a six-cylinder model of 9500 cc. A 1539 cc model (12 CV) was produced between 1910 and 1912. From 1912, six-cylinder models were made upon individual orders only.


First World War

The
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
led to a massive increase in demand. Berliet, like
Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
and
Latil Automobiles Industriels Latil, commonly known as Latil, was a French manufacturer of commercial and military vehicles created to manage the assets of the defunct Compagnie Française d'Mecánique et d'Automobiles, to market Georges Latil's , an ...
, produced trucks for the
French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
. The military orders placed major demands on the factory's capacity, necessitating major investment in production plant and factory space."Berliet un siècle de camions français", article de Jean-Marie Vaslin, ''Le Monde'', supplément Éco & entreprise, mardi 12 mars 2013, page 11. In 1915 a site was purchased between
Vénissieux Vénissieux (; Arpitan language, Arpitan: or in the Lyonnais dialect) is a Communes of France, commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in eastern France. Geography Vénissieux is located on the sou ...
and Saint-Priest in order to build a new principal factory. The
Berliet CBA The Berliet CBA is a series of medium-duty trucks with chain drive, initially for the military and later also for commercial use. It was produced by the French manufacturer Berliet from 1913 to 1932, and was one of the most used trucks in Wor ...
became the iconic truck on the
Voie Sacrée The Voie Sacrée ("Sacred Way") is a road that connects Bar-le-Duc to Verdun (Meuse (department), Meuse), France. It was given its name because of the vital role it played during the Battle of Verdun in World War I. Use during WWI After Mar ...
, supplying the battle front at
Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...
during 1916.Service des affaires extérieures – Automobiles M. Berliet -, guide de visite, ''Découverte d'un vaste monde'', 1974. 25,000 of these 4/5 ton Berliet trucks, originally launched in 1914, were ordered by the French army. During 1916 40 of them were leaving the plant each day. Under license from
Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
, Berliet were also producing shells and
battle tanks ''Battle Tanks'' (or ''Tank Battles'' outside of North America) is a multidirectional shooter developed and published by Gameloft for the PlayStation 3. It was released on the PlayStation Store PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital di ...
at this time. The number of workers employed increased to 3,150. By 1917 the value of annual turnover had multiplied fourfold since the start of the war, and a new legal structure was deemed appropriate. The company became the Société anonyme des Automobiles Marius Berliet.


Between two wars

After 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 ...
the manufacturer reoriented part of its production back to passenger cars, but Berliet nevertheless found themselves with excess capacity, as the army was no longer buying all the trucks the factory could produce, and overall output halved.


Shrinking the range

Marius Berliet responded to the outbreak of peace by deciding to produce just a single type of truck and a single type of car, which represented a departure from his pre-war market strategy. The single truck on which Berliet focused was the 5 ton CBA that had served the nation so well during the war.


An ill-judged short-cut

The passenger car to be produced, exhibited on the Berliet stand at the 15th Paris Motor Show in October 1919, was the 3296cc (15HP/CV) "Torpedo" bodied "Berliet Type VB" of modern appearance. Marius Berliet was not one to miss a trick: rather than devote time and engineering talent to developing a new car for the new decade, he obtained and copied an American
Dodge Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence, Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
. The Dodge was famously robust, and the Berliet copy was well received in March 1919 when it had its first public outing, locally, at the Lyon Trade Fair. The headlights were mounted unusually high and the simple disc wheels were large, giving the car a pleasing "no nonsense" look. Particularly attractive was the price of just 11,800 francs in October 1919. Unfortunately, however, the Berliet engineers failed to ensure that the steel used in the car's construction was of the same quality as the North American steel used for the Dodge, and this resulted in serious problems for the early customers of the "Berliet Type VB" and serious reputational damage to the company.


Bankruptcy and recovery

The factory had been set up to produce the "Berliet Type VB" at the rate of 100 cars per day which would have been an ambitious target under any circumstances. The rapid drop-off in demand for what at this stage was the manufacturer's only passenger car model that followed the quality issues plunged the business into financial difficulties, with losses of 55 million francs recorded in one year. Survival was in doubt, and Berliet was placed in judicial administration in 1921. Marius Berliet himself had held 88% of the share capital, but was unable to pay off all the company's creditors and the firm therefore fell into the hands of the banks. Berliet was nevertheless able to retain operational control. During the ensuring decade, supported by a sustained recovery in demand that in turn reflected an effective model strategy after 1922, Berliet was able to pay off his debtors and, in 1929, to regain financial control over the business from the banks.


A full range for 1925

By the middle of the decade the manufacturer was again exhibiting a full range of automobile models at the 1924 October Motor Show, although at this stage they all featured four cylinder engines including even the 3958cc "4-litre" with its impressive cylinder dimensions of 95 x 140 mm. The range for 1925 was as follows: :* "Type VI": Launched 1924 with a 1,160cc (7HP/CV) ohc engine. Wheelbase ''
Listed prices Oct 1924: 16,260 francs (bare chassis), 21,500 francs (Torpedo), 25,500 francs (berline/saloon/sedan)'' :* "Type VRC" with a 2,603cc (12 HP/CV) sidevalve engine. Wheelbase ''
Listed prices Oct 1924: 20,600 francs (bare chassis), 26,500 francs (Torpedo), 34,000 francs (berline/saloon/sedan)'' :* "Type VM" with a 3,296cc (16 HP/CV) sidevalve engine. Wheelbase ''
Listed prices Oct 1924: 24,800 francs (bare chassis), 33,000 francs (Torpedo), 41,650 francs (berline/saloon/sedan)'' :* "Type VRK / 2½-litre" with a 2,480cc (16 HP/CV) ohv engine. Wheelbase ''
Listed prices Oct 1924: 30,000 francs (bare chassis), 46,500 francs (Torpedo), 48,500 francs (berline/saloon/sedan)'' :* "Type VK" with a 3,958cc (18 HP/CV) ohv engine. Wheelbase
Listed ''prices Oct 1924: 48,500 francs (bare chassis only)'' From 1925 the manufacturer was producing its own car bodies.Monique Chapelle, ''Berliet'', Éditions Le Télégramme, 2005.


Pushing up market

New six-cylinder models followed in 1927. By October 1928, just twelve months before the Wall Street crash crystallized a savage downturn for the western economies, three of the four cars offered for 1929 on the Berliet stand 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 ...
, were powered by six cylinder engines. The range for 1929 was as follows: :* "9CV": 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. Wheelbase :* "10CV": 1.8-litre 6-cylinder engine. Wheelbase :* "11CV": 2.0-litre 6-cylinder engine. Wheelbase :* "20CV": 4.0-litre 6-cylinder engine. Wheelbase The largest of these, with its four-litre engine, was still listed by the manufacturer in March 1929, but was only available "to special order". However, by this time the manufacturer was also developing, for 1930, a "16CV" 2.8-litre six-cylinder model.


The 1930s

In 1930 Berliet experimentally installed a diesel engine in one of their old CBA trucks, and in 1931 a batch of diesel powered Berliet GD2s was produced. From 1933, only four-cylinder models (1600 cc and 2000 cc) were offered. The last new Berliet sedan was first exhibited 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 ...
in October 1933 but only launched in the summer of 1934. The new car received a proper name, and the Berliet Dauphine 11CV was powered by a 1,990 cc (11CV) engine. For 1939 Berliet stopped producing car bodies and the last few hundred Berliet Dauphines, produced in the first half of 1939, used the body of a
Peugeot 402 The Peugeot 402 is a large family car produced by Peugeot in Sochaux, France, from 1935 to 1942. It was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1935, replacing the Peugeot 401. The Peugeot 402 stands out in automotive design by its very streamlin ...
with a custom-made Berliet hood/bonnet and radiator grille.


Second World War and aftermath

Regular passenger car production ceased in 1939 and after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the company produced trucks only, with buses added to the range later. However, more than 20 brand-new sedans were in the factory when the Germans requisitioned it in June 1940, and these were immediately put into service. After the liberation, from late 1944 to early 1945, about 50 sedans were assembled from parts on hand, and in 1946, the last 15 sedans were completed by the Geneva agents. The company was given back to the family in 1949, but to Marius Berliet's son Paul following the founder's death earlier that year. The Berliet GLR truck became the first new post-war product. In his 1975 book, ''Vichy France: old guard and new order: 1940-1944'',
Robert Paxton Robert Owen Paxton (born June 15, 1932) is an American political scientist and historian specializing in Vichy France, fascism, and Europe during the World War II era. He is Mellon Professor Emeritus of Social Science in the Department of Histor ...
contrasted the fate of the Berliet truck factory in Lyon, which remained in Marius Berliet's family possession, despite his having manufactured 2,330 trucks for the Germans. — and the fate of Louis Renault's factories, which had also been seized — suggesting that the Renault factory might have been returned to Louis Renault and his family, had he lived longer. Marius Berliet, who died in 1949, had however "stubbornly refused to recognize legal actions against him after the war." As it happened, Renault's were the only factories permanently seized by the French government. After a small start with diesel engines in 1931, Berliet (and their customers) gradually abandoned petrol engines. In 1963, only 234 of the 15,325 Berliet vehicles built still received petrol engines. Berliet manufactured the largest truck in the world in 1957, the T100 6X6 with either and from a Cummins V12 engine. Available as a 6WD Dumptruck or 6X6 Roadtractor for Europe and North Africa it was designed in 10 months at the factory in Courbevoie, outside of Paris, with a second example built in 1958 and two further T100s built in 1959. Later on a separate company called
MOL Trucks MOL is a manufacturer of specialist trucks and trailers, based in Hooglede, Belgium. Specializes in manufacturing of trailers, waste vehicles, port equipment, trucks and rail equipments. History It was founded in 1944 offered a range of enhan ...
of
Hooglede Hooglede (; ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of and Hooglede proper. On January 1, 2006, Hooglede had a total population of 9,831. The total area is 37.84 km2 which gi ...
, Belgium bought the design rights of some original Berliet models of the 1970s and started to manufacture their own original MOL model range consisting of medium to large 4X4, 6X6 and 8X8 lorries and roadtractors. Their design and engineering was entirely based on selected former Berliet units.


Citroën, Renault and demise

In August 1967, it was reported that Berliet had been taken over by
Citroën Citroën ()The double-dot diacritic over the 'e' is a diaeresis () indicating the two vowels are sounded separately, and not as a diphthong. is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded on 4 June 19 ...
, Berliet share holders receiving Citroën shares in return for their Berliet stock. In 1966, Berliet's final year as an independent, they had produced approximately 17,000 units. Following the take-over the merged company stated that Citroën-Berliet would command 58% of France's market for commercial vehicles above 6 tons. Citroën itself had been owned by
Michelin Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...
since 1934 following a cash crisis of its own. By this time, Michelin owned both Citroën and Berliet. However, after the
1973 oil crisis In October 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced that it was implementing a total oil embargo against countries that had supported Israel at any point during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which began after Eg ...
, Michelin decided to divest itself of these two companies in order to concentrate on its tire business. Thus, in 1974 Berliet was sold to
Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
, while Citroën was sold to
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
. Renault then proceeded to merge Berliet with
Saviem The Société Anonyme de Véhicules Industriels et d'Équipements Mécaniques (), commonly known by the acronym Saviem (), was a French manufacturer of trucks and buses/coaches part of the Renault group, headquartered in Suresnes, Île-de-France ...
to form
Renault Véhicules Industriels Renault Trucks was a French commercial truck manufacturer with corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it was a subsidiary of Volvo since 2001. In July 2024, John Cockerill (company) completed the takeover ...
in 1978. After the merger, the Berliet name was phased out and another French marque came to an end by the late 1970s, with the last Berliet bus in production, the 1971 PR100, continuing to be sold as a Renault until 1993. Other products that survived the merger include the 1973 VXB-170 4x4 armoured personnel carrier for the
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
and others. Another of Berliet's last projects was a six-cylinder light diesel engine, which entered production in 1977 and had become Renault V.I.'s 06.20 ("120 bore") engine by 1982.


See also

*
Missions Berliet-Ténéré The Mission Berliet Ténéré and the subsequent Mission Berliet Tchad were two trans-Sahara expeditions organised by the French truck manufacturer, Berliet. The expeditions demonstrated the ability of Berliet trucks to cross long stretches of de ...
*
SNVI SNVI (; ), formerly the National Society of Mechanical Construction (SONACOME), is an Algerian company that has produced trucks and buses since 1967. History Sonacome was founded by the Algerian government on August 9, 1967, through ''ordonnanc ...
, Algerian truck manufacturer using former Berliet assets in Algeria


References


External links

* http://www.fondationberliet.org/ (in French and English for the most part) {{Renault Truck manufacturers of France Car manufacturers of France French brands Vintage vehicles French companies established in 1899 Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1899 Motor vehicle manufacturers companies based in Lyon Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1967 1967 disestablishments in France 1967 mergers and acquisitions