Car Manufacturers - France: Illustrated History Books & Guides

Amedee Gordini - A True Racing Legend

This book tells the story of Amédée Gordini, a key figure in motorsport, driven by passion and determination.
It follows his journey from his early days in racing to 1969, when Renault acquired his company and kept the Gordini name on racing engines until 1986. The name was revived in 2009 for sporty versions of the Twingo and Clio.

Pages of the book "Amedee Gordini - A True Racing Legend"

The book features numerous period photos from major collections, English transcripts of interviews, recollections from former employees, and a complete set of technical and racing statistics.

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Farman - de l'aviation à l'automobile

The Farman brothers are well known for their role in aviation, but less so for their automotive work. Between the World Wars, they produced one of the most luxurious French cars of the era, rivaling Hispano-Suiza.

They began in car trading and racing during the Belle Époque, then entered aviation by founding the Société des Aéroplanes Henri et Maurice Farman.

This book traces the history of their car, illustrated with the largest collection of Farman vehicle photos ever assembled.
It focuses on the Farman automobile: its designer Charles Waseige, the launch, technical features, variants, press and public reception, success in concours d'élégance, involvement in motorsport, and development of an innovative follow-up model.

The book also covers their aircraft engines, the Alda 18 hp as the "little sister" model, and the company's hydrofoils.

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Cycles, motos, automobiles Alcyon, reine du Tour (Collection Prestige)

Founded in 1903 by Edmond Gentil, Alcyon was a globally known French brand of bicycles and motorcycles. It quickly stood out through innovation, strong marketing, and outstanding racing results.
With 13 Tour de France victories, 18 Paris-Roubaix wins, and many more, Alcyon was a dominant force in cycling. In motorcycling, the brand also achieved numerous titles and records, including the first-ever world championship. Before World War I, Alcyon also produced notable cars.

Pages of the book "Cycles, motos, automobiles Alcyon, reine du Tour"

Z.L. (Zürcher & Lüthi), founded in Switzerland by Ernest Zürcher, was a key engine manufacturer. It supplied all major early motorcycle brands in Europe, including Minerva, Peugeot, Terrot, NSU, Alcyon, and Brough. Zedel, its successor, produced remarkable automobiles.

In 1907, Alcyon and Z.L. joined forces. The book traces their combined industrial journey and impact.
It also discusses the rivalry with Peugeot in cycling. Despite fierce competition, the authors argue that Alcyon outperformed Peugeot and remains a benchmark in cycling history.

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L'épopée Ligier en Formule 1

A key figure in French motorsport, he only entered racing in his thirties after practising various sports. Guy Ligier passed away on August 23, 2015, at the age of 85. He remains one of the few French drivers to have scored a point in the Formula 1 World Championship.

The loss of his friend Jo Schlesser deeply affected him. In tribute, he named all his racing cars with the initials "JS." As a constructor, Ligier left a lasting mark on Formula 1 history.

This book tells the story of one of France's most notable F1 teams. From 1976 to 1996, from the JS5 to the JS43 (the last Ligier to win a Grand Prix), the team competed in 326 Grands Prix, achieving 9 wins and 50 podium finishes.
The richly illustrated book includes photographs by Bernard Asset and is structured in six chapters: creation, first season, successful years, transitional periods, final years, and the team's closure.

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Salmson - La belle mécanique française (Collection Prestige)

This unique monograph covers the history of Salmson, a major French car manufacturer, from 1919 to 1957. It presents in detail and with many illustrations all aspects of the brand: light cars, grand tourers, racing models at Le Mans, twin-cam engines used across much of the range, utility vehicles, special bodywork, and related activities.
Phase is placed in historical context to better understand the development of the company.

Pages of the book "Salmson - La belle mécanique française"

Claude Chevalier recounts the technical and human story of Salmson. His son, Laurent Chevalier, who shares the same interest in automotive history, contributed to this new edition by adding about 300 previously unpublished photographs.
A key reference work for enthusiasts of the brand and French automotive heritage.

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Venturi, GT à la française

The story begins at the 1984 Paris Motor Show with the presentation of a small sports car powered by a Golf GTI engine: the Ventury. It was created by two enthusiasts, Claude Poiraud (engineer) and Gérard Godfroy (designer). The public responded positively from the start.

This book recounts the unique story of this French brand, founded in the mid-1980s. From the beginning, Ventury built high-level GT cars that competed with prestigious manufacturers on the road and on the track.

Beyond the machines, the book highlights a rich human adventure. The author describes key moments, challenges, and choices made by those involved, all driven by a strong shared passion for cars.

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Clément Bayard, pionnier industriel

Adolphe Clément (1855-1928), orphaned at a young age, was a self-made man. By age 45, he was France's leading bicycle manufacturer, then turned to the automobile industry. He built modern factories in Mézières and Levallois, considered the largest in Europe at the time. In 1908, he entered aviation. His "A.C." monogram stood over his factory gates.

World War I ruined him, but he recovered. He passed his factories to a young engineer, André Citroën, who aimed to produce affordable cars. Clément became his banker and sold him the plants - remarking the initials didn't even need changing.

Based on years of research in public, institutional (including Aéro-Club de France), and family archives, this book traces the life of Clément and the history of his company.

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Les marques emblématiques disparues

Each of us drives a modern, sophisticated car today with the latest technologies, GPS, power brakes and steering, anti-skid system... All this is the result of advanced research but also of the experience acquired by the generations that preceded us at a time when everything had to be invented and this is the case for the automobile.

You will discover in this book the most emblematic cars in which our parents or grandparents drove, transported us when we were little: Delahaye, Bugatti, Delage, Hispano Suiza But also the more recent ones that you used: Simca, Panhard, Facel Vega, Matra..., and which no longer exist except in museums or piously preserved by collectors.

Discover these cars from a time when specialist coachbuilders made "works of art", Chapron, Saoutchik, Letourneur et Marchand, Figoni Falaschi...
Discover in this book these emblematic models that populate our wildest dreams. A book that presents their history, their technical aspect, their characteristics and the intoxicating beauty of their bodywork.

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Lorraine-Dietrich - De la voiture de grand luxe au géant de l'aéronautique (Collection Prestige)

This book presents, for the first time, a complete history of Lorraine-Dietrich, a major French manufacturer in both the automotive and aviation sectors during the early 20th century.
The company was known for its luxury cars and Grand Prix victories during the Belle Époque, then for its internationally recognized aircraft engines. It won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in the 1920s, built torpedo boats in the 1930s, and played a key role in forming a major aviation consortium.

Pages of the book "Lorraine-Dietrich - De la voiture de grand luxe au géant de l'aéronautique"

All products bearing the Lorraine cross are covered, along with key figures in the company's development: Adrien de Turckheim, Léon Turcat, Charles Nicaise, Marius Barbarou, Claude Bonnier, and lesser-known engineers such as Giustino Cattaneo, Louis de Groulart, Lucien Sabathier, Giulio Cesare Cappa, Lucien Fabre, Charles Picker, and Albert Lory.

The book also explores Lorraine-Dietrich's subsidiaries: Isotta Fraschini, Clément-Bayard, IAR, SGA, and Lorraine-Dietrich Ltd. The final chapters describe nationalisation, wartime occupation by BMW, post-war transition under SNECMA, and the company's closure in 1951.

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