Georges Irat

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The Georges Irat was a French automobile manufactured by engine builder Georges Irat from 1921 to 1953.

The company's first product was an ohv 1990cc four-cylinder car designed by Maurice Gaultier who had been with Delage. This was joined in 1926 by a 2985 cc six-cylinder. The company turned to producing Lycoming powered models in 1929, both sixes and eights; this was also the year in which they moved from Chatou to Neuilly. A small car with 1086 cc four cylinder engine and designed by George's son Michel, was added to the range in 1929 but sales of this and the large cars were poor resulting in a financial crisis.

The manufacturer was partially taken over by Godefroy et Levecque makers of the Ruby engine in 1934, consequently moving to that company's works in Levallois. Here they made two front wheel drive sporting roadsters, one with a 1100 cc Ruby and the other with a six cylinder 2450 cc Lycoming engine. The smaller car sold well but there were few takers for the six. In 1938 a new sports car with a 1911 cc engine produced by Citroën with independent suspension using rubber springing on all wheels was announced but war broke out after about 200 had been made.

Some small electric cars were made during World War II but production did not restart when peace came in 1945. A prototype with 1100 cc flat four engine driving the front wheels was shown at the 1946 Paris Salon but nothing came of it even though it re-appeared at the 1949 show.

In 1950 Georges Irat announced the VDB or Voiture du Bled made by a new company, Société Chérifienne George Irat in Casablanca, Morocco. This was a jeep like vehicle powered by a rear mounted Panhard engine. Only a few were made up to 1953.

[edit] References

• David Burgess Wise, The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles