Tracta

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1930 Tracta E

Tracta was a French car maker based in Asnières, Seine, that was active between 1926 and 1934.[1] They were pioneers of front-wheel-drive vehicles.

The cars were designed by Jean-Albert Grégoire and were initially built in small numbers for competition use though some were used on the road. They used a front-wheel-drive system featuring Grégoire's patented Tracta constant-velocity joint and sliding pillar independent front suspension and a live axle with quarter-elliptic leaf springs at the rear. 1100, 1200, 1500 and 1600 cc engines made by S.C.A.P. were available with optional Cozette supercharger. The 1500 cc car was claimed to reach 80 mph.[2]

The first cars were made in a workshop in Versailles but Grégoire soon moved to a small factory in Asnières. After about 140 cars were made there came a change of engines with larger six-cylinder 2.7-litre units from Continental and 3- and 3.3-litre ones from Hotchkiss fitted in coupé and saloon-bodied road cars.

The company failed to make money from car manufacture and production stopped in 1934.[1] Grégoire kept the factory on for his design and engineering work.

In 1955 Grégoire introduced the prototype of Tracta's Sports Cabriolet, with body by Chapron, front-drive with a 2.2-liter supercharged boxer engine ahead of the front wheels. Only four cars were built.[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tracta vehicles.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Georgano, N. (2000). Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-57958-293-1. 
  2. ↑ Sedgwick, M. (1989). A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-38-9. 
  3. ↑ "Snapshot From 1961: Gregoire Sports Cabriolet". Curbside Classic. Retrieved 2011-10-28. 

Gallery

  • 1929 Tracta A, class winner and 7th total at the 24 hour race at Le Mans, 1929

  • 1929 Tracta A Le Mans (rear)

  • 1929 Tracta A Le Mans : S.C.A.P. 4-cylinder engine, 995 cc, 45 hp

  • 1929 Tracta A Le Mans : Grégoire patented front axle with front-wheel drive

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