Info für Besucher ohne Javascript

Premium

Aérocarène 700 and 1100 - innovative three-wheelers without success

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on January 6, 2023

Reading time 7min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Aptera

2

Archiv

11

Aptera

2

Archiv

11

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - am Pariser Autosalon im Oktober 1947

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - Blick ins Cockpit am Pariser Autosalon 1947

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - Blick auf die Kabine am Pariser Autosalon 1947

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - die Windschutzscheibe, gesehen am Pariser Automobilsalon 1947

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - Zeichnung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - frühe Zeichnung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - Funktionszeichnungen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 700 (1947) - Abmessungen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 1100 (1948) - Planskizze - erste Version

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 1100 (1948) - Designzeichnung des Dreirads

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aérocarène 1100 (1948) - auf der Planskizze - zweite Version

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aptera (2022) - Vorserien-Prototyp (Gamma)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Aptera (2022) - Vorserien-Prototyp (Gamma)

You have only

1 out of 13

images seen in high resolution

Summary

Driving at 135 km/h with a fuel consumption of 3 to 4 liters was pretty utopian 75 years ago. But in Paris in October 1947, there was an automobile that wanted to be able to do this. The three-wheeler was full of innovative ideas and would certainly have had a good chance with the buying public. But it was not to be, production was banned. A faster version under development with up to five seats and a top speed of 160 km/h shared this fate. This article looks back to the late 1940s, characterizes the two Aérocarène models and shows them in contemporary documents and photos.

This article contains the following chapters

Sporty tricycle
Inspired by aircraft construction
Innovative and comfortable
Second model already being planned
Unfortunately rejected
The principle has survived

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Paris Motor Show in October 1947 must have been an event! Almost a million car enthusiasts had already visited the show the previous year, but in 1947 the crowds were even bigger. The slowly reawakening French car industry faced up to the international competition, which came mainly from Great Britain, the USA, Italy and Czechoslovakia. The British presented innovations from 12 brands: Austin, Armstrong-Siddeley, Bentley, Invicta, Jaguar, Healey, Humber, Hillman, Rolls-Royce, Singer, Sunbeam, Vauxhall. The Americans showed cars from 17 brands: Buick, Cadillac,.Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chrysler, De Soto, Plymouth, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Hudson, Kaiser-Frazer, Packard, Nash, Willys-Overland, Playboy. From Italy, Alfa Romeo, Cemsa-Caproni, Cisitalia, Fiat, Isotta-Frasciini, Lancia and Maserati were represented. Skoda and Tatra were at the start for Czechoslovakia.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

Continue reading this article for free?

Photos of this article

Source: