Premium

The cars of Emile Claveau - Always ahead of progress

Name: Claveau 7 CV Torpedo Sport 1927
Brand: Claveau

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 30, 2025

Text:

Karl Ludvigsen (Übersetzung: Paul Krüger)

Photos:

Ludvigsen Partners

Claveau Descartes (1947) - title page of the brochure, which, like the car, was of a very elaborate design - especially for a privateer

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

Claveau 7 CV Sport (1927) - Frugality could also be fun if you drove the right car

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

Claveau (1924) - Concept for car with riveted body panels, optionally with three wheels or four

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

Claveau (1924) - Model of Claveau's first vehicle concept with four wheels

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

Claveau (1925) - Views of a sports car with double semi-elliptic springs at the front and eight quarter-elliptic springs at the rear

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

Claveau 7 CV Torpédo Sport (1926) - stands out very clearly from its neighbors at the 1926 Paris Motor Show

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

Claveau 7 CV Torpédo Sport (1926) - The top view shows the position of the four-cylinder boxer engine and its radiator as well as the position of the 12-volt battery and the spring cylinders (two at the front and four at the rear)

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

Claveau 7 CV Torpédo Sport (1926) - The front view illustrates the independent suspension and shows the design of the steering system

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

Claveau 7 CV Torpédo Sport (1926) - Leaflet explaining all the technical features. Worth noting: The position of the spare wheel

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

Claveau 7 CV 4 Places (1927) - views of a four-seater version that was never built

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

Claveau 9 CV (1927) - the new air-cooled drive with wheel suspension. Striking: The timing cover of the chain drive for the camshaft and auxiliary units

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - The closed four-seater embodies Claveau's design principles in their purest form

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - The closed four-seater embodies Claveau's design principles in their purest form, here without fenders

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - Removable covers on each side give access to the drive unit

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - The driver's position is less obscure than it appears from the outside

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - Transparent drawing

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - modern transparent drawing in color

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

Claveau 9 CV Conduite Interieure (1928) - contemporary illustration showing the car with flat windshields and side windows in front of the doors

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

Claveau 9 CV Torpédo Sport (1928) - at least this one example was built. At the wheel, probably its builder Émile Claveau

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

Claveau 9 CV Torpédo Sport (1928) - A motif that is always popular: illustration of the ability to interlock thanks to independent wheel suspension

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

Claveau 6 CV (1930) - Advertisement promoting five body variants at the same price

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

Claveau 6 CV (1930) - Pressed sheet metal floor assembly

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

Claveau 6 CV (1930) - The radiator grille suggests that a cooperation with Citroën was planned

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

Claveau 6 CV (1930) - Illustration that somewhat idealizes the proportions typical of the time

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

Claveau 6 CV (1930) - a model of the two-door coach. The 6 CV came closest to series production, but never reached it

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

Claveau (1934) - Excerpt from the concept submitted to the SIA: Sectional drawing of the two-stroke twin cylinder and the wheel suspensions with rubber springs

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

Claveau Descartes (1947) - 6 seats, 6 windows, 8 cylinders - panoramic windshield and pontoon body were groundbreaking

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

Claveau Descartes (1947) - initially Claveau was only able to present one model, but even that already clearly showed where the journey was heading

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

Claveau Descartes (1947) - smooth underbody, which (similar to the later Citroën DS) contributes a large part to the excellent aerodynamic drag

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - although crammed onto a tiny stand, the limousine attracted some admirers - Paris Salon 1948

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - The door and hood handles disrupt the otherwise consistently smooth form - Paris Salon 1948

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - The 2.3-liter V8 sits deep in the engine compartment. The fan for the radiators can be seen behind the round air intake

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - As progressive as the entire car: overhead camshafts, hemispherical combustion chambers and V-shaped suspended valves in bronze alloy seats

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - Patent after de Wrangell for hydraulic actuation of the valves

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - The drive unit. Interesting: The clutch is located behind the gearbox

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

Claveau Descartes (1948) - before the car was finished, the engine had already been presented. The picture in the background shows the 9 CV without rear paneling

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

Claveau 5 CV (1955) - exhibited as a 1956 model at the 1955 Paris Salon

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

Claveau 5 CV (1955) - fully restored and now ready to drive, it is now in the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Florida

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

Claveau 5 CV (1955) - Under the hood is a three-cylinder two-stroke engine from DKW

You have only

1 out of 43

images seen in high resolution

Summary

Émile Claveau was one of those designers who only built cars for motor shows, a magazine once wrote somewhat disparagingly. In fact, his designs were often so advanced that no manufacturer dared to adopt them. What remains are self-supporting aluminum bodies, four individually suspended wheels and a single surviving prototype. This article tells the story of Émil Claveau's work and how he made progress possible.

This article contains the following chapters

A philosophical approach
First work: a mid-engined sports car
Closed and air-cooled
Change to front-wheel drive
V8 saloon made of light alloy
The only survivor

Estimated reading time: 18min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Although the automobile was invented in Germany, it was industrially developed and actively promoted in France. The major French car manufacturers had already established themselves before the turn of the century and by 1902 had reached a five-digit annual volume. In 1905, French manufacturers produced more than 20,000 cars; by 1913, this figure had risen to 45,000, with Peugeot and Renault leading the way with around five thousand units each. These pioneers - including Panhard & Levassor, De Dion and Renault - made France an early market leader in the manufacture of engines and the promotion of the automobile. Soon the French were building bigger and faster cars to compete in city-to-city road races. They founded the first automobile club, played a leading role in founding the first international association of automobile clubs and organized the first Grand Prix race in 1906.

Welcome to Zwischengas!