Aster

France, 1900 – 1910

Ateliers de Construction Mécanique l’Aster, Saint-Denis, Seine

It is doubtful if this famous manufacturer of proprietary engines ever marketed a complete Aster car, though Aster made gearboxes and chassis as well as power units, and were undoubtedly equipped to do so. Their engines enjoyed wide currency; among Aster’s better-known customers were Gladiator and Ariès in France, and Argyll, Singer, Swift and Dennis in Britain. From time to time, ‘Aster’ cars appeared at the Shows. The company displayed a 3½hp Aster motor quadricycle with their own Aster engine at the Crystal Palace in 1903; this was, however, credited with a British-made chassis. The ‘Asters’ marketed by the firm’s English offshoot in the 1905 – 1907 period were certainly Aster-engined Ariès. Other vehicles loosely referred to as Asters on the English side of the Channel are likely to have been products of Aster’s obscurer customers such as Whitlock of London or West of Coventry. Even these had vanished by 1910, and it is almost certain that the only cars which can legitimately bear the Aster name are the all-British Asters launched at the 1922 London show.

GB, 1922 – 1930

(1) Aster Engineering Co Ltd, Wembley, Middlesex, 1922 – 1927

(2) Arrol-Johnston Ltd, and Aster Engineering Co Heathall, Dumfries, 1927 – 1930

The first british Aster car was a finely constructed, expensive machine of modern design, made in limited numbers. Rated at 18/50hp, the 2.618cc engine had push-rod overhead valves and coil ignition. Its main attraction was the bodywork, which was notably handsome and comfortable. In 1924 the bore was enlarged, dual ignition became optional, front-wheel brakes were standardized and the new model was named the Aster 20/55. The Duke of York became the firm’s most distinguished customer in 1925, but this did not save Aster from amalgamation with Arrol-Johnston two years later. Enlarged again the car became a 3-litre Aster 21/60hp model for sale in 1926. The 1927 models, the last true Asters, were the Aster 21/60hp and the new 3 ½-litre Aster 24/70hp for sale, with single sleeve valve engine. Designations and engine sizes were unchanged for 1928, but now both cars had Burt-McCollum single sleeve valve engines. The 1930 models were the last.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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DeSoto

US, 1913 – 1916

DeSoto Motro Car Co, Auburn, Ind.

The DeSoto appears to have succeeded the Zimmerman. This was a large car with a 55hp, 6-cylinder engine, which was furnished with a compressed-air starter. The DeSoto model Six-55 five-seater touring car sold for $2185.

US, 1928 – 1960

Chrysler Motors Corp, Detroit, Mich.

The DeSoto was launched in 1928 as a 3.2-litre side valve six to compete with Oldsmobile, Pontiac and the cheaper Nashes. Styling and general design of the DeSoto were in line with the 1929 Chryslers, and at $885 for a DeSoto sedan 90.000 were sold in the first twelve months. A 3.4-litre straight-8 DeSoto on a 9ft 6in wheelbase was announced for 1930 as the world’s cheapest 8-cylinder car. However, DeSoto suffered badly in the Depression, and in 1932, when flexible rubber engine mountings and free wheels were made available, sales dropped to 26.000 DeSoto cars.
The DeSoto disappeared from the British market about this time, though certain ‘Chrysler’ models listed in England (the Mortlake, Croydon, and some of the Richmonds) were in fact DeSoto cars in all but name. A 6-cylinder version of Chrysler’s advanced unitary-construction Airflow, the SE-type with a 4-litre engine, was brought out in 1934, but was an unsuccessful as its bigger sister. Later DeSotos followed regular Chrysler lines closely though in later years there was a tendency for DeSoto to move into a higher price class than Dodge; by 1952 DeSotos started $300 higher than the companion make.
By 1939 the DeSoto cars for sale were being made with independent front suspension, hypoid back axles and column change. There was a choice at DeSoto of two 6-cylinder engines and three wheelbase lengths, the longest of these being reserved for seven-seater bodywork – DeSoto continued to offer a really roomy family car right up to 1954. A 4-speed semi-automatic Vacumatic transmission became an option in 1941, but DeSoto’s big post-war change of models did not take place until 1952, when the division followed Chrysler’s lead in adopting the oversquare ohv V8; the DeSoto version was of 4½-litre capcity and developed 16-bhp. With the advent of Chrysler’s ‘flight sweep’ styling in 1955, the side-valve sixes were dropped and the standard engine in a DeSoto was now a 4.8-litre eight, giving 185bhp in Firedome guise, and 200bhp in Fireflite form. Though this redesigning saved Chrysler sales generally, the slump in the medium-price class had an adverse effect on DeSoto and in 1959 the DeSoto division was merged with Plymouth. Last of the DeSotos were the 1961 models, unitary-construction cars with a choice of three engines: Plymouth’s 145bhp ohv ‘slant six’ as used in the Valiant, and V8s of 230 and 265bhp, the two former only in Canadian DeSotos. Production of DeSoto cars ceased in November 1960 after only a few had been delivered.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS
The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com