Rochet-Schneider

France, 1894 – 1932

SA des Etablissements Rochet-Schneider, Lyons

In its early years, the Rochet Schneider car copied successful designs as they came out. The Rochet Schneider car started life as a derivation of the Benz, with a horizontal single-cylinder engine and belt drive, but the appearance of the Rochet Schneider car was more like that of the contemporary Peugeot. At the 1901 Paris Salon, two Rochet Schneider cars of Panhard type were revealed: a 2-cylinder 8hp and a 12hp 4-cylinder. However, the most advanced type of car was now the Mercedes, so for 1903 the existing Rochet Schneider car models were redesigned to follow Cannstatt practice, except for their armoured wood frames. What they lacked in originality, Rochet Schneider cars gained in power, good construction, and long life. From 1903, when the new 20/22hp Rochet Schneider car was offered, the Rochet Schneider car  grew in reputation as strong, fast cars of conventional pattern.

A 4.4-litre live-axle 18hp joined the bigger chain-driven Rochet Schneider cars in 1906, and high-tension magneto ignition made its appearance in 1907, when the Rochet Schneider car range was headed by a 10.9-litre chain-driven six with pair-cast cylinders. A year later the smaller Rochet Schneider cars had L-head monobloc power units. By 1911 this trend had spread to the bigger Rochet-Schneider cars, among them a 4.8-litre 4-cylinder and a 5.5-litre six.

Six types o Rochet Schneider cars were offered in 1914, with 4- and 6-cylinder monobloc engines of between 15 and 50hp. All these Rochet Schneider cars had side valves. Commercial vehicles were also made by the Rochet Schneider car Company. A range of equally stolid, but sturdy machines was offered after World War 1, in 12, 18 and 30hp forms. All Rochet Schneider cars were basically pre-war 1 vehicles. From 1923, ohv engines were available on some models. By 1929, four 4-cylinder Rochet Schneider cars and a six were listed, the 14hp and 20hp with overhead valves.

The last new model of Rochet Schneider car was the 26CV, a 4½-litre ohv six with dual ignition and servo brakes. With wire wheels and elegant coachwork, this Rochet Schneider car was a very handsome vehicle, and with a smaller, 21CV six lasted until Rochet-Schneider abandoned private car production. Commercial vehicles were made until 1951, when the Rochet Schneider car company was taken over by Berliet. The Rochet Schneider car was made under licence in its early days by four firms: Nagant and FN in Belgium, Florentia in Italy and Martini in Switzerland. 

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