La Buire

France, 1904 – 1930

(1) Chantiers de la Buire, Lyons, 1904 – 1905

(2) Société des Automobiles de la Buire, Lyons, 1905 – 1909

(3) Sociéte Nouvelle de la Buire-Automobiles, Lyons, 1910 – 1930

Though the Chantiers de la Buire were engaged on automobile work under contract to Serpollet as early as 1900, their own La Buire car designs did not appear on the market until 1904 – these were sometimes erroneously referred to in England as ‘de la Buire’ cars. The La Buire cars were conventional T-headed 4-cylinder machines with metal-to-metal clutches, 4-speed gearboxes, chain drive and pressed-steel frames, made in 16hp and 30hp sizes. A separate car division was formed in 1905 on the La Buire car and a year later three fours were on the market; the smaller La Buire cars had capacities of 4.9 and 7.5-litres respectively, but the ‘La Buire 80’ was a herculean 13.6-litre affair. All had high-tension magnetos, Rover-type compression brakes and twin transmission footbrakes. The big La Buire car had a long and distinguished career in British sprints and hill-climbs in the hands of J. Higginson, inventor of the Autovax. He started with ftd at Sunrising in 1907 and ended by being the entrant of the biggest car ever to record ftd at Shelsley Walsh in 1912. Otherwise the La Buire car company were not interested in racing, apart from a 2nd place in the Coupe de la Commission Sportive of 1907, which resulted in a catalogued type de course La Buire car model offered from 1908 to 1910. Bevel drive with twin crown wheels – a system favoured up to 1914 – made its appearance on a 2.7-litre 4-cylinder car in 1907. 1908 saw a ‘10/14’ of 2.1-litre capacity and a 4.8-litre 6-cylinder, also shaft-driven. No fewer than nine La Buire car models were on sale in 1909, and these included four sixes, the capacities of these La Buire cars ranging from a modest 3.6-litres up to an above average 9.5-litres. The La Buire car company followed the majority of French makers in 1910 by offering L-head Monobloc engines, initially in 3.2-litre form; these La Buire cars had multi-plate clutches and chain-driven camshafts, the latter being a La Buire innovation which was extended over the range. For the 1910 season the La Buire cars were known as Berthiers, after the technical director, M. Berthier who took over the La Buire car company. In late 1910 the Société Nouvelle was formed, and the cars reverted to the La Buire name. Long strokes were a characteristic of late pre-war La Buire carmodels: the ‘La Buire 15’ measured 80x160mm and the ‘La buire 20’ 90x160mm. By 1912 unit gearboxes and differential-mounted transmission brakes had made their appearance on La Buire cars, as had a round-nosed radiator, which was used throughout the range in 1914. A mechanical starter was fitted on the 1913 15hp La Buire ca. Rather small fours of 1.7 and 2.3 litres were available in 1913, as well as the bigger ‘La Buire 15’ and ‘La Buire 20’, and 6-cylinder La Buire cars of 4.8- and 5.3-litres. The big La Buire cars still had two brake pedals, but the second one was now linked to the drums on the rear wheels.

The story of La Buire cars after World War 1 is typical of so many distinguished French marques. A handsome V-radiator had little behind it save tradition; the 1919 ‘La Buire 14/20’ was a stolid 2.650cc affair with fixed head, side valves, pump and fan cooling, 4-speed unit gearbox, magneto ignition and spiral bevel final drive, selling for £1.075 in England. This La Buire car  was available with front-wheel brakes in 1922 and a year later came the optimistically-styled La Buire 14/46hp Speed Model with ohv and front wheel brakes and the same cylinder dimensions (75x150mm). An ohv 1.8-litre ‘La Buire 12/38’ with thermos-syphon cooling and central change offered 53mph for £525, but front-wheel brakes were extra until 1925. Thereafter La Buire had little new to offer and 1.8-litre and 2-litre 4-cylinder La Buire cars on similar lines persisted until 1930.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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