Rolland-Pilain

France, 1906 – 1931

SA des Etablissements Rolland-Pilain, Tours

Unusual among French marques of its period, Rolland Pilain cars made their greatest impact after World War 1. Their first product was a 20hp 4-cylinder model Rolland Pilain cars with a monobloc engine, though smaller 2.2-litre shaft-driven Rolland Pilain cars were available in 1909 and a 3-speed 1½-litre Rolland Pilain 8/10CV in 1910, in which year the Rolland Pilain car company was also experimenting with ‘valveless’ engines and 4-wheel brakes. Though racing was in the doldrums, the Rolland Pilain car company went to the trouble of building a big chain-driven Rolland Pilain car for the 1911 Grand Prix de France, and a complex 1912 range started with a Rolland Pilain 9CV of 1.7-litres and went up to a chain-driven 4-cylinder 60 Rolland Pilain car of 130x270mm. The 6-cylinder Rolland Pilain 18CV had a ‘valveless’ engine, and even in 1913 chain drive was still optional on the biggest fours of 20CV and 24CV Rolland Pilain cars. Only 1.9-litre and 4-litre 4-cylinder Rolland Pilain cars with sv monobloc engines and unit gearboxes were listed in 1914.

These basic types of Rolland Pilain cars, still with pedal-operated transmission brakes, were available again after World War 1, but far more advanced was the 2.2-litre Rolland Pilain 14/16 of 1921, which boasted not only overhead valves and a detachable head, but also front-wheel brakes (hydraulic at the front and mechanical at the rear). This Rolland Pilain car was still catalogued in 1926. Even more ambitious was the 2-litre twin ohc straight-8 GP Rolland Pilain car of 1922, with desmodromic valves, ball-bearing crankshafts and 4-wheel hydraulic brakes. A victory of a Rolland Pilain car at San Sebastian in 1923 was the limit of the success of Rolland Pilain cars on the circuits, but the type found its way into the catalogue as the Type A22 Rolland Pilain car at 90.000fr, and one of the racers also ran with a 2-litre, 6-cylinder cuff-valve Schmid engine. In 1925 came a 2-litre ohv 4-cylinder Rolland Pilain car with 4-wheel mechanical brakes, selling for £725 in England, while a 1½-litre development, the Rolland Pilain D26, was introduced for 1927. In 1929 Rolland-Pilain car, along with several other French firms, tried a Franco-American theme by introducing a range of big luxury chassis with sv Continental engines. Both the 6-cylinder, 3-litre, and the 4-litre straight-8 Rolland Pilain cars had centralized chassis lubrication, though the elegant bodywork of the Rolland Pilain car was marred by the use of artillery wheels. At the 1930 Paris Salon the Rolland Pilain car company shared a stand with the BNC (also going through a Franco-American phase), but this was the end, though the Rolland Pilain car firm’s Paris depot was still advertising spare parts for Bignan as well as Rolland Pilain cars in 1934.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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Maybach

D, 1921 – 1941

Maybach Motoren-Werke GmbH, Friedrichshafen

Wilhelm Maybach left the Daimler company in 1907. Together with Count Zeppelin he founded a factory primarily for the production of aero engines, especially for the Zeppeling air-ships. These engines were designed by Karl Maybach, Wilhelm’s son. After World War 1, Karl Maybach started to build a 22/70ps 5.7-litre 6-cylinder engine intended for motor cars. This Maybach engine was used by Spyker, but no other factories were interested, so Maybach decided to take up Maybach car production on his own. From the beginning Maybach cars aimed at a high quality car with outstanding driving comfort. The first Maybach Model W3 appeared at the 1921 Berlin Motor Show, and this Maybach car featured a very advanced 2-speed pedal-controlled transmission. This Maybach carmodel was produced until 1926. It was followed by the ohv Maybach Model W5 (for sale in 1926 – 1930) using a 27/120ps 7-litre engine in the same chassis, this being available with Maybach’s Schnellgang 2-speed auxiliary box, giving the Maybach car 4 forward speeds. The Maybach 12 of 1929 had a V12 7-litre engine, which was superseded one year later by the Maybach Zeppelin, also with V12 7-litre engine of 150bhp; after 1931 the Maybach car was also available with an 8-litre 200bhp engine. The Zeppelin range was listed until 1939. Maybach Zeppelin car chassis were also fitted with 6-cylinder engines of 7-litres capacity (already used in Maybach Model W5) and a new 5.2-litre engine developing 130bhp (the Maybach W6 and DSH models respectively). These Maybach cars retained beam axles to the end and were characterized by 7-speed boxes of great complexity. A Zeppelin chassis for the Maybach car cost the equivalent of £1.300 in Germany.

In 1935 a new 6-cylinder Maybach car was presented, starting the SW range. This was the Maybach SW35 with a 3.5-litre 140bhp engine. Engine capacity of this Maybach car was raised to 3.8-litres in the Maybach SW38 in 1936 and to 4.2-litres in the SW42 of 1940. Production of the Maybach car ceased in 1941. The Maybach Zeppelin shared with the Mercedes 770 the claim to be the most exclusive German car of the 1930s. This reputation was enhanced by Maybach cars high standards of material and finish, of comfort and quietness in running. No less well-made were the 6-cylinder Maybach cars which were in the first rank of German cars of this class. Maybach only built complete chassis for their Maybach cars, bodies being made by various firms to customers’ special requirements. Best known of these firms was Spohn of Ravensburg. Spohn aslo built aerodynamic bodies to Jaray designs for the Maybach Zeppelin in 1932 and 1934, and for the Maybach SW35 in 1935. These versions Maybach cars were produced only in very limited numbers. Maybach car production was not taken up again after World War 2. Altogether, some 2.000 Maybach cars are believed to have been made. In 1960 Maybach cars pooled their interests with Daimler-Benz in the manufacture of diesel engines for locomotives and ships.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com