Darracq Type A 25 CV
Car : Darracq Type A 25 CV
Year : 1920
Engine : V-8
Bore and stroke : 75×130 mm
Cylinder capacity : 4594 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power :80
Maximum speed : 65 mph
Wheelbase : 11 ft 5 ins (3.37 m)
Suspension : front: semi-elliptic leaf- springs ; rear: cantilever leaf- springs
Besides being an engineer Alexandre Darracq was an able and open-minded business man who quickly saw the role that the car would play in the twentieth century. By 1900 he had already built 1,200 units of a 6½ bhp car. Darracq drew up agreements with other manufacturers in Great Britain, Germany and Italy.
His involvement with cars began when he bought the production rights to a vehicle designed by Leon Bollée, powered by a single horizontal cylinder engine. However, he became dissatisfied with this and in 1920 he bought the English firm of Clément-Talbot and later Sunbeam, creating S.T.D. (Sunbeam, Talbot Darracq); but this group made the mistake of producing cars that were very alike.
The 1920 Type 25 was obviously inspired by American cars of the period, with coil ignition, 4-speed transmission, cantilever leaf-spring rear suspension and a weight of approximately 3,970 pounds (1,800 kg). On the basis of its general characteristics it was presented as a compromise between the needs of American drivers and European motorists. Unfortunately the 25 was criticized for its road holding and high fuel consumption. Furthermore it cost almost as much as a Cadillac. A total of 500 cars were built but sales were very slow.