French Eccentricity meets Art Deco
Another one of a kind, the 1934 Voisin C27 Figoni Cabriolet. Only one of 2 made and the sole survivor still alive and kicking.
Looking back at his career as an automobile manufacturer, it is quite amazing that Gabriel Voisin managed to sell well over 11,000 vehicles between 1919 and 1939. His cars were never conventional, always highly expensive to buy and certainly not cheap to run, but nevertheless he had built a loyal following of customers particularly in the 1920s. They were certainly not idiots, but rather true enthusiasts that opted to accept the common Voisin quirks in exchange for driving one of the most advanced and exclusive cars on the market.
Originally trained as an architect, Gabriel Voisin quickly turned to the emerging aeroplane industry and together with his brother formed 'Avions Voisin'. The company did good business in the Great War and as soon as the peace was signed Gabriel switched interests once more and converted his business into 'Automobiles Voisin'. He immediately created his own style with influences from his two former interests, but also had a more than average focus on passenger safety; his brother had a fatal car accident a few years earlier.
Apart from the obvious unique styling cues sported by most Voisins, the cars also stand out for the use of lightweight materials like aluminium and exotic technical solutions. The best example of the latter is the Knight patented sleeve-valve engine design of which Voisin was a big fan. This design allowed the engine to run virtually quiet, thanks to the absence of the rattling created by a regular valvetrain. One of the downsides was the large amount of oil required to properly lubricate the sleeves, usually resulting in quite noticeable oil smoke from the exhaust.
Voisin's most successful period was the mid-1920s when the range consisted of four and six cylinder models with relatively small displacement engines. Quite unusual for the time, most the cars were offered as complete cars with the coachwork designed and constructed in-house.
The Paris Salon of 1934 was clear proof that Gabriel Voisin was at the very top of the game, but sadly the world was not ready yet for his exotic machines and the sales figures remained poor. Just 28 examples of the C25 chassis were ever constructed and with one and two built respectively the C26 and C27 were even less successful. Voisin tried once more with the even more advanced 3.3 litre C28 chassis, but despite the incredibly modern 'Aerosport' coachwork without separate fenders, the company struggled to find buyers for their cars. Sadly Gabriel Voisin was forced to give up just when he reached the peak of his abilities.
Very few Voisins were coached by Figoni because Gabriel Voisin believed he could create superior coachwork in-house. This Voisin is an exception. For this Voisin, Figoni created a unique one-off design with a lithe, sporting profile, unlike the quintessential Voisin styling. The car was showcased at the Madrid Auto Salon in December 1934 and purchased by the Shah of Persia. It passed through various ownerships, and was discovered in the 1970s in a barn in France. Jacques Buson purchased the dilapidated Voisin and, with the help of Claude Figoni, Joseph's son, and Henry Bernard, son of Voisin's chief designer, the car was restored. In 1991 the Voisin was acquired by Peter Mullin and restored to its original spectactular specification.
One of only two built, the well-balanced Figoni & Falaschi body on this Voisin was one of the first to be influenced by modern aerodynamic principles.
French Eccentricity meets Art Deco
Another one of a kind, the 1934 Voisin C27 Figoni Cabriolet. Only one of 2 made and the sole survivor still alive and kicking.
Looking back at his career as an automobile manufacturer, it is quite amazing that Gabriel Voisin managed to sell well over 11,000 vehicles between 1919 and 1939. His cars were never conventional, always highly expensive to buy and certainly not cheap to run, but nevertheless he had built a loyal following of customers particularly in the 1920s. They were certainly not idiots, but rather true enthusiasts that opted to accept the common Voisin quirks in exchange for driving one of the most advanced and exclusive cars on the market.
Originally trained as an architect, Gabriel Voisin quickly turned to the emerging aeroplane industry and together with his brother formed 'Avions Voisin'. The company did good business in the Great War and as soon as the peace was signed Gabriel switched interests once more and converted his business into 'Automobiles Voisin'. He immediately created his own style with influences from his two former interests, but also had a more than average focus on passenger safety; his brother had a fatal car accident a few years earlier.
Apart from the obvious unique styling cues sported by most Voisins, the cars also stand out for the use of lightweight materials like aluminium and exotic technical solutions. The best example of the latter is the Knight patented sleeve-valve engine design of which Voisin was a big fan. This design allowed the engine to run virtually quiet, thanks to the absence of the rattling created by a regular valvetrain. One of the downsides was the large amount of oil required to properly lubricate the sleeves, usually resulting in quite noticeable oil smoke from the exhaust.
Voisin's most successful period was the mid-1920s when the range consisted of four and six cylinder models with relatively small displacement engines. Quite unusual for the time, most the cars were offered as complete cars with the coachwork designed and constructed in-house.
The Paris Salon of 1934 was clear proof that Gabriel Voisin was at the very top of the game, but sadly the world was not ready yet for his exotic machines and the sales figures remained poor. Just 28 examples of the C25 chassis were ever constructed and with one and two built respectively the C26 and C27 were even less successful. Voisin tried once more with the even more advanced 3.3 litre C28 chassis, but despite the incredibly modern 'Aerosport' coachwork without separate fenders, the company struggled to find buyers for their cars. Sadly Gabriel Voisin was forced to give up just when he reached the peak of his abilities.
Very few Voisins were coached by Figoni because Gabriel Voisin believed he could create superior coachwork in-house. This Voisin is an exception. For this Voisin, Figoni created a unique one-off design with a lithe, sporting profile, unlike the quintessential Voisin styling. The car was showcased at the Madrid Auto Salon in December 1934 and purchased by the Shah of Persia. It passed through various ownerships, and was discovered in the 1970s in a barn in France. Jacques Buson purchased the dilapidated Voisin and, with the help of Claude Figoni, Joseph's son, and Henry Bernard, son of Voisin's chief designer, the car was restored. In 1991 the Voisin was acquired by Peter Mullin and restored to its original spectactular specification.
One of only two built, the well-balanced Figoni & Falaschi body on this Voisin was one of the first to be influenced by modern aerodynamic principles.