Lorraine-Dietrich

[3] In 1898, De Dietrich debuted the Torpilleur (Torpedo) racer, which featured a four-cylinder engine and independent suspension in front,[3] for the Paris-Amsterdam Trial; the driver, Etienne "Gaudry" Giraud, wrecked en route, but still placed third.

[3] The 1899 torpilleur was less successful, despite underslung chassis, a rear-mounted monobloc four, and twin carburettors; poor preparation left none of the works teams able to complete the Tour de France.

[4] In 1902, De Dietrich & Cie hired 21-year-old Ettore Bugatti, who produced prize-winning cars in 1899 and 1901, designing an overhead valve 24 hp (18 kW) four-cylinder with four-speed transmission[3] to replace the Vivinus,[3] colloquially (and retroactively) referred to as the Type 2.

[3] The same year, management at Niederbronn quit car production, leaving it entirely to Lunéville,[3] with the Alsace market being sold a Turcat-Méry badge-engineered as a De Dietrich.

[3] Also that year, Lorraine-Dietrich took over Ariel Mors Limited of Birmingham, for the sole British model, a 20 hp (15 kW) four, shown at the Olympia Motor Show in 1908, offered as bare chassis, Salmons & Sons convertible, and Mulliner cabriolet.

[citation needed] By 1914, all De Dietrichs were shaft-driven, and numbered a 12/16, an 18/20, a new 20/30 tourers, and a sporting four-cylinder 40/75[3] (in the mold of Mercer or Stutz), all built at Argenteuil, Seine-et-Oise (which became company headquarters postwar).

[3] All fell in the 15 CV fiscal horsepower category, sharing the 3,445 cc (210.2 cu in) six cylinder engine, which had overhead valves, hemispherical head, aluminium pistons, and four-bearing crankshaft.

In 1930, De Dietrich Argenteuil plant was absorbed by Société Générale Aéronautique, and was converted to making aircraft engines and six-wheel trucks licensed from Tatra.