About Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss cars were made between 1903 and 1955 by the French company Hotchkiss et Cie in Saint-Denis, Paris. The badge for the marque showed a pair of crossed cannons, evoking the company's earlier history as an arms manufacturer.
The company's first entry into car making came from orders for engine components such as crankshafts which were supplied to Panhard et Levassor, De Dion-Bouton and other pioneering companies and in 1903 they went on to make complete engines. Encouraged by two major car distributors, Mann and Overton of London and Fournier of Paris, Hotchkiss decided to start making their own range of cars and purchased a Mercedes Simplex for inspiration and Georges Terasse, previously of Mors, was taken on as designer.
Early cars
The first Hotchkiss car, a 17 CV (13 kW) four-cylinder model, appeared in 1903 followed by a the 40CV Type C with engine based heavily on the Mercedes Simplex except that wherever possible it used ball bearings rather than plain ones. Six-cylinder models, the Types L and O followed in 1907.
