Beschreibung:

Voisin C14: Art Deco design with 6-cylinder power This rare Voisin Lumineuse once belonged to Gabriel Voisin and is, in many respects, a perfect automotive rendering of the legendary designer and engineer’s creative innovations. The C14 chassis on which the Lumineuse is built was derived from the C11, the first 6-cylinder Voisin, introduced in 1926. The engine design was based on the factory Laboratoire 6-cylinder racing cars and was of the sleeve-valve type preferred by Voisin. The 2.4L Voisin six was continued for the C-14 models, albeit with a revised taxable horsepower rating. Designed by Gabriel Voisin, the Lumineuse (“luminous”) body combined unusually large window openings with unusual “prismatic” contours. The aircraft-inspired construction used aluminum panels, attached to multiple wooden ribs, to make the sturdy body exceptionally light in weight. Many patents were filed for this model, including for the door mechanism, window mechanism and horn controls. Another patented feature was the pneumatic relay on the transmission, which enabled the driver to select a high- or low-speed range in each of the three forward gears. The side baggage compartments helped to center the mass of the car, promoting stability. The center of gravity and aerodynamic driving force were of the utmost importance to Gabriel Voisin, who, thanks to his prior aeronautics experience, was among the first to take them into consideration when designing a car. It is said that couturier Paul Poiret designed the first Art Deco colored fabrics specifically to be used in Voisin Lumineuse cars. The Lumineuse style was favored by some of the most famous artists of its era, including Maurice Chevalier, Josephine Baker, and Paul Morand The cutting-edge architect Le Corbusier often included his Lumineuse in photos of buildings he had designed—it is even said that its turning radius inspired his Villa Savoie. The offered Lumineuse is one of four survivors of its type. This one is unique in that Gabriel Voisin himself is said to have owned it for a time, prior to World War II. In the 1960s, the car was acquired by a collector who envisioned displaying it in a proposed automobile museum, and it was stored in Montlhéry for some years. The Lumineuse was eventually sold to a major collector who, in consideration of the condition it was in, had it repainted in the 1980s by Société Lecoq so that it could be exhibited at its museum in Normandy. The car changed hands once again in 1992 and has remained part of the consignor’s collection until now. This Lumineuse has taken part in several car rallies and has been featured in major exhibitions, such as “100 Years of Design” in 1993 at the Grand Palais, Paris, where it quite appropriately represented the Art Deco period. The current owner has driven it for about 15,000km without any problems at all—Voisin reliability was the best advertisement for the car in its era, as well, when the cars were a genuine pleasure to drive compared to most contemporaries. From its "Cocotte" stylized bird radiator ornament to its original-style Paul Poiret fabrics, the car presented here is the quintessential Art Deco Voisin. It provides the discerning with an exceptionally rare opportunity to own a Lumineuse, one of the most famous and distinctive styles ever produced by the illustrious Avions Voisin concern. The Lumineuse is offered on a French title.