Description
CGV
Model F1
01/ 01/ 1904
4-cylinder T-head – 20HP – 4941 cm3
Chain drive
Body rebuilt according to an period photograph of a CGV with advanced-control.
Only 3 CGVs recorded by the VCC.
VCC dated for London to Brighton
French Registration Document - Collection
A rare opportunity to acquire a French ancestor with a large-displacement 4-cylinder engine.
CHARRON, GIRARDOT AND VOIGT
Fernand Charron born in Angers, France on 30 May 1866.
Léonce Girardot born in Paris, France on 30 April 1864.
Émile Voigt born in Lille, France on 8 December 1871.
In the 1890s, these three Frenchmen were enthusiastic cyclists before turning to motor racing. They achieved considerable success in both sports.
On 14 September 1897, F. Charron, L. Girardot and E. Voigt founded a company for the manufacture of automobiles and motorcycles and a general automobile agent – Le Chauffeur/ Le Technologist.
Fernand Charron finished fourth in the Paris-Dieppe race.
In 1898, Charron won the Paris–Amsterdam–Paris, ahead of Léonce Girardot.
In 1899, Emile Voigt participated in the Tour de France and won Paris–Boulogne.
In 1900, Charron, Girardot and Voigt were automobile dealers based in Puteaux, near Paris. The first Gordon Bennett race had five entrants, but only Charron and Girardot finished. Girardot had a reputation for being the “eternal second.”
In 1901, during the Gordon Bennett, it was Girardot who prevailed after Charron abandoned due to tyre problems.
Automobiles Charron, Girardot & Voigt appears to have been founded in February 1902.
The company immediately established a reputation for high-quality cars which, although initially based on the Panhard design with which the three designers were familiar, were regarded as an improvement on it.
CGV became Automobiles Charron in 1906 following the departure of Léonce Girardot and Emile Voigt; the company continued until 1930.
