Did you know that Rue Deguingand in Levallois-Perret has a connection to a short-lived French automobile manufacturer? The story begins with Albert Deguingand. He founded Societé des Nouveaux Ateliers A. Deguingand in 1927. This was after his partnership with Lucien-Marie Vinot-Préfondaine ended.
Deguingand’s first venture with Vinot-Préfondaine was also in automobile manufacturing. That company, Vinot-Deguingand, ran into trouble after World War I. The factory was sold in 1926 to Donnet-Zédel. Albert Deguingand then returned to the Paris region. Here he started his new company. It focused on the small car sector.
The cars produced on Rue Deguingand carried the Deguingand name. The first model featured a 4-cylinder engine. It displaced 1170cc and was supplied by S.C.A.P. Customers could choose between a side-valve or an overhead valve version. These engines produced 22 hp and 28 hp respectively.
Despite these options, the Deguingand struggled in the market. Volume makers like Citroën dominated the price-sensitive small car sector. The Deguingand was delisted by the end of 1928. At the 22nd Paris Motor Show, Deguingand presented a smaller model. This car fell into the 5CV car tax band. It used a two-stroke 4-cylinder unit. Marcel Violet designed it.
This engine had a unique design. Four cylinders operated in two combustion chambers. Pistons were placed in pairs. They sat at each end of a shared combustion tube. The car had a 2430 mm wheelbase. It was priced aggressively at 11000 francs in October 1928. But it failed to attract buyers. Production ended in 1929.
Interestingly, the same design resurfaced in 1931. It was manufactured in Nanterre as a Donnet. Albert Deguingand’s venture on Rue Deguingand was short-lived. Production ceased in 1930. Yet, it illustrates the competitive nature of the French automobile industry in the late 1920s. So, as you walk along Rue Deguingand, remember its connection to a pioneering, if ultimately unsuccessful, automotive endeavor.