Berliet 11CV Dauphine from 1939 - Collector's model car
The 1939 Berliet 11CV Dauphine represents one of the jewels of the pre-war French automotive industry. This faithful 1:43 scale reproduction captures all the elegance and refinement of this family sedan that embodied Lyon's automotive expertise.
This model car is aimed at collectors passionate about French automotive history, offering a precious testimony to an era when technical innovation rivaled the refined aesthetics of exceptional French model cars .
Characteristics of the model car
- Model: Berliet 11CV Dauphine
- Brand: Berliet
- Year: 1939
- Scale: 1/43
- Color: According to period specifications
- Protective case included: Yes
The original model: an exceptional sedan
The Berliet 11CV Dauphine was launched in 1936 and refined until 1939, representing the culmination of the Lyon-based brand's expertise in touring cars. This model was distinguished by its modern inline 6-cylinder engine, which developed remarkable power for the time, combined with a sophisticated transmission.
The Dauphine was characterized by its spacious and comfortable body, capable of accommodating six passengers in a particularly well-appointed cabin. Its robust chassis and independent front suspension gave it exceptional road qualities, rivaling the best European productions of this pivotal period.
Marketed at a high price, it was aimed at a wealthy clientele looking for a French alternative to prestigious German or British brands, establishing itself as a symbol of social success in France in the late 1930s .
Berliet: the Lyon heritage
Founded in 1899 by Marius Berliet in Lyon, the Berliet brand first distinguished itself in the production of passenger cars before turning to industrial vehicles. In the 1930s, the period of the creation of the Dauphine, Berliet was undergoing a phase of rebirth after the financial difficulties of the 1920s.
The Lyon-based company was seeking to recapture the French high-end automotive market by developing technically advanced models capable of competing with international competition. The Dauphine was part of this ambitious strategy, demonstrating the innovative capacity of this historic French manufacturer.
This period also marked the height of the pre-war French automobile industry, with manufacturers like Berliet pushing technical boundaries while preserving a distinctly French style, far removed from the Germanic or British influences of the time.
A car with a tragic destiny
The history of the Berliet 11CV Dauphine remains inseparable from the dramatic context of the late 1930s. Ambitiously launched in 1936, this sedan was intended to embody the Lyon brand's revival in the premium segment. Unfortunately, rising international tensions and the impending global conflict would jeopardize its commercial development.
In 1939, the year of our model car model, production of the Dauphine was at its technical peak, but its distribution remained confidential. The few examples produced were intended for a privileged clientele, often industrialists or local notables who appreciated this French alternative to the increasingly politically controversial German models.
The declaration of war in September 1939 sounded the death knell for this wonderful automotive adventure. The Berliet factories were quickly requisitioned for the war effort, definitively abandoning the production of passenger cars in favor of military vehicles. The Dauphine thus joined the pantheon of French industry's "lost cars," those promising models cut short by history.
Today, the rare surviving examples of this Berliet 11CV Dauphine are sought after by collectors as precious testimonies of a bygone era, when technological optimism rubbed shoulders with geopolitical anxiety, making this model car an object charged with emotion and memory.
Complete your model car collection
This 1939 Berliet 11CV Dauphine is a natural addition to any collection dedicated to pre-war French model cars . It blends perfectly with other models from the same era, including contemporary Citroën and Peugeot models.
For automotive history enthusiasts, this model car is an ideal bridge to exploring the 1930s , a pivotal decade that saw the birth of the finest achievements of French industry. It also interacts with older models and admirably complements thematic collections on the interwar period.
This 1/43 scale reproduction is aimed at both experienced collectors and novices eager to discover the forgotten treasures of French automotive heritage. Its historical authenticity and meticulous finish make it an investment in heritage as well as an aesthetic pleasure, a tangible testimony to an era when the French automobile shone with its audacity and refinement.
