Origins
José Mercader, the manufacturer, had begun building auxiliary engines to install on bicycles. With this experience, he created Construcciones Ferrusola SA in 1953, to undertake the manufacture of motorcycles in Madrid.
Cofersa. Construcciones Ferrusola S.A. (Cofersa) was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer between 1954 and 1962, using Hispano-Villiers engines of 125 and 200cc.
José Mercader, the manufacturer, had begun building auxiliary engines to install on bicycles. With this experience, he created Construcciones Ferrusola SA in 1953, to undertake the manufacture of motorcycles in Madrid.
The first unit was put on sale in 1954, a 125cc model, emphasizing their functionality and quality of construction. Mechanical durability was ensured by the incorporation of Hispano-Villiers (Villiers manufactured under license in Spain) engines. With a conventional design, the make was highlighted by the robustness.
During the first year the company produced only a hundred motorcycles, but in a short time the staff of employees exceeded the number of 100, to meet the demand.
The JM model appeared in 1957, incorporating stamped sheet metal and four-speed gearbox. In 1959 the model Helix went on sale, with stamped metal construction again, and a protective grid on the rear fenders, probably to make it easier for women to sit aside on the motorcycle without the skirts been tangled with rear wheel.
As a manufacturer of motorcycles, Cofersa activity ceased in 1962. [1]
The Norton Motorcycle Company is a brand of motorcycles headquartered in Solihull, West Midlands,, England. For some years around 1990, the rights to use the name on motorcycles was owned by North American financiers.
Triumph Engineering Co Ltd was a British motorcycle manufacturing company, based originally in Coventry and then in Meriden. A new company, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, based in Hinckley, gained the name rights after the end of the company in the 1980s and is now one of the world's major motorcycle manufacturers.
Hispano-Suiza is a Spanish automotive–engineering company. It was founded in 1904 by Marc Birkigt and Damian Mateu as an automobile manufacturer and eventually had several factories in Spain and France that produced luxury cars, aircraft engines, trucks and weapons. In 1923, its French luxury car arm became a semi-autonomous partnership with the Spanish parent company. In 1946, the Spanish parent company sold all of its Spanish automotive assets to Enasa, a Spanish state-owned vehicle manufacturer, and the French arm continued as an independent aviation engine and components manufacturer under the Hispano-Suiza name. In 1968, Hispano-Suiza was taken over by the aerospace company Snecma, which is now part of the French Safran Group. An attempt to relaunch the marque was made by the company Hispano Suiza Cars associated with the Peralada Group in 2019 with a fully-electric car.
Royal Enfield was a brand name under which The Enfield Cycle Company Limited of Redditch, Worcestershire sold motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines which they had manufactured. Enfield Cycle Company also used the brand name "Enfield" without the "Royal".
Excelsior, based in Coventry, was a British bicycle, motorcycle and car maker. They were Britain’s first motorcycle manufacturer, starting production of their own ‘motor-bicycle’ in 1896. Initially they had premises at Lower Ford Street, Coventry, and 287-295 Stoney Stanton Road, Hillfields, Coventry, Warwickshire before moving to Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham in 1921.
Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models were produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins. Matchless had a long history of racing success; a Matchless ridden by Charlie Collier won the first single-cylinder race in the first Isle of Man TT in 1907.
Villiers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England.
Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by the Collier brothers as a parent company for the Matchless and AJS motorcycle companies. It later absorbed Francis-Barnett, James, and Norton before incorporation into Norton-Villiers. Henry Herbert Collier founded Matchless as a cycle company in 1878. His sons Henry (Harry) and Charles (Charlie) joined him and the name was changed to H. Collier & Sons.
The Kapi was a Spanish automobile manufactured by Automóviles y Autoscooter Kapi in Barcelona from 1950 until 1955. Designed by Captain Federico Saldaña, the first car was a light three-wheeled two door runabout powered by a 125 cc 2 cv single-cylinder two-stroke engine made by Montessa. The single wheel was at the front.
Francis & Barnett Limited was an English motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1919 by Gordon Inglesby Francis and Arthur Barnett and based in Lower Ford Street, Coventry, England. Early motor cycles were affectionately known as ' Franny B'. Motorcycles were produced for enthusiasts and were reasonably affordable for citizens for use as general transport. The majority of the lighter motorcycles used Villiers and later Two-stroke engine and later Associated Motor Cycles AMC engines. During the 1930s the 250cc Cruiser model 250 cc (15 cu in) was developed with a faired engine that protected those riding from any oil or dirt – one of the first of its kind to do so. AMC took over Francis & Barnett Limited in 1947 combining this with the James motorcycle models in 1957. The combined company remained in business until 1966.
Greeves Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by Bert Greeves which produced a range of road machines, and later competition mounts for observed trials, scrambles and road racing. The original company produced motorcycles from 1952, funded by a contract with the Ministry of Pensions for their Invacar, a three-wheeler for disabled drivers.
In 2015 Spain produced 2.7 million cars which made it the 8th largest automobile producer country in the world and the 2nd largest car manufacturer in Europe after Germany. The forecast as of 2016 was to produce a total of 2.8 million vehicles from which about 80% is for export. During the first half of 2016, with exports valued over 24 billion euros over that period, the automotive industry accounted for 18.9% of the total Spanish exports.
Lambretta is the brand name of mainly motor scooters, initially manufactured in Milan, Italy, by Innocenti.
Sanglas was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer which was founded in Barcelona in 1942 and ceased production in 1981.
Gimson was a Spanish bicycle and motorcycle brand, manufactured in Figueres by Gimbernat Hermanos S.R.C. in two distinct stages: the first in 1930 and the second from 1955 to 1982.
Alpha was a brand of Spanish motorcycles and motocarros manufactured in Barcelona by Nilo Maso Miró between 1924 and 1957.
Triver was a Spanish car brand made by Construcciones Acorazadas SA in Bilbao from 1953 to 1962. Construcciones Acorazadas SA ceased business in 1983 after devastating floods.
Clúa was a Spanish motorcycle and automobile brand by Construcciones Metálicas Clúa from 1949 to 1962. The company was owned and founded by Joan Clúa i Maluquer. Its headquarters was located at 6 Avenida de Pau Casals, Barcelona, Spain, at the time called Avenida General Goded, and the assembly line was located at Carrer d'Espronceda.
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