Last updated Excelsior (1911)Share of the Automobiles Impéria-Excelsior SA, issued 21. June 1928
Compagnie Nationale Excelsior, more simply known as Excelsior, was a Belgian car manufacturer established by Arthus de Coninck in Brussels in 1903. The company first started to manufacture cars in 1904.
The first models were powered by a two- or four-cylinder Aster engine. In 1907, however, the company made headlines with the Adex, powered by a six-cylinder side-valve engine with a capacity of nine litres. This car's chassis could be easily modified for Grand Prix racing. In 1912, the car took second place in the French Grand Prix, and when the Belgian royal family purchased an Excelsior, the advertising value proved considerable.
A second version of the Adex came out in 1920, with a smaller 4767 cc, six-cylinder engine including an overhead camshaft. The Adex inspired the design of the later Excelsior Albert I, which was powered by a six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 5346 cc. An Excelsior Albert I finished 6th and another 9th in the 1923 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
In 1929, the company was sold to its competitor Impéria. Until 1932, the company was called Impéria-Excelsior, after which the name Excelsior was dropped.
Cosworth is a British automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in high-performance internal combustion engines, powertrain, and electronics for automobile racing (motorsport) and mainstream automotive industries. Cosworth is based in Northampton, England, with facilities in Cottenham, England, Silverstone, England, and Indianapolis, IN, US.
Vanwall was a motor racing team and racing car constructor that was active in Formula One during the 1950s. Founded by Tony Vandervell, the Vanwall name was derived by combining the name of the team owner with that of his Thinwall bearings produced at the Vandervell Products factory at Acton, London. Originally entering modified Ferraris in non-championship races, Vanwall constructed their first cars to race in the 1954 Formula One season. The team achieved their first race win in the 1957 British Grand Prix, with Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks sharing a VW 5, earning the team the distinction of constructing the first British-built car to win a World Championship race. Vanwall won the inaugural Constructors' Championship in Formula One in 1958, in the process allowing Moss and Brooks to finish second and third in the Drivers' Championship standings, each winning three races for Vanwall. Vandervell's failing health meant 1958 would be the last full season; the squad ran cars in a handful of races in the following years, but finished racing in 1961.
Formula Two is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name returned in 2017 when the former GP2 Series became known as the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Minerva was a Belgian firm active from 1902 to 1938 and a manufacturer of luxury automobiles. The company became defunct in 1956.
The Porsche 804 is a single-seat, open-wheeled racing car produced by Porsche to compete in Formula One (F1). It raced for a single season in 1962 in the 1½ litre formula.
The Abadal was a Spanish car manufactured between 1912 and 1923, named after Francisco Abadal. Considered a fast luxury car, it was closely patterned on the Hispano-Suiza and offered in two models. One had a 3104 cc four-cylinder engine while the other had a 4521 cc six-cylinder engine.
Superkart is a form of motorsport road racing that uses karts on long circuits.
Talbot-Lago was a French automobile manufacturer based in Suresnes, Hauts de Seine, outside Paris. The company was owned and managed by Antonio Lago, an Italian engineer that acquired rights to the Talbot brand name after the demise of Darracq London's subsidiary Automobiles Talbot France in 1936.
Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, racing, and other specialty engine manufacturer.
Ballot was a French manufacturer, initially of engines, that also made automobiles between 1919 and 1932. Édouard Ballot became well known as a designer of reliable engines. He helped Ettore Bugatti in developing his first engines.
A U engine is a piston engine made up of two separate straight engines placed side-by-side and coupled to a shared output shaft. When viewed from the front, the engine block resembles the letter "U".
Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delâge in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953.
Métallurgique were cars made by Société Anonyme L'Auto Métallurgique, Marchienne-au-Pont, Belgium, between 1898 and 1928. Before making cars, the company had made railway locomotives and rolling stock.
The 1923 24 Hours of Le Mans, officially the 24 Hours Grand Prix of Endurance, was the inaugural Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 26 and 27 May 1923.
After finding only modest success with the supercharged 125 F1 car in Formula One, Ferrari decided to switch for 1950 to the naturally aspirated 4.5-litre formula for the series. Calling in Aurelio Lampredi to replace Gioacchino Colombo as technical director, Enzo Ferrari directed that the company work in stages to grow and develop an entirely new large-displacement V12 engine for racing.
Impéria Automobiles was a Belgian manufacturer of automobiles, active between 1906 and 1948. Its factory in Nessonvaux, Liège had a rooftop test track since 1928.
The Ferrari 246 F1 is a Ferrari racing car built for the Formula One World Championship of 1958.
The Mercedes-Benz W154 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The W154 competed in the 1938 and 1939 Grand Prix seasons and was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1938 European Championship.
The Marlborough was a make of car sold on the British market between 1906 and 1926. For most of its life the cars were made by Malicet et Blin in France, but after World War I they were partially assembled (finished) in London and an increasing number of British parts used.
Automobiles Oméga-Six was a French automobile manufactured in the Paris region by Gabriel Daubeck between 1922 and 1930.
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