Ballot (automobile)
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| Founded | 1905 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Édouard and Maurice Ballot |
| Defunct | 1932 |
| Headquarters | , Paris (France) |
| Products | Cars |
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.
The Ballot brothers, Édouard and Maurice, founded their company beside the Brune in south-central Paris, in 1905. Edouard Ballot was a former naval officer, which explains the "anchor" that featured in the badges on the cars.
Before World War I the factory concentrated on marine and industrial engines, and from 1910 or 1911 they were also offering automobile engines.
The company was re-founded as Etablissements Ballot SA in 1910.
There is little sign that Edouard Ballot himself took much interest in automobiles until December 1918. That was the month in which he had a significant conversation René Thomas, a leading racing driver who back in 1914 had won the "Indianapolis 500" race driving a Delage. Ballot was persuaded to build four 4.8-litre cars that would carry the "Ballot" name and compete in the forthcoming Indianapolis 500 race, scheduled for 30 May 1919. Time seemed very short, but Ballot lost no time, notably recruiting the Swiss born engineer Ernest Henry who had already worked on preparing Peugeot cars for their successful participation in the 1914 Indianapolis 500 race. Ballot's cars competed in the 1919 race, two of them finishing in 4th and 11th places. Ballot was sufficiently encouraged to return the next year, and in the 1920 Indianapolis 500 race a Ballot driven by René Thomas finished in 2nd place: Ballots also took the 5th and 7th places.
A Ballot vehicle driven by René Thomas also finished second in the 1919 Targa Florio.
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Wikipedia