Solex

Solex is a French manufacturer of carburetors and the powered bicycle VéloSoleX.

Solex carburetors were used by many top European automobile marques, such as Rolls-Royce, Citroën, Porsche, Volkswagen, SAAB, and Mercedes Benz. They were also licensed, with Japanese maker Mikuni supplying them to Toyota, Suzuki, Yamaha, and others.

The Solex company was founded by Marcel Mennesson and Maurice Goudard to manufacture vehicle radiators. These were fitted to several makes of early cars including Delaunay-Belleville and buses of the Paris General Omnibus company.

After World War I, the radiator business went into decline and the company bought the rights to the carburetor patents of Jouffret and Renée and named them Solex after their business.

The Solex brand is now owned by Magneti Marelli. The original Solex company changed its name in 1994 to Magneti Marelli France and on May 31, 2001, Magneti Marelli France partially bought its assets (including the trademark SOLEX) from Magneti Marelli Motopropulsion France S.A.S.

Solex manufactured carburetors used by some of the most famous European marques, including Rolls-Royce Motors, Citroën, Volvo, and Volkswagen. They were also employed in performance vehicles by makers such as Porsche, BMW, Alfa Romeo, and Mercedes Benz, which also used a 3x2 set-up on its W194 Formula One racer.

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