1934 Peugeot 601

Peugeot holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously-operating automobile manufacturer in the world. They began as Les Fils des Peugeot Frères, a bicycle manufacturer at Valentigny, France. In 1889, Armand Peugeot built a steam car and in 1890 drove it from Paris to Lyons. Armand left the family firm in 1897 and established S.A. des Automobiles Peugeot at Audincourt, in eastern France, building large cars. By 1902, the cars had front-mounted engines, and shaft drive was adopted through 1909. A new plant at Sochaux, which would become the firm's principal location, was built in 1910.

During the early 20th century, France was at the center of the automobile industry, with more serious automobile manufacturers than the rest of the world combined. They had the most advanced technology, and their engineers were the most educated. Its road network was the finest in the world and its factory was the best equipped.

Peugeot was a pioneer of the French motor industry and sold its first petrol car in 1891. Three years later, Peugeot entered a team of five specially-prepared automobiles for the world's first long-distance motoring competition, a reliability trial of 'voitures sans chevaux' from Paris to Rouen. Of the 102 entries, just 21 cars had passed the eliminating trials held during the previous week. Seventeen cars reached Rouen including all five of the Peugeot team, and were the highest-placed petrol cars.

Peugeot racing cars would gain international acclaim for their complete dominance and victories at the French Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, along with numerous other successes in various endurance contests, road races, and rallies. In 1915 and 1916 alone, Peugeot vehicles were a dominant force in America, winning 24 events including the Indianapolis 500 outright in 1913 and 1916. They were renowned for being the first company to develop the modern high-speed racing engine.

Along with competition prowess, Peugeot vehicles earned a reputation, in the formative days of the automobile, for producing a wide range of innovative, high-quality vehicles. Even before the outbreak of World War I, Armand Peugeot's firm was the leading French automotive manufacturer, with several factories throughout the country operating under the auspices of the Parisian headquarters.

Due to financial woes inflicted upon Peugeot by World War One, the company sought to increase sales by developing a cyclecar design that fell within France's lowest 100 Francs per annum tax bracket. Unveiled at the 1920 Brussels Salon, the resultant Type 161 (christened the Quadrilette) weighed less than 350kg yet featured a water-cooled 667cc side-valve four-cylinder engine, three-speed transaxle, supple leaf-sprung suspension and rear-wheel brakes. Early Quadrilettes were characterized by their narrow track and tandem seating, while the Type 172 - introduced in 1923 - had a wider track with seating for two abreast.

The 1920s was a period where Peugeot produced a wide range of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. A titan of the automotive industry, Peugeot did not adopt volume production until 1929, a strategic move that did not diminish the company's reputation for high quality, strength, and reliability. The company's first mass-produced model was the 201, which introduced a naming scheme that continues in use today.

The Peugeot 601
The Peugeot 601 was the company's top-of-the-line model, introduced in 1934 and remained in production for about 18 months, through 1935 with 3,999 examples built. They were powered by a 2,148cc inline six-cylinder engine offering 59 horsepower at 3,500 RPM. It rested atop a sophisticated chassis with an independent front suspension, a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. The engine used a unique thermostatically controlled temperature regulator for the engine oil, which worked in tandem with an oil pump to move the oil through a heat exchanged in a camber filled with water from the radiator.

Several body styles were offered on the 'Normale' chassis length, plus the rare coachbuilt 601 Èclipse which employed the world's first production use of a retractable hardtop. The 'Normale' wheelbase measured 117.5-inches while the 'Longue' had a 126-inch platform. Standard body styles for the 'Normale' included a four-door 'Berline', a two-door 'Coach dėcapotable' cabriolet with four seats, and a two-seater 'Roadster.'

The 'Longue' wheelbase body styles included a 'Berline aėrodynamique' with four doors and a streamlined body, a 'Coach Sport' with two doors and four seats, a 'Coach Profilė' also with two doors and four seats, and a 'limousine familiale' with four doors and a deep bench seat. The Eclipse body had the electrically folding metal roof to a design created by Georges Paulin and built by coachbuilder Pourtout.

Minor styling updates were applied for the 1935 model year, including lowering of the headlights.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022