1909 Lorraine-Dietrich 16.4 Liter Grand Prix

Société Lorraine des Anciens Etablissements de Dietrich et Cie de Lunéville (known as De Dietrich et Cie) was founded in 1884 by Jean de Dietrich as a railway locomotive manufacturer, venturing into the burgeoning horseless carriage business in 1896. Baron Adrien de Turckheim was the managing director of the Lunéville plant at the time when the rights to a design by Amédée Bollée were acquired. The manufacturing of automobiles continued through 1935.

The design of the engine and configuration of the motor carriage used by De Dietrich was rather advanced for the late 1890s, employing a horizontal twin engine built by Bollée with sliding clutches and belt drive. Perhaps equally as unusual for the period as the front-mounted engine was the plate glass windshield.

A four-cylinder Torpilleur (Torpedo) racer was introduced in 1898 with an independent suspension at the front. Driven by Etienne 'Gaudry' Giraud in the Paris-Amsterdam Trial of 1898, the De Dietrich placed third despite being involved in an accident. Returning a year later, the Torpilleur had been thoroughly updated with an underslung chassis powered by a rear-mounted monobloc four-cylinder engine fitted with a pair of carburetors. Unfortunately, none of the Works team cars completed the Tour de France, with reasons attributed to poor preparation and testing.

During the early years of production, the company licensed various designs from Amédée Bollée, Vivinus and Turcat-Méry.

At the turn of the century, a Belgian Vivinus voiturette built under license was added to the catalog, along with a Marseilles-designed Turcat-Méry at Lunéville. The Vivinus was soon replaced by models designed by Ettore Bugatti, who had joined De Dietrich & Cie in 1902 at the age of 21. The overhead-valve four-cylinder engine produced 24 horsepower and was paired with a four-speed transmission. In 1903, he designed the 30/35, known today as the Type 3. The Type 2, designed and built by Bugatti, was a prototype vehicle created with financial support from a Count Gulinelli. Show at the Milan Trade Fair in 1901, it caught the attention of Baron Adrien de Turckheim, managing director of the Lorraine-Dietrich automobile factory in Niederbronn. The Type 3 and 4 that followed were Bugatti's initial works for De Dietrich. The Types 5, 6, and 7 were also penned by Bugatti while employed at De Dietrich. Between 1902 and 1904, approximately 100 examples of the Type 1 through Type 7 were produced. Bugatti left De Dietrich in 1904 to join Strasbourg-based Mathis in the German Alsace.

A new division of the firm was opened in 1905 in Lorraine across the border from France, and the company name was changed to 'Lorraine-Dietrich'. Baron de Turkheim managed the new firm and insisted on pursuing new and progressive ideas in motoring. The Cross of Lorraine was adopted as their emblem.

For a brief period in 1907, Lorraine-Dietrich merged with Italian car manufacturer Isotta Fraschini, allowing them access to their overhead cam engine designs. Along with being an early pioneer of overhead cam (OHC) engines, they were one of the first companies to successfully market motorcars with four-wheel brakes.

Along with its union with Isotta Fraschini in 1907, Lorraine-Dietrich also took over Ariel Mors Limited of Birmingham that year.

Both chain-driven and shaft-driven cars were offered through 1914, switching solely to shaft-drive. In 1928, the De Dietrich family sold its share in the company, and the company's name was changed to Lorraine. Automobile production continued for a few more years, ending in 1935 when it became unprofitable. Aircraft engine and six-wheel truck production continued; during World War II, they supported the war effort by manufacturing military vehicles. Eventually, the factory returned to rail locomotives.

Motorsports
Motorsports remained an integral component of the company, using it to test new designs and to promote its product. Accolades include a third-place finish in the Paris-Madrid race while being driven by Charles Jarrott, and a 1, 2, 3 place sweep in the 1906 Circuit des Ardennes, led by works driver Arthur Duray. Years later, in 1923, Lorraine-Dietrich vehicles performed admirably at the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans, placing eighth overall, resulting in the creation of a new model inspired by the racing versions. A year later, the three-car Lorraine-Dietrich team and the British Bentley battled for overall victory. The two remaining Lorraine-Dietrichs at the end of the race would settle in second and third place, half a lap apart and eight laps ahead of the two 2-litre Chenard-Walckers.

Lorraine-Dietrich brought a trio of B3-6 cars for the 1925 race, with the troublesome steel 'artillery' wheels replaced by Rudge-Whitworth wire ones wrapped with Englebert tires. The B3-6 driven by Robert Bloch and Léon Saint-Paul was involved in an accident during the 9th hour and was forced to retire. André Rossignol and Gérard de Courcelles in their B3-6 Sport, car number 5, placed 1st overall and Édouard Brisson and Stalter placed 3rd in their B3-6 Sport.

Three Lorraine-Dietrich arrived at the 1926 24 Hours of Le Mans to defend their title. Their B3-6 Sport vehicles were given a strengthened chassis, a torpedo body style, and weight reduction. The B3-6 Sport would earn Lorraine-Dietrich a back-to-back victory at Le Mans along with a 1-2-3 sweep. The winning car's average speed was over 100 km/h (62 mph), a first for the Le Mans race.

Lorraine-Dietrich was the first marque to win Le Mans twice and the first to win in two consecutive years.

Forty-one cars had contested the 1926 Le Mans race, but only twenty-five would race in 1927. The automotive industry was affected by high inflation, political unrested, mergers, bankruptcies, and other financial difficulties. Lorraine-Dietrich was one of the many teams that chose not to race at Le Mans in 1927, allowing a Bentley 3 Litre Speed model to claim the overall victory.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2023