1952 Voisin C31 Biscooter

After World War I came to a close, the services provided by Gabriel Voisin's aircraft manufacturing business in Issy les Moulineaux were in low demand. Gabriel Voisin was perhaps France's greatest aviation pioneer, having built the first practical aeroplane capable of leaving the ground under its own power in 1907. His Avions Voisin company was the first mass producer of aircraft in the world. Looking elsewhere to provide employment for his workfoce, Gabriel diverted his resources in 1919 into motor car manufacture. Using racing as a means to promote the brand, the cars built by Avions Voisin quickly became associated with quality, comfort, speed, and flair for design, but also associated with the French Government as the Model C1 was highly used by the French President Alexandre Millerand, then the C3 and C4 models were used by his successor Gaston Doumergue. The Voisins' advanced technology, unconventional looks, and necessarily high prices made them particularly popular with royalty and the social elite.

The automobiles built by Gabriel Voisin benefitted from his prior aeronautical experience and were among the first to take into consideration the center of gravity's location and the role of aerodynamics.

The end of World War II sent Gabriel Voisin in an entirely new direction as he explored the market feasibility of a small vehicle suitable for two passengers that could be driven without a license. Voisin's knowledge and use of aircraft construction methods were once again paramount, as lightweight aluminum was used for the chassis and bodywork, and a basic hood and adjustable windscreen were part of the vehicle's design. Known as the Biscooter, it was a low-cost, low-maintenance vehicle that mirrored the limited resources of postwar Europe.

Mechanical Specification
The Biscúter was powered by a single-cylinder, 197cc, two-stroke motor that developed nine horsepower and drove the right front wheel. The transmission was a three-speed manual unit, and braking was via a three-point system that involved the transmission and cable ties to the rear wheels. Early examples were clothed with aluminum; later examples wore steel coachwork.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2024

Sold for $44,800 at 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island.
This 1952 Avions Voisin C31 Biscooter with coachwork by Snecma is powered by a 125cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine with a single sidedraft carburetor and delivering nine horsepower. There is a three-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel drum brakes, and a swing-arm suspension system.

This Voisin Biscooter was the tenth in a series of 15 prototype models built in France. During the 1980s, it was owned by Adrien Maeght in Mougins, France. In later ownership, the Biscooter was given a mechanical restoration performed by Michel Magnin.

This Voisin entered the Mullin Collection in 2011 and has been on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, ever since.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2024