BALLOT, Paris, France, 1919-1932


The brothers Edouard and Maurice BALLOT began their activities in 1905 with the production of light engines for boats and cars. It was quite natural that they wanted to announce their company by releasing their own car, but, in their opinion, the path to it was through motor racing. In 1918, they learned that from next year, after a two-year hiatus, the 500-mile race on the American track in Indianapolis will be held again.
At the request of the BALLOT brothers, designer Ernest Henry, already well-known for his Peugeot racing for the Grand Prix, developed and built four light and compact race cars equipped with 8-cylinder engines of 4.9 liters and two overhead camshafts in just 101 days. 4 valves per cylinder. At one of them racer Rene Thomas in 1919 in Indianapolis set a lap record, but eventually came to the finish line fourth.
The following year, the standard volume of engines for racing for the Grand Prix of France was 3 liters, and Henry created a new 8-cylinder engine in 2970 cm3 for the “BALLOT” car, which took second place. In 1921 - again second place in the Grand Prix of France, but in the race for the Grand Prix of Italy, played out in September in Brescia, “BALLOT” became the winner.
Inspired by the success, the brothers decided with the help of Henry to build a new 4-cylinder racing engine with two overhead camshafts with a displacement of 1986 cm3. On the sports car model “2LS” with this engine, they performed in 24 hour competitions in Spa. The car was in the lead throughout the race, but at the last moment his front axle broke. In 1921 -1924 about 100 passenger cars “2LS” were built for sale. Their main features were 4 valves per cylinder, roller bearings and brakes on all wheels. The high price of the “2LS” model made the BALLOT brothers release in 1923 a more modest modification of the “2LT’ ’, having a motor with one camshaft.
The following year, its sports version “2LTS” appeared, and at the Paris motor show in 1927, the model “2LT6” was shown with a two-liter 6-cylinder engine, which, however, was practically not produced. In 1928, they produced 2.6 liter engine, the volume of which two years increased to 3054 cm3.
During the Great Crisis, BALLOT could not stay afloat and was absorbed by Hispano-Suiza. But in the 1930 saloon, the “BALLOT HS-26” unexpectedly appeared with a 6-cylinder engine of 4580 cm3, made on “Hispano-Suiza”. Immediately after the salon, it was renamed Hispano Junior, and the share of the company “BALLOT” had the honor to supply body parts for it. But “Hispano-Suiza” this car did not bring success, and in 1932 the company “BALLOT” closed.

Hits: 198