Bignan 25CV (Original) History

Jacques Bignan had built bespoke engines before World War I, but it was only after hostilities ended that he registered Établissements Industriels J. Bignan in 1918 and turned to complete automobile manufacture. The firm debuted publicly at stand number 84 of the Paris Motor Show in October 1919.

The first Bignan was powered by a 2,940 cc four-cylinder engine rated at 25 CV (horsepower fiscale), riding a long 2,860 mm (112.6 in) wheelbase. At launch the bare chassis was listed at 30,000 francs; a torpedo-bodied version cost 38,500 francs. The model laid the commercial foundation for the more competitive 11CV that would follow in 1922.