Vinot-Deguingand Type H / Type F (Four-Cylinder) History

Introduced in 1903 alongside the revised twin-cylinder, the Type H (designated '14CV' or H14CV, 3,300 cc four-cylinder) and the Type F ('18CV') represented Vinot-Deguingand's move into the mainstream of Edwardian motoring. Both cars used mechanically straightforward four-cylinder engines with the side-chain drive that was standard practice for the period.

The four-cylinder models provided the basis for competition entries: Vinot-Deguingand cars appeared at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races between 1905 and 1908, with a Ross Browne-driven 42 bhp four-cylinder finishing sixth in the 1908 TT — a respectable result that demonstrated the marque's engineering competence. Cars from the range also ran at Brooklands between 1907 and 1912 in record attempts and handicap races.

By 1910 a revised '24CV' with a four-litre engine extended the upper end of the four-cylinder range. The 1906 introduction of a 30 HP dual-ignition car with a 5.8-litre engine and a companion 6.5-litre six-cylinder further broadened the line. A closely related range of Gladiator-badged cars was produced concurrently after Vinot-Deguingand acquired that marque around 1906–1909, offering what contemporaries described as 'virtually identical' models under both names.