Industry Automotive | Headquarters London, United Kingdom | |
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Fate Liquidated and dissolved after 1935 Founded May 1, 1916; 100 years ago (1916-05-01) in London, U K Founders A Darracq and Company (1905) Limited Areas served United Kingdom and British Empire except Canada | ||
Darracq Motor Engineering Company Limited was a London importer, retailer and wholesaler of French-made Darracq and Talbot automobiles, a coachbuilder making regular production runs of bodies for S T D group products and a property holding company on behalf of its parent S T D Motors Limited.
Contents
In 1935 its assets were sold following the financial collapse of S T D Motors in 1934. The coachbuilding business was bought by the Rootes brothers and lost its separate identity.
Purpose
In 1916 the board of A Darracq and Company (1905) Limited (later S T D Motors) elected to rearrange ownership of its Suresnes, Paris plant and the Darracq distribution system in London. Darracq Motor Engineering was incorporated to take over their assets located in Britain: 150 Bond Street showrooms, warehouses, service garages etc., including their Fulham, London Works, at that time making munitions, aircraft and components such as propellors and under the wartime control of the Royal Aircraft Factory.
After incorporation Darracq Motor Engineering Company added to its British assets ownership of the Darracq land in France on which their Suresnes plant was situated. Darracq Motor Engineering then leased it to a new French company, Société Anonyme Darracq, incorporated to hold all the other French assets formerly held directly by A Darracq and Company (1905) Limited.
A Darracq and Company (1905) (soon to be renamed S T D Motors) was then reduced to a non-trading company holding ownership of the various French and British businesses.
Activities
After the 1918 Armistice the Fulham Works once again made motor car bodies for Darracqs and continued to assemble French-sourced components.
After 1920 offices and showrooms in The Vale, Acton at the intersection with Warple Way were shared with W & G Du Cros another group member.
In the expanded combine Darracq Motor Engineering also made bodies for Sunbeam of Wolverhampton and Talbot London. In spite of the manufacturer's name change Darracq Motor Engineering continued to import and sell SA Talbot cars sent from France for sale in Britain and brand them Darracq.
Rootes
The Rootes brothers folded the coachbuilding portion of this business into Clément-Talbot's In January 1935 and it lost its separate identity.
New cars remained available (and service and spares) from D.A.R.A. Co Limited at 1a Kilburn High Road, Maida Vale NW6. Rebadging of SA Talbot cars sent from Suresnes to Britain continued after the dissolution of Darracq Motor Engineering because Clément-Talbot's British business remained active. In 1938 Clément-Talbot's name was changed to Sunbeam-Talbot. After twenty years its products dropped Talbot from their badges in 1954.