The company SA des Automobiles Motobloc was created in Bordeaux in June 1902 to use Schaudel patents on the "engine block" consisting of in a very innovative way for the time, the engine, the clutch and the gearbox, adopted by all manufacturers in the future.
The first cars produced under the brand "Motobloc" were participants in various races and performed well: these included a fifth place in the first Monte Carlo Rally organized in 1911. A 4-cylinder Motorbloc also participated in the big race New York Paris in 1908.
The company produced luxury vehicles, marine engines for pleasure boating from 1910, military trucks on the eve of WW1, shells of 75, 105 and 155 mm in 1914 and Salmson aircraft engines in 1917.
Automobile production resumed during the interwar period, until 1932. With competition from marques like Renault and Citroen, which had managed to develop modern methods of production and marketing, Motobloc filed for bankruptcy in 1933. Relaunched by Marcel Bloch, Motobloc produced diesel engines from 1934, and then, from 1948, 2-stroke engines for motorcycles, mopeds and motorcycles as well as air-cooled engines.
Due to financial difficulties the business finally closed in 1961.
There is an obvious relationship between the Motobloc insignia (three crescents interlaced) and the current logo of the city of Bordeaux.
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| a book on the marque - publisher's webpage |
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