Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 17, 2022
Photo – Bonhams
Here’s something I did not know: Voisin’s “Cx” naming convention is in honor of his late brother, Charles. The first Voisin, the M1, was actually developed by Andre Citroen and purchased as a design by Voisin before being re-christened the C1.
Fast forward a few models and we have the C5, which was offered between 1923 and 1928. It is powered by a 4.0-liter Knight sleeve-valve inline-four that produced 100 horsepower and could push the car to 78 mph. More impressive is that the car had power-assisted brakes from the factory.
Carrosserie Besset of Annonay, France, provided the faux cabriolet coachwork with a fabric-covered fixed roof with fake landau bars. The story on this car is that it was discovered in France and restored in Switzerland “over a period of years” that is then listed as “1975-2006.” A period of years is perhaps an understatement. In any case, it now has an estimate of $115,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Gooding & Company | London, U.K. | September 3, 2022
Photo – Gooding & Company
We’ve featured a Voisin C14 before, and we’ve featured this body style on a different Voisin model. But when a car looks like this, it’s hard not to pay it special attention. The C14 was produced from 1927 to 1932, a fairly long time, and was an evolution of the earlier C11, which itself was Voisin’s first six-cylinder car. But still, they only made 1,795 of them in that time.
Power is from a 2.3-liter sleeve-valve inline-six that was rated at 66 horsepower. Factory bodies included four-door sedans, two-door coupes, and this, the Lumineuse, which had a lot of glass, most of which slants inward as it moves up.
The paintwork here is a real attention-grabber. Not the original scheme, it was inspired by an artist’s hand-drawn Vogue cover of an open Voisin wearing a similar paint job. All of these things (Voisin. Lumineuse. Crazy paint) add up to one thing: an estimate of $330,000-$425,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 3, 2022
Photo – Bonhams
Aviation pioneer Gabriel Voisin tried his hand at automobile production beginning in 1919. As the name might suggest, the C1 was the company’s first product. It would remain in production for a few years before being succeeded to quite a few different models.
Like all early Voisins, the car is powered by a Knight sleeve-valve engine. In this case, a 3.9-liter inline-four. The car was first registered in 1921 and was upgraded by the factory in 1925 with C3 brakes.
The body is a limousine with a partition between the front and rear passengers. The car was commandeered by the Germans during WWII and was purchased by the current owner in 1961. This early Voisin carries an estimate of $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Voisin built some fantastic luxury cars during its existence. At some point, Gabriel Voisin realized that he would have to build some volume models in order to survive. In 1921, he launched a small sedan called the C4.
It evolved into the C4 S in 1924, and that model lasted through 1926. It is powered by a 1.3-liter sleeve-valve inline-four that made 33 horsepower. This car is said to wear unique bodywork that is quite squared off at the front and more aerodynamic out back.
The car has been in this collection since 1968 and has not been used in recent years. It probably needs a little re-commissioning, but it’ll make for a cheap entry into Voisin ownership with a pre-sale estimate of $28,000-$39,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | April 11-12, 2019
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
The C23 was a model produced by Avions Voisin between 1931 and 1936. In all, 335 examples were built, which was a pretty successful number for Voisin. Despite their extraordinary appearance, only 15 are thought to have survived.
This car is powered by a 3.0-liter sleeve-valve inline-six that made around 80 horsepower. The body was Voisin-designed and built, with its very cube-like center section. Go to RM’s site and check out the photos – the car looks downright menacing from the straight-on front view. Also worth of note is the interior, which is trimmed in a pretty wild pattern, like many other Voisins.
This car has known history dating back to 1985, and it was restored between 2005 and 2008. It is being offered from a Swiss collection and is estimated to bring between $340,000-$450,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Germany.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019
Photo – Artcurial
The C11 was Voisin’s best selling-model and was offered between 1926 and 1929. What is neat about this particular car is that it is a two-door convertible with a rumble seat. So many Voisins received sedan or streamlined coachwork that it’s almost weird to see a “sporty” looking variant.
Power is from a 2.3-liter sleeve-valve straight-six, and this car is said to be heavily optioned with mechanical equipment from the factory. The body is a one-off from Lyon-based Simon Pralavorio. It should bring between $105,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019
Photo – Artcurial
The C16 was a model produced by Voisin between 1929 and 1932. However this car left the factory, the current body was added by Ottin of Lyon in 1932 and it’s a four-door sedan. The style is somewhat sedate by Voisin standards, but then again the wildest designs always came from in-house.
This car is powered by a 5.8-liter sleeve-valve straight-six and it was expensive when new, costing three times as much as the 2.3-liter variant. That said, this is the only known 5.8-liter C16 known to exist. It is listed as the “flagship” of the collection from which it is being sold – a family that has owned a handful of Voisin cars since new. Fun fact, this car (as are the others we’ll feature from this collection) are listed as national French monuments and as such, are unable to leave the country. This one should bring between $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019
Photo – Artcurial
The C3L, which is different from the C3C (though I’m not exactly sure how), was offered by Voisin between 1922 and 1928. It is described by the auction catalog as the “car used by Presidents” which I guess means these were quite stately in their day.
They are powered by a 4.0-liter sleeve-valve straight-six and were capable of speeds over 75 mph. This car was also bodied by Palavorio and is said to have been the family’s favorite of all of their Voisin cars. It has a chauffeur’s compartment and an all-original interior. The price should be in the neighborhood of $80,000-$115,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale, including more Voisins.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019
1929 Voisin C16 Berline by Ottin
Photo – Artcurial
The C16 was a model produced by Voisin between 1929 and 1932. However this car left the factory, the current body was added by Ottin of Lyon in 1932 and it’s a four-door sedan. The style is somewhat sedate by Voisin standards, but then again the wildest designs always came from in-house.
This car is powered by a 5.8-liter sleeve-valve straight-six and it was expensive when new, costing three times as much as the 2.3-liter variant. That said, this is the only known 5.8-liter C16 known to exist. It is listed as the “flagship” of the collection from which it is being sold – a family that has owned a handful of Voisin cars since new. Fun fact, this car (as are the others we’ll feature from this collection) are listed as national French monuments and as such, are unable to leave the country. This one should bring between $100,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $128,471.
1928 Voisin C11 Cabriolet by Simon Pralavorio
Photo – Artcurial
The C11 was Voisin’s best selling-model and was offered between 1926 and 1929. What is neat about this particular car is that it is a two-door convertible with a rumble seat. So many Voisins received sedan or streamlined coachwork that it’s almost weird to see a “sporty” looking variant.
Power is from a 2.3-liter sleeve-valve straight-six, and this car is said to be heavily optioned with mechanical equipment from the factory. The body is a one-off from Lyon-based Simon Pralavorio. It should bring between $105,000-$150,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Not sold.
1926 Voisin C3L Berline by Simon Pralavorio
Photo – Artcurial
The C3L, which is different from the C3C (though I’m not exactly sure how), was offered by Voisin between 1922 and 1928. It is described by the auction catalog as the “car used by Presidents” which I guess means these were quite stately in their day.
They are powered by a 4.0-liter sleeve-valve straight-six and were capable of speeds over 75 mph. This car was also bodied by Palavorio and is said to have been the family’s favorite of all of their Voisin cars. It has a chauffeur’s compartment and an all-original interior. The price should be in the neighborhood of $80,000-$115,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale, including more Voisins.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 9, 2018
Photo – Artcurial
Gabriel Voisin’s cars are usually a little on the wild side, this one being no exception. Dubbed “Lumineuse,” or light, you can see from just the lone picture above how strange this car appears. The greenhouse bows inward as it rises and the use of glass on this car is one of the most original I’ve ever seen. The front windscreen folds outward, the windows retract inside the car (but not inside the door). It makes it look like the top just lifts right off (but it doesn’t).
The engine is a 2.3-liter Knight sleeve-valve straight-six. The interior is, of course, some strange pattern that suits the car perfectly. The exterior is done in an almost-military-brown and it’s quite understated as well. The wheels sit at the four corners of this car, with practically no overhang from the body, which is all aluminium, making it very light. And I love the weird forward-facing spotlight hanging off the rear of the car.
It sounds as if there has been ongoing work on this car since 1973. It certainly isn’t fresh but it does look quite nice and is evidently quite usable. The C11 was the most-produced Voisin product but only three Lumineuse-bodied examples are known to exist. It’s quite creative and very cool. It should bring between $305,000-$425,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
