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.

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 incorporatedCompany Matters, Flight magazine, 23 November 1916New Companies: Darracq Motor Engineering Company Limited. Reg. Office: Townmead Works, Townmead Road, Fulham, London S.W.; manufacturers of automobiles, aeroplanes, motor cars, motor and other cycles, mechanical and general engineers, etc. Private CompanyMechanical Power, vol 11, 1916. page 11, 6 April 1916 to take over their assets located in Britain: 150 Bond Street showrooms, warehouses, service garages etc.,The Motor Transport Year Book and Directory Electrical Press, London, 1918 including their Fulham, London Works, at that time making munitions, aircraft and components such as propellers 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.S.T.D. Motors, Limited. (Incorporated under the Companies Acts, 1862 to 1900.) The Times, Monday, 10 Mar 1924; pg. 20; Issue 43596 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.Anthony Blight, Georges Roesch and the Invincible Talbot Grenville, London 1970

Rootes

The Rootes brothers folded the coachbuilding portion of this business into Clément-Talbot's In January 1935 and it lost its separate identity.S.T.D. Subsidiaries. The Times, Tuesday, 12 Feb 1935; pg. 21; Issue 46986S.T.D. Motors Report. The Times, Thursday, 21 Feb 1935; pg. 19; Issue 46994

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.

Cars manufactured in Suresnes, Paris (1919–1938) at first badged Talbot Darracq and later Darracq for sale in Britain

Information assembled from The Autocar Buyer's Guide and published in Appendix V, Ian Nickols and Kent Karslake, Motoring Entente, Cassell, London 1956

years name (French) disp cyl's bore / stroke RAC tax hp bhp gear box wheelbase track 1920–1921 20 (A) 4594 V8 75 x 130 27.9 — 4 1920, 1922 16 (V14) 2938 4 85 x 130 17.9 —4 1921 14 2297 4 75 x 130 14 — 4 1922 8 970 4 57 x 95 8 — 3 1922 12 1460 4 65 x 110 10.5 — 3 1922 27.9 (A) 4594 V8 75 x 130 27.9 — 4 1923 8/18 970 4 57 x 95 8 — 3 1923 12/32 (DC) 1598 4 68 x 110 11.5 — 3 1923 18/36 2938 4 85 x 130 17.9 — 4 1923 20/40 3230 4 89 x 130 19.6 — 4 1923 28/70 4594 V8 75 x 130 27.9 — 4 1924 15/40 (DS) 2121 4 75 x 120 14 — 3 1924–1926 12/32 (DC) 1598 4 68 x 110 11.5 — 3 1926–1927 15/40 2294 4 78 x 120 15.9 — 3 1926–1927 17/75 2540 6 70 x110 18.2 — 3 / 4 1927–1928 12/40 1669 4 69.5 x 110 12 — 4 1927–1928 20/98 2916 6 75 x 110 20.9 — 4 1928 16 (M67) 1999 4 67 x 94.5 16.7 —4 1929–1930 16 (M67) 1999 4 67 x 94.5 16.7 —4 1929–1930 20 (K74) 2440 6 74 x 94.5 20.4 — 4 1929–1930 20 (T) 2916 6 75 x 110 20.9 — 4 1930 30 3823 St8 78 x 100 30.2 — 4 1931 20.9 2504 6 75 x 94.5 20.9 — 4 1931 22.6 2866 6 78 x 100 22.6 — 4 1931–1933 30.1 3823 St8 78 x 100 30.2 — 4 1932 16 (M67) 1999 4 67 x 94.5 16.7 —4 1932 20 2504 6 75 x 94.5 20.9 — 4 1932 22 2866 6 78 x 100 22.6 — 4 1932-1933 30 3823 St8 78 x 100 30.2 — 4 1933 16 (M67) 1999 4 67 x 94.5 16.7 —4 1933-1934 20 2504 6 75 x 94.5 20.9 — 4 1934 16 (L67) 1999 4 67 x 94.5 16.7 —4 1934 28 3563 8 75 x 100 27.9 — 4 / 1936–1936 16.7 1999 6 67 x 94.5 16.7 — 4

Notes

References

External links Talbot-Darracq 1921 models (from) Darracq Motor Engineering 1938 Darracq and Lago brochure issued by D.A.R.A. Co 1939 Darracq and Lago brochure issued by D.A.R.A. Co