White Brasier Type C Rheda from 1912 with four cylinders (1994 cc). Max. speed: 60 km/h. Made in France
Brasier was a French automobile manufacturer, based in the Paris conurbation, and active between 1905 and 1930. The firm began as Richard-Brasier in 1902, and became known as Chaigneau-Brasier in 1926.
Brasier was one of several companies to be contracted to produce the innovative Hispano-Suiza V8 aero engine for use in such scouts as the SPAD S.VII, S.E.5a and Sopwith Dolphin. However, Brasier engines were of such poor quality that the RFC’s Quartermaster General, Brig.-Gen.
The cars made after 1926 are known under the name of Chaigneau-Brasier, after the company was bought by the Chaigneau family who had been bicycle makers. The first car made by the new company was the TD-4, a 9 CV 4-cylinder model available as a tourer or saloon. The company appears to have sought a return to its “luxury car” strategy of ten years earlier, now combined with elements of technical innovation for which its traditional customers had not been prepared, introducing a 3-litre OHC-engined front-wheel drive car, described by one commentator as “Utopian”, in 1928 An even larger model followed in 1930.
In view of the severe economic downturn crystallised by the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, the timing of this venture was unfortunate. The new large Chaigneau-Brasiers attracted plenty of interest at the annual Paris Motor Shows.
Chaigneau-Brasier were therefore able to survive, but only until 1930 or 1931.
