The Artois was a luxury car produced from 1948 to 1950 by the French maker Hotchkiss. It was presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1948 as a replacement for the Hotchkiss 864, and in 1950 it gave way to the modernised Anjou and the front-wheel-drive Grégoire.
Hotchkiss Artois at a glance
| Maker | Automobiles Hotchkiss, France |
|---|---|
| Production | 1948–1950 |
| Presented | Paris Motor Show, October 1948 |
| Replaced | Hotchkiss 864 |
| Engine | 2,312 cc four-cylinder in-line from the 864 |
| Power | 70 hp, raised from 58 hp |
| Top speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Six-cylinder option | 3,485 cc, 110 hp |
| Top speed, six | 140 km/h (91 mph) |
| Front suspension | independent, replacing a rigid axle |
| Facelift | 1949, with the front lights repositioned |
| Replaced by | Hotchkiss Anjou and Hotchkiss Grégoire |
History of the Hotchkiss Artois
A 1930s car for the postwar years
Mechanically the Artois represented no great advance. The car was the 864 with a new name, and the engine was the 864’s 2,312 cc four-cylinder in-line. Claimed power rose from 58 hp to 70 hp, presumably reflecting the higher compression ratios made possible by the slow return of higher-octane fuel after the Second World War. The one real chassis improvement was independent front suspension, which replaced the rigid front axle of the predecessor.
Two engines
A six-cylinder version was also offered, using the 3,485 cc engine of the company’s 620 and 866 models. Its stated output was reduced from 125 hp to 110 hp so that it would not compete too directly with the more expensive cars in the range. The four-cylinder Artois was quoted at 120 km/h and the six at 140 km/h.
Facelift and replacement
Visually the Artois was almost indistinguishable from the Hotchkiss 864 until 1949, when a minor facelift moved the lights at the front of the car. In French sources the postwar cars were known as the 864 S49 and the 686 S49 «Artois», and both were replaced at the 1950 Paris Salon by the 1350 and 2050 Anjou, which kept the same mechanical parts under a new body.
Design and features
- Independent front suspension: the main chassis advance over the 864’s rigid front axle.
- Higher compression: power of the 2.3-litre four rose from 58 to 70 hp with better fuel.
- Detuned six: the 3.5-litre engine was held at 110 hp so as not to undercut the bigger Hotchkiss models.
- Familiar body: apart from the 1949 light repositioning, the Artois looked like the 864 it replaced.
Hotchkiss Artois versions
- Artois four-cylinder: the standard car with the 2,312 cc engine, 70 hp and 120 km/h.
- Artois six-cylinder: the 3,485 cc version with 110 hp and 140 km/h.
- 1948 car: as shown at the Paris Salon, visually identical to the 864.
- 1949 facelift: front lights repositioned, the only visible change of the short run.
- 864 S49 «Artois»: the name used in French sources for the postwar 686-based cars.
The Artois was replaced by the Anjou, and its six-cylinder engine also served in the 864 line. The front-wheel-drive Grégoire arrived at the same time. More cars are in the Hotchkiss collection.
Sources
- Hotchkiss Artois, English Wikipedia: engines, power, suspension, facelift
- Hotchkiss Artois, French Wikipedia: the 1948 and 1950 Paris Salons
- Hotchkiss Artois, Italian Wikipedia: place in the range
