Mathis
Strasbourg.
Founder Émile Mathis (1880–1956) was born in Strasbourg and died in Geneva.
Mathis S.A. was an automobile manufacturer in Alsace that produced cars between 1910 and 1950.
Émile Mathis was a leading car dealer in Strasbourg, Alsace, handling Fiat, De Dietrich and Panhard-Levassor, among other makes from his Auto-Mathis-Palace. Two models were designed for him by the young Ettore Bugatti.
The Mathis 8/20 PS was first offered in 1910 but the first real success came just before World War I with two smaller models: Babylette had a 1.1 L engine and Baby had a 1.3 L engine. There was also a Mathis-Knight model.
During World War I, Mathis was sent by the German government (Alsace was then part of Germany) to Switzerland to buy tyres and after one of these trips he went to France and remained there. After the war Alsace became part of France and he was able to return to his factory.
After the war, the firm’s production increased quickly and soon became No.4 in France making more than 20,000 cars in 1927. Mathis attempted to compete with Citroën. The SB model of 1921 was followed by a six-cylinder model (1188 cc) in 1923 and an eight-cylinder in 1925. From 1927, Mathis followed a one-model policy.
In 1930 there was an unsuccessful attempt to co-operate with William Crapo Durant (the founder of General Motors in 1908). However, Durant ran out of money before production could begin so Mathis stayed in France.
The Mathis company closed in 1950.
1925 Mathis Torpedo Type P
The Type P, was ranked as one of the best in its category, became famous for holding a fuel consumption record: 2.38 litres of petrol for 100 km.
1904 Mathis Biplane Sport Type Hermes-Simplex
After his collaboration with the De Dietrich company at Reichshoffen, Ettore Bugatti, who was still only a young, talented mechanic, worked with Mathis for a while and produced this racing car.
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