Peugeot 201
Peugeot 201 torpedo commercial
Classic Car Catalogue
Peugeot 1931
5 CV - ost. rok
12 Six - ost. rok
201
France 
Peugeot 201 berline
Peugeot 201 torpedo
Our chief interest in this car lay in the fact that it has been a remarkably successful performer in the more strenuous continental trials and rallies, and is built to stand this sort of thing with impunity. In outward appearance, and in actual accommodation it is a normal small saloon, with ample room for four people and a capacious luggage trunk on the back. It is in fact a small edition of the type of body which is so popular for long distance touring on larger cars, and apart from finding it strongly made and well finished, we did not give it any great thought.
Once on the road we gave our attention to the functioning of the chassis and the performance in general, and in this we were frankly surprised.
Experience with earlier types of this and other small French cars had given us the impression that they were, although robust and reliable, inclined to be somewhat rough.
It was therefore all the more noticeable that the engine and transmission were extremely smooth, and the speed capabilities, of which we were not led to expect anything remarkable, were greatly in excess of our previous ideas on the subject.
Principal Characteristics:
Engine : Four-cylinder,
63 m.m. bore by 90 m.m. stroke,
cubic capacity 1,122 c.c.
Battery and coil ignition.
Solex carburetter.
Chassis :
Overall length 12 feet,
wheelbase 8ft. 0½ ins.
Front wheel track 3ft. 7¼ ins.,
rear wheel 3ft. 9¼ ins.,
turning radius 17 ft. 8 ins.
Weight (bare chassis) 1,312 lbs.
Weight with four-seater salon body, 1,962 lbs.
Petrol tank capacity, 6½ gallons.
Petrol consumtion, 30-35 m.p.g.
Oil consumption, 600-750 m.p.g.
Engine : Four-cylinder,
63 m.m. bore by 90 m.m. stroke,
cubic capacity 1,122 c.c.
Battery and coil ignition.
Solex carburetter.
Chassis :
Overall length 12 feet,
wheelbase 8ft. 0½ ins.
Front wheel track 3ft. 7¼ ins.,
rear wheel 3ft. 9¼ ins.,
turning radius 17 ft. 8 ins.
Weight (bare chassis) 1,312 lbs.
Weight with four-seater salon body, 1,962 lbs.
Petrol tank capacity, 6½ gallons.
Petrol consumtion, 30-35 m.p.g.
Oil consumption, 600-750 m.p.g.
The engine appears to have an almost boundless capacity for revs., and as most of our test was over very rough country of the type chiefly favoured for sporting motorcycle trials, this was much appreciated.
The facilities in this country for trying out the cooling system of a car are somewhat limited, but we did our best by driving the car hard through woods and muddy tracks, also over an area of gravel pits where excavation is in progress and the surface is excellent for trying out springing and testing the rigidity of the chassis.
The result of this somewhat pointless but rather amusing motoring (for those who like that sort of thing) was that we formed a very high opinion of the strength and reliability of the car. The steering was particularly good, being positive and reasonably high geared, and the brakes were also smooth and effective. Maximum speed on second gear was about 40 m.p.h. which was attained without distress.
After spending more time one day than we intended on scrambling about the countryside in the Peugeot, we kept it all out on a good main road for many miles on end, and on one long stretch rather down hill, we pushed the speed up to 70 m.p.h., no mean effort for a car of this type which is definitely built for normal hard use rather than for speed.
Many people whose desires in the way of competitions are greater than their bank balances have often complained that they cannot afford to enter their ordinary car for trials as it knocks it about too much. Here, however, seems an example of the poor man's trials car, which can do his business all the time and yet stand all the rough stuff he can give it when his club runs a sporting trial, without having to replace any " bits " afterwards.
It is a very economical car to run, doing 35 miles per gallon without difficulty, and the price is £205.
5 CV torpedo commercia
12 Six
Races:
| Event: | Entered: | Raced: | Finished: | Best results: | |||||
 |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | Ferrant | 5th | 1500→ 4th | ||
 |
2 | 1 | 1 | René Ferrant / Louis Rigal | 174S | 9th | |||
|
|
1 | 1 | Ferrant | 3rd | →5.0 Racing 1st | |||
French Grand Prix.
Rallies:
| Event: | Entered: | Raced: | Finished: | Best results: | ||||
 |
|
|
G. de Lavalette | 201 | →1100 2nd | |||
| G. Larue | →1100 12th | |||||||
 |
|
2 | Boillot / Kramer | →2000 | ||||
| Stuber / Morillon | →2000 | |||||||
Peugeot #8 (G. Larue) finished 12th in up to 1100cc class at RMC.
Peugeot #8 (G. de Lavalette) finished 2nd in up to 1100cc class at RMC.