Virtually unknown outside of France, Panhard and Levassor (aka Panhard) is one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in the world, starting with steam powered motor carriages in the 1880s. Panhard built large, expensive and conventional cars through the 1920s and 30s, culminating in the exceptional art-deco styled Dynamic model of 1936.
Like other French luxury brands, such as Delage and Hotchkiss Gregoire, they found themselves at a loose end in the postwar period. No one could afford their large luxury cars and so had to design a completely new range of economy vehicles. Jean Gregoire had developed a small budget car powered by a two-cylinder air-cooled motor with aluminium bodywork during the war years but no one showed any interest in it. Panhard . These were rather rough and ready vehicles that filled a niche somewhat above the Citroen 2CV. Panhard purchased the design and worked it up into something more appealing. The Dyna X that went on sale in 1948 was a substantial improvement over Gregoire's car, with stylish aluminum bodywork and powered by an air-cooled flat twin engine of 684cc. The car's lightweight body allowed the car nimble performance, but overtime the engine was increased in size up to 850cc. The aluminium body was also replaced by more durable steel.
In 1953 the Dyna X was completely restyled and released as the Dyna Z. The Dyna Z was powered by the 850cc twin but was now a full sized six-seater family sedan. Its lightweight construction and aerodynamic styling allowed it impressive performance despite its small engine and the car performed well on the rally circuit. The Dyna Z was in production until 1959 when it was replaced by the PL17 with a more modern body but the same running gear. Indeed, Panhard would struggle to find a suitable powerplant to replace the 850cc twin. The company was eventually subsumed into Citroen into 1965 and its automotive division was retired two years later. The company now specialises in military vehicles. https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/12/1959-panhard-pl17.html
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