Voisin Laboratoire
Gabriel Voisin was a man ahead of his time, constructing a racing car based on aircraft principles as early as 1923. Voisin had a background in aviation design but grew disillusioned with the industry. The Laboratoire Grand Prix racer he constructed for the 1923 Grand Prix de l’ ACF at Tours remains one of the sport’s most intriguing designs.
The basic shape of the Laboratoire was based on an aircraft wing section. It is often credited with being the first monocoque racing car, although Louis Chevrolet had entered his monocouque Cornelian at Indianapolis eight years previously.
The chassis was constructed of wood with steel tubing providing reinforcement. The structure was covered with lightweight sheet aluminium, which helped lower the Laboratoire’s weight to under 750 kg. The underside of the car was completely flat to allow passing air to flow freely.
Power came from a 1,991 cc six-cylinder engine with an aluminium block. This provided a rather modest output of around 80 bhp but, with its light weight, the Laboratoire was still capable of over 100 mph. A curious addition was a small propeller attached to the front of the car, which was used to power a water pump.
There were four examples of the Laboratoire at the 1923 French Grand Prix, but only one lasted the distance. André Lefèbvre finished in last place, well over an hour behind the winning Sunbeam of Henry Segrave. Of the other cars, two retired and the other was disqualified. 1923 would be the Laboratoire's only racing season, as their innovative design could not compete with the sheer power of their competitors, particularly the supercharged FIATs.
Bugatti Type 32 “Tank”
By 1923 the designs of Ettore Bugatti were already admired for their style and elegance, so the type 32 came as something of a shock. The short, boxy racer was unlike anything else competing at the time. Its appearance meant that it was quickly being referred to as the “tank.” With a wheelbase of only two metres it was dwarfed by other Grand Prix racers.
The profile of the type 32 bore certain similarities to the Voisin Laboratoire, as it to imitated an aircraft wing section. It was more powerful than its rival, being equipped with a two litre straight-eight, connected to a three-speed gearbox. The car was an advanced design, featuring hydraulic front brakes and cable-operated rears.
Four type 32’s were entered for the 1923 French Grand Prix, where all but one retired. The surviving example, driven by Ernst Friderich, finished the race in third position. By the end of the year the model was retired, to be superseded by the type 35, which went on to dominate Grand Prix racing.
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