From Cyclecar to Grand Sport

From 7 July to 3 September, the Louwman Museum is dedicated to Cyclecars and Grand Sports. No fewer than 30 vehicles provide a magnificent overview of mobility in the period from 1914 to 1930, an era in which minimalist, fragile vehicles could grow into thoroughbred racers that even took part in Grand Prix events.

After the First World War there was a shortage of almost everything in Europe, including means of transport. To promote mobility, several European countries introduced favorable taxes on cars with a maximum weight of 350 kilos and an engine capacity of 1100 cc. These so called cyclecars could carry no more than 3 people. Everywhere small factories, workshops, garages and sheds sprang up, where an enormous variety of small vehicles was produced. Paris and its surroundings alone already had more than 100 large and small car manufacturers.

The small vehicles that complied with the cyclecar legislation often had very sporty characteristics thanks to their low weight and relatively powerful engines. As a result, almost every cyclecar brand had its own special racing version.

Not all cars in the 1920s left the factory with a body. Independent coachbuilders also made handcrafted bodies for them. Naturally, these followed the latest fashion. Like the wooden skiff: a very luxurious and sporty body style that was extremely popular in the exuberant 1920s – the era of the Charleston. A skiff mainly appealed to (wealthy) young people. It was a little voiturette for the happy few!

The exhibition shows the evolution from a very simple cyclecar to full-fledged racing cars fitted with all kinds of sometimes unusual bodywork.