1921 Farman A6 B Super Sport Torpedo
True pioneers the Farman brothers Henry and Maurice were actively involved in the France’s earliest motor races and aviation exploits. At the end of the 19th century they had already made quite a name for themselves as successful bicycle racers and balloonists. To fund their adventures they ran a large car dealership in Paris, which also had a branch in their native England operated by their brother Dick. A few years into the 20th century both Henry and Maurice set about building planes. Eventually the two companies merged and produced some legendary planes including the ‘Goliath’, which was one of the first passenger planes. They also funded one of the first airlines, which would eventually be absorbed by Air France.
Like many of their competitors, the Farman brothers feared that peace would have detrimental effects on the airplane business and in 1919 they branched out into building motor cars. Their aim was never to sell as many cars as possible, but instead to create the ultimate luxury car rivaling the likes of Rolls-Royce and Hispano Suiza. Having sold many cars produced by all of their competitors, the brothers had a wealth of automotive experience without ever having constructed a car themselves. Their exploits in the airplane business had learned them invaluable lessons into the use of lightweight materials and aerodynamics. Like their contemporary Gabriel Voisin, the brothers possessed all the right knowledge to build some very special cars.
The Farmans’ biggest source of inspiration was Hispano Suiza, which had also manufactured airplane engines during the War. This is most apparent when looking at the six cylinder engine first shown in 1919. The 6.6 litre unit was almost an exact copy of the Hispano engine right down to the cylinder dimensions. The straight six featured a single overhead camshaft and sported two Zenith Carburetors. It was modestly estimated to produce 100 bhp. It was fitted in a conventional ladder type frame and mated to a four speed gearbox. Unusually for the time, Farman created their own bodies and at the launch they offered a stately luxurious coupe and a sporty roadster. This large contrast embodied the brothers love of high speeds and the desire to build luxury motor cars.
A6 B Super Sport Torpedo was originally ordered by Lieutenant-Colonel HH Maharaja Sir Daulat Singh, the ruler of the Indian state of Indar. The coachwork is remarkably elegant and aerodynamic for its day; the fully cowled underside is a particularly unusual feature. The Maharajah used the open Farman for tiger hunting as well as touring. He later presented the car to a relative, who was a Maharajah of a neighboring state. The car was eventually retrieved from India in 1967 by Rolls-Royce expert John Fasal, who visited the country many times to track down long lost luxury cars once owned by India’s many royals.
Shortly after the car was returned to Europe, it was sold to well known German collector Wolfgang Gawor. While the Farman was complete, it was in a dire condition, so Gawor commissioned a ground-up restoration. With little to no spare parts available, the restoration took many, many years and was eventually completed in the late 1990s. In 2000 it was featured in the French Automobile Classiques magazine.
