Already a known rolling stock factory since the mid 19th century, Décauville, from Petit-Bourg in France, began producing automobiles in 1897, manufacturing a patented light car designed by the engineers Guédon and Cornilleau. The pair of engineers had, however, failed to patent the most important innovation of the car – its direct drive transmission – and subsequently lost all rights to this solution when it was patented by Louis Renault in 1906.
Décauville created the company Société des Voitures Automobiles Décauville specifically for this new venture, and gave it the Petit-Bourg plant. The first Décauville was named Voiturelle, as the better known name Voiturette had already been patented by Léon Bollée. The car had a vis-à-vis seat layout, independent suspension for the front axle only, two rear air-cooled De Dion engines producing 1.75 hp each, and a gearbox with two forward speeds.
The first front-engined Décauville appeared in 1900: a four-seater tonneau with an 8 hp 2 cylinder air cooled engine and a gearbox with 3 forward speeds plus reverse.
