Most noted for his aircraft designs, Gabriel Voisin and his company built aircraft during WWI. After the war, he formed Avions Voisin to build cars. The C25 Aerodyne was perhaps the ultimate expression of Gabriel B. Voisin’s unique automotive vision, which was heavily influenced by his aviation backround.
Described as a “car of the future” when first displayed at the Paris Salon in 1934, the C25 Aerodyne was a silent-running and impressive piece of automotive art. It was extremely expensive for the time, priced higher than a 1933-1938 Bugatti Type 57, and the engine’s performance, while silent and luxurious, fell somewhat short of its futuristic looks. Ironically, it also represented the last gasp of the company, which was in the process of losing its most talented employees even as the C25 was making its debut. A poor economy and WWII quickly put an end to the business. Only eight C25 Aerodynes were produced.
The C25 Aerodyne could almost have been intended be a small, wingless airplane. The tapered front end and curved, teardrop-shaped body with integrated trunk were very similar to the cabins of contemporary passenger aircraft. Details like the round porthole-style skylights on the roof and flex-reducing trim bridging the gap between the front fenders and radiator grille also served as reminders of Voisin’s airplane engineering skills.
Aerodynamic wheel covers smoothed airflow and gave the car a sleeker look. The roof was retractable, sliding back over the back of the car to open the interior to the sky. With the roof retracted, the foremost roof porthole became the rear window. Additionally, the windshield's lack of an upper frame gave the front cabin an extremely airy feel with the roof open.
The resemblance to an airplane continued on the interior, with multiple toggles, pull switches and dials, and a shortwave radio built into the dash. The C25 Aerodyne was even upholstered in a wild, art-deco pattern that looks like it was thought up by an airline. Voisin was known for luxury as well as elaborate upholstery design, and the car featured Jaeger gauges and Lalique crystal ashtrays. The rear seats folded down to improve cargo space.
Here below is a set of photos of 1935 Avion-Voisin C25 Aerodyne.
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