Barre

Barre 1899 - 1930
1899 - 1908 Gaston Barre, Niort, Deux-Sevres, France.
1908 - 1923 Barre et Cie, Niort, Deux-Sevres, France.
1923 - 1927 Barre et Lamberthon, Niort, Deux-Sevres, France.
1927 - 1930 SA des Automobiles Barre, Niort, Deux-Sevres.

The Barre was one of those regional French firms which never achieved great fame outside their own area, yet made sound and reliable vehicles for thirty years. At the 1899 Paris Salon they showed a 3 seater light car, one seat for "a child or light person" facing the other two, with a 4hp Galliardet engine, 2 speed transmission and belt final drive. They used mostly proprietary engines, 1901 models having 4hp single cylinder De Dion Bouton, 2 cylinder Aster, and 4 cylinder Buchet engines. In 1903 these were used in a tubular steel chassis for the small model, and armoured wood frames for the larger. They had 3 speed gearboxes with direct drive on top gear, and shaft drive. Apart from the engines and tyres, the whole car was made in-house, including the bodies. These were the usual 2 seater, 4 seater rear entrance tonneau, and a limousine. Barre began exporting cars early, and by 1903 had shipped cars to the Transvaal, India, and Indo-China.
Gaston Barre did not form a company until 1908, when about 50 people were making several models, from an 8hp with a De Dion Bouton or Ballot 2 cylinder engine, a 9hp with large De Dion Boutonb single, to a 12/16hp 4 cylinder Ballot engined tourer. In 1912 seven models were listed, from 8/12hp to 24/30hp, all with 4 cylinder monobloc engines and shaft drive. Bodies were still made in-house, and thgis probably lasted for the whole of the marques lifetime.
For power units Barre relied on Ballot, as they did in the 1920's. By then their range had slimmed down, being confined ro fours of 1131cc to 2813cc. Front wheel brakes were available on the 1692cc torpedo sport in 1924. Production dwindled in the later 1920's and probably no Barres were made after 1930, though the marque was listed up to 1932. The range then consisted of three 4 cylinder models, the 8/10hp B5, 10/18hp BS and the 12/24hp AS2.