Imagine yourself immersed in a thrilling adventure that began in 1905, when brothers Edouard and Maurice Ballot decided to create their own company by manufacturing stationary engines for industry, and then to conquer the seas by motorizing boats.

From 1910 onwards, their company, renamed 'Etablissements Ballot SA', broadened its horizons and began manufacturing automobile engines. Thanks to their high quality, many car brands turned to them for their supplies: Delage, Corre-La-Licorne, Delaugère et Clayette, etc.

During the First World War, Ballot's great reputation was put to use. The company supplied the French army with aircraft engines, truck engines, generators and, of course, ship engines.

Once peace returned and army orders dried up, the Ballot brothers decided to expand their business from engines to the manufacture of complete automobiles. And what better way to make a name for themselves than through motor racing! They built their own Grand Prix cars powered by an 8-cylinder engine with hemispherical combustion chambers, 4 valves per cylinder, and twin overhead camshafts, initially displacing 4817 cc, and later, when regulations required it, 3000 cc. With 150 hp, the early versions approached 200 km/h and proved to be remarkably modern and efficient Grand Prix cars.

In 1920, at Indianapolis, the Ballot 3 litre cars finished 2nd, 5th and 7th, then 2nd and 3rd at the French Grand Prix in 1921 and finally won the victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Brescia with Jules Goux at the wheel while Jean Chassagne took second place.

Building on their success, they finally unveiled their first car to the public in 1922, a 10/11CV type 2LT, derived from their 2LS racing model. This was one of the most prestigious cars of its time! Refined, powerful, and safe with its mechanical brakes on all four wheels, power brakes, 4-speed gearbox, overhead camshaft, and legendary Ballot reliability.

The second half of the 1920s saw a veritable explosion of innovations in terms of large-displacement engines, and Ballot was no exception. In 1928, they presented their jewel, the 2.6-liter 15hp, a powerful inline 8-cylinder. In 1930, the displacement increased to 3 liters, making this 17hp marvel, the RH type, a technological marvel!

But this model arrived at the wrong time, as the 1929 stock market crash deprived Ballot of a clientele able to afford such vehicles. Facing financial difficulties, the company was forced to accept a takeover offer from its prestigious competitor, Hispano-Suiza. The Ballot brand then inevitably faded away.

The Ballot brothers made history with their passion, audacity, and mechanical genius. Their name and those of their vehicles still resonate today, recalling an era when limits were made to be pushed… an era known as the Roaring Twenties!