Benjamin

Benjamin was a French manufacturer of cyclecars between 1921 and 1927 and based on the north-west edge of Paris. 1927 was a year of changes which included a name change, and between 1927 and 1929 the company operated under a new name, Benova. The firm was established by Maurice Jeanson in Asnières at 139 Boulevard Voltaire. The cars The business started out with a range of cycle cars, identified as the Benjamin "Type A", Benjamin "Type B" and Benjamin "Type C", a two-seater coupé. The "Type A" was powered by a 4-cylinder unit of 751cc: it weighed less than 350 kg and therefore enjoyed the favourable tax treatment available to cyclecars. The "Type B" used a 2-cylinder 547cc engine, while the "Type C" was a sporty version of the "Type A", the volume of its 4-cylinder engine increased to 817cc. In 1924 the smaller engined Benjamin was replaced by the "Type AR". It sat on a wheelbase and was powered by a rear-mounted 2-stroke twin cylinder 450cc or 525cc engine.