1923 Amilcar CGS 3-seat Torpedo

1923 Amilcar CGS 3-seat Torpedo

This CGS Amilcar was nicknamed the 'poor man's Bugatti' in its native France and was among the most successful small sports cars of the 1920s. The CGS of 1924 scaled 992 pounds and Amilcar promoted its small sports cars with a million-franc racing budget.

The CGS Amilcar certainly looked the part, with its doorless, pointed-tail bodywork and a 'racing' radiator. The illusion was somewhat spoiled when the hood was lifted revealing a flat-head, water-cooled, side valve, 1,074 cc, 4-cylinder engine developing 30 hp. Still, its performance was startlingly quick and its exhaust note piercingly 'sporting.' It has a top speed listed at 75 mph but works-tuned cars could exceed 85 mph. The car sold new for about $1,100.

This example has been restored in French blue with red leather and has been featured in many books and magazines. It was in the collection of Harry Resnick of Ellenville, New York. The collection was eventually disbanded and it seems that the Amilcar remained on the East Coast. It was given restoration in the mid-2000s and then shown at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.