Salmson 2300 Sport – Belrose Classics

Jaguar E-Type OTS Series II

About this car

Salmson was one of those countless French manufacturers abandoned by the post-war government. The government mainly wanted to get the masses driving. Renault, Simca, Panhard, Peugeot and Citroën received technical and financial help, but the rest had to fend for themselves.

In 1950 Salmson unveiled “the Randonnée”. That car technically adopted a lot from pre-war models, but gave it a more modern look. The engine also came from the 1930s. It looked old, but had double overhead camshafts. A rarity at that time.

The Randonnée was too expensive and therefore did not sell well. Far from. The overpriced production was stopped in 1953. In the same period, the management took a different tack: that of medium-sized sports cars. According to them, little had been done.

Infosheet

Year of Manufacturing

1956

Drive

RHD

Chassis

85185

Production number

one of 188

Coachwork

Henri Chapron

Fuel Type

PETROL

Engine

203 serie 10.05

2.328cc 4 cylinder (matching)

Price

€115.000,-

The 2300 S…

Styled by Eugène Martin, the 2300 Sport was a pretty 2+2 coupé, 227 examples of which were made up to 1957 with bodies by Esclassan (39 cars) and Henri Chapron, the latter being responsible for the remaining 188.

The car had particularly beautiful lines. The roof seemed somewhat artificially inflated to accommodate the occupants, but the whole thing had presence: an inverted radiator grille and taillights in the rear wings. Technically, the 2300 S contained familiar elements: the four-cylinder with double overhead camshafts developed 110 hp. A nice power for a cylinder capacity of 2.3 liters. All Salmson cars were built in right-hand drive configuration. The 2300 Sport was a strong performer by the standards of the day, boasting a top speed of around 180km/h

Unique technology

The drive was more original: the rear wheels were classically driven, but received power via a “Cotal” gearbox with four gears. The gearbox with electromagnetic control allowed quick gear changes without having to disengage. A pre-war technology, from a period when gearboxes had an unruly reputation.

For Salmson and its wealthy clients, racing and rallying was to prove the strength, speed and reliability of the 2300 Sport. They competed at Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957 (in 1956 in completely standard trim complete with all luxuries including a radio!) and the 1956 Mille Miglia.

From the start, the car received rave reviews in the press: a beautiful line, good road holding and an engine with strong performance. Negatives were the lack of sound insulation and the cramped interior. In addition, the price again deterred potential customers. Too bad, because the car had a lot of potential. However, like France’s other quality motor manufacturers Salmson was struggling to survive and the factory was bought by Renault in 1957.

The car offered here is one of fewer than 80 Salmson 2300 Sports believed to survive worldwide. These cars very rarely come to the market, particularly so in roadworthy condition.

This Salmson has been carefully refurbished on various occasions throughout its life.

The car participated in the Mille Miglia in 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2022. It has been used only sparingly since then. Accompanying documentation includes current Dutch registration papers; FIVA identity card (dated 2015 and 2022); copies of old articles featuring the car and the original Salmson manual “Conduite et Entretien”.

This car could be the collector’s item you are looking for…

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