Benjamin; Benova (France)

Benjamin was a French automobile brand founded by Maurice Jeanson in Asnières, Seine. The company produced light cars that were classified as cyclecars due to their overall weight of 350 kg. The vehicles were equipped with a 750cc side-valve engine, which Jeanson manufactured himself, based on designs from Lemaitre et Gerard. Early models featured a 3-speed transaxle without a differential, and the suspension system utilized a transverse leaf spring at the front and quarter-elliptic springs at the rear.

By 1923, Benjamin expanded its offerings to include a long-chassis model capable of accommodating various body styles, such as a 4-seater tourer, saloon, and light truck. A notable performance variant featured a single overhead cam (SOHC) sports engine that allowed a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) in a 2-seater configuration. In 1924, the company introduced the P2, a true cyclecar with a 525cc vertical-twin 2-stroke engine mounted at the rear of a boat-shaped perimeter frame. Although the prototype achieved success in its class at the 1923 Tour de France, it did not translate into commercial viability, prompting Benjamin to revert to 4-stroke engines.

The brand continued to innovate, offering larger models powered by Chapuis-Dornier or Ruby engines with displacements of 945cc and 1095cc, the latter featuring overhead valves. The last models produced by Benjamin, showcased at the 1926 Paris Salon, included front-wheel brakes. In 1927, the brand re-emerged as Benova, meaning "New Benjamin" in Latin, and continued production with Chapuis-Dornier engines and a small straight-8 engine of 1502cc manufactured by S.C.A.P. The Benova line remained in production until at least 1929, with four-cylinder models available in sizes ranging from 945cc to 2.1 liters listed until 1931.