Burlat (France) - AllCarIndex

Burlat was a French automobile manufacturer active from 1905 to 1907, founded by the Burbt brothers in Lyon, France. The company specialized in vehicles powered by a unique rotary engine designed by the youngest brother, Antoine Burbt. This engine featured a four-cylinder configuration with a displacement of 2798cc, producing between 12 and 16 horsepower. The engine was mounted vertically beneath a low bonnet, with the starting handle positioned at the center of a round radiator.

In 1905, the Burbt brothers acquired a large factory in the suburb of Villeurbanne, which facilitated the production of their automobiles. They showcased a 4/5-seater tourer at the Paris Salon in December of that year, and subsequently completed three additional vehicles. However, the company faced significant challenges, particularly with engine overheating issues. Despite these difficulties, Burlat managed to license its engine design to a Coventry-based firm for use in taxis and aircraft in Great Britain and its colonies.

In addition to passenger vehicles, Burlat also ventured into the commercial vehicle market, producing a 2-ton lorry in 1906 that utilized the same rotary engine but operated on naphthalene fuel instead of petrol. Although plans were made for larger 5-ton forward-control lorries equipped with 8-cylinder rotary engines, it appears that the 2-ton model was the only one completed. Following the closure of the automobile division in 1907, Antoine Burbt shifted focus to the design of aero-engines, where rotary layouts became more common.