Voxan

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Voxan Motors
IndustryMotorcycle
Founded1995
FounderJacques Gardette
Headquarters
Fontvieille, Monaco
,
Monaco
OwnerGildo Pallanca Pastor
ParentVenturi
Websitewww.venturi.com/en/voxan-motors/

Voxan Motors is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in Issoire, France in 1995.[1][2] The brand was particularly known for its atypical design and its V-twin engine open at 72° of 996 cc.[1][2] Initiated by Jacques Gardette, the project was to build the first French motorcycle company in the global market involving different partners.[1] Alain Chevallier designed the chassis, while Sodemo Moteurs focused on the engine.[1] The first prototype was shown in 1997, and the first production model released in 1999.[1]

On 2 June 2010, the Monegasque company Venturi announced the purchase of the brand which had been in compulsory liquidation since December 2009. Its president Gildo Pallanca Pastor led Voxan in the same direction as Venturi by orienting it towards electric motorisation. In 2013, the Wattman, the first electric motorcycle developed in Monaco, was born.[3] In October 2020, the Wattman, in a new high-performance version, broke 11 world speed records with Italian motorcycle racer Max Biaggi on board.[4]

History[]

Founded by Jacques Gardette in 1995, and financially backed by the Dassault Group in 1996, Voxan set out to become the first French motorcycle manufacturer in the modern era.[1] In 1999, the first model, the limited production Roadster, was delivered to dealerships and sold exactly 50 units.[1] The company then launched the Café Racer model in 2000,[5] and the Scrambler model a year later.[1] Although Voxan had garnered support for its products within France, the company continued to struggle against the established Japanese and Italian brands.[1] In June 2002, Didier Cazeaux and Société de Développement et de Participation bought Voxan to ensure its continuity, and production restarted on April 1, 2003.[1] The Street Scrambler model was released in 2003,[1] and the Scrambler and Black Magic models in 2004.[1] Voxan opened its 23rd dealership, and its first in Luxembourg in May, 2005. In October, 2007, Voxan had an initial public offering on Euronext,[6] with both Sodemo Moteurs, and Fortune Terres Luxembourg considering takeover bids.[7][8][9]

On December 22, 2009, Voxan was forced into liquidation, and is now a subsidiary of the Monaco-based Venturi.[2][10] Upon acquisition Voxan's manufacturing department ceased production, and its engineering staff were relocated to Venturi's headquarters in Fontvieille, Monaco.[2] In June 2010, Venturi announced Voxan's new eco-friendly corporate plan, evolving the creation of an electric motorcycle by 2013.[10]

Wattman electric motorcycle[]

The Wattman is the brand's first electric model, released in 2013. Designed by Sacha Lakic, this electric motorcycle delivers a power of 150 kW (203 bhp) for an instantaneous torque of 200 Nm up to 10,500 rpm. At the time, it was the most powerful electric motorcycle ever built, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 s.[11]

The Wattman has also been developed in a high performance version by the Voxan engineering team in Monaco. This version, also designed by Sacha Lakic, was conceived with the aim of breaking new world speed records. It is equipped with the same Mercedes electric motor that powers ROKiT Venturi Racing and Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team in the Formula E World Championship.[12]

World speed records[]

Max Biaggi on the Voxan Wattman (partially-streamlined)

Ridden by Max Biaggi, the Wattman set a new world speed record for an electric motorcycle in the 'partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kilos' class, reaching 366.94 km/h.  The record was set on the last weekend of October 2020, at Châteauroux airfield in France.[13] The Voxan Wattman holds a total of 11 world speed records listed below:

– ¼ mile, flying start, partially streamlined:           394.45 km/h (245.10 mph) – no previous record

– ¼ mile, flying start, non-streamlined:                 357.19 km/h (221.95 mph) – no previous record

– 1 km, flying start, partially streamlined:              386.35 km/h (240.07 mph – previous record: 329.31 km/h (204.62 mph)

– 1 mile, flying start, partially streamlined: 366,94 km/h (228.05 mph) – previous record: 329,09 km/h (204 mph)

– 1 mile, flying start, non-streamlined:                   349,38 km/h (217.10 mph) – previous: record 292 km/h (181.44 mph)

Max Biaggi on the Voxan Wattman (non-streamlined)

– ¼ mile, standing start, non-streamlined:            126.20 km/h (78.42 mph) – no previous record

– ¼ mile, standing start, partially streamlined:      127.30 km/h (79.10 mph) – previous record: 87.16 km/h (54.16 mph)

– 1 km, standing start, non-streamlined:               185.56 km/h (115.30 mph) – no previous record

– 1 km, standing start, partially streamlined:         191.84 km/h (119.20 mph)– previous record: 122.48 km/h (76.11 mph)

– 1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined:             222.82 km/h (138.45 mph) – no previous record

– 1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined:       225.01 km/h (139.81 mph) – no previous record

Models[]

Former models[]

Voxan Café Racer
Voxan Black Magic
Year Name Production Reference
1999-2009 Roadster Yes [14]
2000-2009 Café Racer Yes [15]
2001-2009 Scrambler Yes [16]
2003-2009 Street Scrambler Yes [17]
2001 VB1 Yes [18]
2004 Black Magic Yes [19]
2004 Black Classic Yes [19]
2006 Charade Racing Yes [20]
2007 GTV 1200 No [21]
2007 Starck Super Naked No [22]
2009 VX-10 No [23]
2013 WATTMAN No [24]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Autoevolution (2008–2012). "Everything about VOXAN - Voxan Brand History". Autoevolution. SoftNews NET. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Electro Velocity (2011). "Venturi buys Voxan Motorcycles". Electro Velocity. Best Green Blogs. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  3. ^ Tibu, Florin (2013-12-02). "Voxan Wattman, Probably the Most Awesome Electric Motorcycle of the Planet". autoevolution. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  4. ^ "Max Biaggi Sets New Electric Land Speed Record On Voxan Wattman". carandbike. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  5. ^ Cormier, Jason. "Voxan - Café (Racer) Français". www.odd-bike.com. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. ^ VOXAN-SCCM | European Equities originally at europeanequities.nyx.com; (archived copy at archive.is) accessed 28 April 2018
  7. ^ Business - Liquidation : Guillaume Maillard (Sodemo) : les liquidateurs de Voxan n'ont pas fait leur travail Voxan's liquidators did not do their job, Paris, 17 February 2010, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  8. ^ Voxan en liquidation judiciaire faute de repreneur Voxan in liquidation for lack of buyer, Paris, 29 December 2009, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  9. ^ Voxan : le repreneur luxembourgeois confirme son intérêt [Voxan: the Luxembourg buyer confirms their interest] (in French), Moto Mag, retrieved 11 April 2018
  10. ^ a b Motorcycle.com (2010). "Venturi Automobiles buys Voxan motorcycles". Motorcycle.com. Motorcycle.com Forum Network. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  11. ^ Motorcycle.com (2013-12-02). "2014 Voxan Wattman Electric Motorcycle Claims 200hp and 148 ft-lb". Motorcycle.com News. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  12. ^ HancocksWed, Simon; Nov 2020, 4. "Max Biaggi smashes electric motorcycle land speed record". Visordown. Retrieved 2021-03-23.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Voxan Wattman: The fastest electric motorcycle in the World - automobilsport.com". www.automobilsport.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  14. ^ Essai VOXAN 1000 Roadster Bluffant! Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Roadster: "Amazing"!, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  15. ^ Voxan Café Racer (...born for the expert...), at autoevolution.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  16. ^ Essai VOXAN 1000 Scrambler La moto plaisir Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Scrambler - the pleasure bike, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  17. ^ Essai VOXAN 1000 Street Scrambler Street, Scrambler ou les deux? Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Street Scrambler- Street, Scrambler or both?, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  18. ^ Voxan VB1 1000 2001 De la haute couture- Fiche moto - MOTOPLANETE Voxan VB1 1000 2001 High Fashion- Bike file - MOTOPLANETE, at motoplanete.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  19. ^ a b "Fredoc Black Magic 55". web.mac.com/fredoc2. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  20. ^ Voxan Charade Racing Archived 2008-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ News moto 2008 : Voxan GTV 1200 - Moto Station, accessed 11 April 2018
  22. ^ A quick look at Voxan’s French V-twin range and the Starck Super Naked concept at The Biker Gene Archived 2012-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 12 April 2018
  23. ^ Moto Infos : Essai du VOXAN VX10 Bike Info: VOXAN VX10 Test
  24. ^ Voxan Wattman becomes the Most Powerful Production Electric Motorcycle Ever Naveen Soni, 10 December 2015, at bikedekho.com, accessed 12 April 2018

External links[]

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