Voxan

Voxan
Subsidiary
Industry Automotive
Founded 1995
Founder Jacques Gardette
Headquarters Fontvieille, Monaco
Parent Venturi Automobiles
Website www.voxan.com

Voxan is a French motorcycle manufacturer established in Issoire, France, in 1995.[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]

All Voxan motorcycles use the same engine, a 72°, 996 cc V-twin.[1][2]

History

Voxan Café Racer
Voxan Black Magic
Voxan Charade Racing

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, 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,[3] with both Sodemo Moteurs, and Fortune Terres Luxembourg considering takeover bids.[4][5][6]

On December 22, 2009, Voxan was forced into liquidation, and is now a subsidiary of the Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles.[2][7] 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.[7]

Wattman electric motorcycle

In 2010, Venturi Automobiles announced the construction of an assembly plant for its electric vehicles in Sablé-sur-Sarthe.[8] This was to allow production of three types of electric vehicle including the (Venturi/ Voxan) Wattman electric motorcycle.[9] However the factory closed in 2015, apparently without the Wattman reaching production status.[10]


Models

Former models

YearNameProductionReference
1999-2009RoadsterYes[11]
2000-2009Café RacerYes[12]
2001-2009ScramblerYes[13]
2003-2009Street ScramblerYes[14]
2001VB1Yes[15]
2004Black MagicYes[16]
2004Black ClassicYes[16]
2006Charade RacingYes[17]
2007GTV 1200No[18]
2007Starck Super NakedNo[19]
2009VX-10No[20]
2013WATTMANNo[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Autoevolution (2008–2012). "Everything about VOXAN - Voxan Brand History". Autoevolution. SoftNews NET. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Electro Velocity (2011). "Venturi buys Voxan Motorcycles". Electro Velocity. Best Green Blogs. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  3. ↑ VOXAN-SCCM | European Equities originally at europeanequities.nyx.com; (archived copy at archive.is) accessed 28 April 2018
  4. ↑ 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
  5. ↑ 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
  6. ↑ Voxan : le repreneur luxembourgeois confirme son intérêt [Voxan: the Luxembourg buyer confirms their interest] (in French), Moto Mag, retrieved 11 April 2018
  7. 1 2 Motorcycle.com (2010). "Venturi Automobiles buys Voxan motorcycles". Motorcycle.com. Motorcycle.com Forum Network. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Venturi Eclectic, an electrical city-dweller at drivehomesafe.com, accessed 12 April 2018
  9. ↑ Cédric Menuet, 19 March 2015: "Sarthe: Venturi ferme son usine de Sablé-sur-Sarthe" Sarthe: Venturi closes its Sablé-sur-Sarthe factory at lejournaldesentreprises.com, accessed 12 April 2018
  10. ↑ Kirby Garlitos, 25 June 2015 'Voxan Wattman electric motorcycle goes by the wayside', at topspeed.com, accessed 12 April 2018
  11. ↑ Essai VOXAN 1000 Roadster Bluffant! Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Roadster: "Amazing"!, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  12. ↑ Voxan Café Racer (...born for the expert...), at autoevolution.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  13. ↑ Essai VOXAN 1000 Scrambler La moto plaisir Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Scrambler - the pleasure bike, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  14. ↑ 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
  15. ↑ 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
  16. 1 2 "Fredoc Black Magic 55". web.mac.com/fredoc2. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  17. ↑ Voxan Charade Racing Archived 2008-11-12 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ News moto 2008 : Voxan GTV 1200 - Moto Station, accessed 11 April 2018
  19. ↑ 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
  20. ↑ Moto Infos : Essai du VOXAN VX10 Bike Info: VOXAN VX10 Test
  21. ↑ Voxan Wattman becomes the Most Powerful Production Electric Motorcycle Ever Naveen Soni, 10 December 2015, at bikedekho.com, accessed 12 April 2018
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