
THE ELIZALDE FACTORY
The first workshop
J. M. Vallet contributed a repair workshop, located in Paseo de San Juan nº 149 in Barcelona, to the Company. It was fitted out with machinery that could manufacture precision parts with the help of specialised operators.
Arturo Elizalde, who lived in Paris, secured the representation of the Delahaye vehicle manufacturing factory, of which he was a collaborator and shareholder, for the newly-incorporated Company.
On 4 April 1909, Arturo Elizalde purchased the entire block in which the aforementioned workshop was located from Jaime Alegret.
First Biada y Elizalde –
JM Vallet
Picture of the inside of the first workshop
On 18 June 1910, Arturo Elizalde bought J.M. Vallet’s shares and the Company’s name was changed to “Biada, Elizalde y Cía”. The enterprise’s core activity was the manufacture of automobiles and vehicle repairs in general, including the Delahaye make, for which purpose they employed leading experts to collaborate in their projects.
In 1913, on the occasion of the International Motor Show in Barcelona, the ”Biada, Elizalde y Cía.” firm showcased different automotive parts, shock absorbers by Telesco – which they represented – and several Delahaye vehicle models.
The first prototype (Type 11), called “Biada y Elizalde”, was presented that same year (1913).
The Elizalde Factory
On the evening of 16 April 1914, the first Biada, Elizalde y Cía. Type 11 automobile left the production line in Paseo de San Juan, headed for Vilasar, amid great expectation in the press. On its return journey, it topped 100 km/h on the road between the towns of Sant Cugat and Rubí.
The test drive on 28 June 1914 between Barcelona – Madrid, was the make’s acid test, which it passed with “flying” colours, in 13 hours, even faster than the express train!, as attested to by the period newspapers!
A major Belgian company had been hired to provide stamped parts for the launch of the first model. The invasion of Belgium on account of the First World War came as a major setback to the plans of Arturo Elizalde who, determined to see his projects through, purchased and installed a large foundry on the land acquired in Paseo de San Juan.
As of that moment, all the Elizalde cars that left the Barcelona factory were manufactured entirely in Spain. On 28 April 1915, HRH King Alfonso XIII took one of the cars on a personal test run from Madrid to Navacerrada, to the Polo Club, where he warmly congratulated the manufacturers, encouraging them to keep up the excellent work. Not long afterwards, the King commissioned the manufacture of an “Elizalde” Type 20 cabriolet for his personal use.
Pictures of the Elizalde factory in
Paseo de San Juan
On 27 May 1915, Arturo Elizalde bought the Company shares held by his Biada in-laws, thus becoming the sole proprietor of the “Fábrica Española de Automóviles Elizalde”.
The driving force behind this company was unarguably Arturo Elizalde, ably assisted by his sons (Salvador in the Technical Department and Arturo Luis in the Test Department).

Cars 1914–1925
ELIZALDE TYPES
TIPO 20 (1914)
This is the first model manufactured by Elizalde
and the one that will give the brand its initial fame.
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Type 20 (1914)
Type Super 20 (1917)
Also referred to as Sport Super 20 and Sport 20. This evolution of the original Type 20 launched in 1917
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Type Super 20 (1917)
Type Reina Victoria Eugenia (1919)
Type 20 variant presented at the 1919 Barcelona Motor Show.
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Type Reina Victoria Eugenia (1919)
Type 26 (1921)
Successor to the Type 20 as an entry-level model in the mid-range segment
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Type 26 (1921)
Type 22/26 (1922)
Commercial vehicle derived from the Type 26.
Appears in the brand’s catalogue in mid-1922.
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Type 22/26 (1922)
TYPE 23/26 (1922)
Model derived from the Type 26, packing a very powerful 30 hp four-cylinder engine
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Type 23/26 (1922)
TYPE 29 (1929)
Model that replaced the Type Super 20. Premièred at the Paris Motor Show (October 1929)
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Type 29 (1919)
Type 30 (1924)
This grand tourer was derived directly from the Type 29, which it replaced in 1924.
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Type 30C (1924)
TYPE 51 (1921)
The most popular model in the so-called Series 5 (comprised of the Types 511, 512, 513, 514 and 517). The smallest models built
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Type 51 (1921)
Type 48 · Super Cumbre (1921)
The “Super Cumbre” was an extraordinary vehicle. Due to its size and outstanding technical characteristics, it received enormous international media coverage and was a prestigious operation for its manufacturer.
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Type 48 · Super Cumbre (1921)
TYPE 30C (1924)
This model was derived directly from the Type 30 Grand Tourer. It was developed to cater to 40-seat bus orders, as well as for delivery vans and cars with a rated service load of up to 4 tons.
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Type 30C (1924)
TYPE 513 (1922)
The most affordable model of the Series 5; its displacement fell just short of 1.3 cubic metres (it reached only 1,195 cc) and it packed 28 hp.
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Type 513 (1922)
TYPE 517 (1922)
The Series 5 variant with the largest displacement and an engine of almost 1.7 litres
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Type 517 (1922)
TYPE 518 (1922)
It made its official début at the Barcelona Motor Show (1922) and was exhibited five months later at the Paris Motor Show. Probably the best-ever Elizalde vehicle.
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Type 518 (1922)

Competitions and records 1916-1926
ELIZALDE and racing
The Elizalde racing cars
Arturo Elizalde always believed that sporting success would be the best possible publicity for the make. Spurred on by this enthusiastic spirit, he decided to enter the company’s vehicles for racing competitions held in Spain.
The first major victory came in July 1916 (winner of the First Tour of Catalonia) with a car driven by the Mexican test driver Marc L’Huillier, who won the event again in 1917, 1918 and 1920. In 1918, the Elizalde cars triumphed in Valencia and in the Cuesta del Ordal race in Barcelona organised by the Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia.
Excerpt from a review in Le Figaro: “Elizalde, the great Spanish make which has spoiled us with its successes, was victorious in Valencia yet again. Its Sport type car bested all its Spanish counterparts, while also leaving all its foreign rivals behind and clinching first prize in the two categories in which it participated and with the fastest time to boot. Six Elizalde cars took part in the race at Cuesta del Ordal, cornering the top three positions. For now, we can only say that the Elizalde cars are simply the best.”
In 1922, sports activity was ramped up, special models were built and expert professional drivers were hired – besides Salvador and Arturo Luis Elizalde –, yielding excellent results. “Elizalde’s” racing activity ceased in 1925 following the death of Arturo Elizalde.
The Elizalde racing cars are usually identified with a 1 after the digits corresponding to the model of the series they belong to: for example, the Type 29 yielded the 291; the 51 the 511 and the 518 the 5181.
It is difficult to say how many racing cars were made at the factory in Paseo de San Juan. There could have been at least 3 units of the Type 291, as Basset, Feliu and De Vizcaya were all entered for the same race.
There were probably more of the other types, since three vehicles competed in each race every season. Unfortunately, none of these fascinating cars are still with us.
Racing models. Elizalde Type 5181
Track record

See Track Record in dynamic PDF



Elizalde in the aircraft industry 1925–1951
FLYING HIGH
In 1917, the automobile factory founded by Mr Arturo Elizalde Rouvier embarked upon an aircraft engine-building project on a commission from the Spanish Air Force. Two types of engines were designed and built: the 100 HP T–41 and the 150 HP T–80. The latter was an air-cooled V8 with a cylinder capacity of 8,000 cc, weighing in at 168 kg. Once the corresponding tests had been performed, this engine was fitted into a Farman II aircraft and passed the test flight “with flying colours”.
Taking off towards a new era
Arturo Elizalde died unexpectedly on 4 December 1925 in Paris, where he had just signed a major contract with the Lorraine company involving a licence to build the engines to be fitted in the Breguet aircraft for the Spanish Air Force.
On June 4, 1927, “Elizalde S.A.” was incorporated, with Ms Carmen Biada (Elizalde’s widow) as Chair of the Board of Directors. Mr Julio de Rentería was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Mr Antonio Elizalde General Manager. The company was founded with an initial share capital of 4,500,000 pesetas, which was subsequently widened.
Ms Carmen Biada – a descendent of Mr Miguel Biada, who had developed the first railway line in the Iberian Peninsula in 1848 – chaired the Company for 25 years with the same drive and courage as her husband. Carmen died on 11 December 1949, and Antonio Elizalde was appointed General Manager of the company.
Early steps in the development and assembly of aircraft engines
Elizalde’s milestones in the Spanish Aircraft Industry
Leaders, and a driving force
Elizalde was the first national high-tech aeronautical factory in Spain, focusing on aircraft engines, which required highly refined technical training for its workers.
Once the civil war was over, and in the midst of industrial and social recovery, in 1940 the Elizalde Aviation Engine Factory created the first vocational training school in Spain as a pioneering project: the Elizalde Apprentices School (E.A.E.).
The E.A.E. produced several generations of highly specialised professional technicians who would later nurture Catalan industry, filling management and industrial development posts in important companies (Bultaco, Montesa, etc.).
On 27 December 1951, the agreement for the sale of Elizalde S.A. to the National Institute of Industry was signed, and the company was renamed Empresa Nacional de Motores de Aviación, S.A. (ENMASA).



AIRCRAFT ENGINES
Between 1916 and 1966, Elizalde and its successor, ENMASA, manufactured approximately 3,000 aircraft engines, comprising some 15 Otto and one reaction engine. One third of the entire output is accounted for by the Tigre inline-four model, another third corresponds to the Beta 9-cylinder radial engines and the remaining third to different piston propellers, including about one hundred and fifty jets.
T40 (1916 – 1918)
Manufacturing period: 1916 – 1918.
Units produced: 1 prototipo.
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: Farman.
Structure: 6 cylinders in line.
Power: 100 CV a 2.000 rpm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 295 kg.
T80 (1916 – 1918)
Manufacturing period: 1926 – 1933.
Copies produced: 151 (A4B), 340 en total.
Designer: Marius Barbarou.
Licence: Lorraine-Dietrich (francesa).
Aircraft: Breguet XIX.
Structure: 12 cilindros en W.
Power: 450 CV a 2.300 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 25.000 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 120 x 180 mm.
Cooling: water.
Weight: 390 kg.
A3 / A4 / A4B (1926 – 1933)
Manufacturing period: 1926 – 1933.
Copies produced: 151 (A4B), 340 in total.
Designer: Marius Barbarou.
Licence: Lorraine-Dietrich (francesa).
Aircraft: Breguet XIX.
Structure: 12 cilindros en W.
Power: 450 CV a 2.300 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 25.000 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 120 x 180 mm.
Cooling: water.
Weight: 390 kg.
A5 (1928 – 1934)
Manufacturing period: 1928 – 1934.
Units produced: 55
Designer: Marius Barbarou.
Licence: Lorraine-Dietrich (French).
Aircraft: Dornier Wal.
Structure: 12 W-cylinders with reducer.
Power: 480 CV a 2.000 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 25.000 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 120 x 180 mm.
Cooling: water.
Weight: 435 kg.
A6 (1928 – 1934)
Manufacturing period: 1928 – 1934.
Units produced: 10.
Designer: Marius Barbarou.
Licence: Lorraine-Dietrich (francesa).
Aircraft: avioneta CASA.
Structure: 5 radial cylinders.
Power: 100 CV a 1.700 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 8.590 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 125 x 140 mm.
Cooling: air.
Dragón V (1928 – 1934)
Manufacturing period: 1928 – 1934.
Units produced: 2 prototypes.
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: Loring E–II.
Structure: 5 radial cylinders.
Power: 180 CV a 2.000 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 13.250 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 150 x 150 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 172 kg.
Dragón VII (1928 – 1932)
Period manufactured: 1928 – 1932
Units produced: 2 prototypes.
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: —-
Structure: 7 radial cylinders.
Power: 320 hp at 1,800 rpm.
Displacement: 18,550 cc.
Bore/stroke: 150 x 150 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 275 kg.
Dragón IX IX–B / IX–BC (1928 – 1936)
Manufacturing period: 1928 – 1936
Units produced: 5 prototypes
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: Trimotor Loring.
Estructura: 9 radial cylinders.
Power: 420 / 470 / 600 CV a 1.800 / 2.000 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 23.850 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 150 x 150 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 340 / 350 / 360 kg.
Vacuum
Superdragón /SDM/SDC (1934 – 1937)
Manufacturing period: 1934 – 1937.
Units produced: 4 prototypes.
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: —-
Structure: 9 radial cylinders.
Power: 520 / 750 / 900 CV a 2.200 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 30.220 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 150 x 190 mm.
Cooling: aire.
Weight: 380 / 394 / 414 kg.
Walter Junior 4 (1934 – 1935)
Manufacturing period: 1934 – 1935.
Units produced: 150.
Designer: Antonin Kumpera.
Licence: Walter (Czechoslovakian).
Aircraft: HS-34, GP1.
Structure: Inverted in-line 4-cylinder.
Power: 105 CV a 2.000 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 5.816 cc
Diameter x stroke: 115 x 140 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 135 kg.
Beta B1 / B1A / B3 / B4 (1941 – 1960)
Period manufactured: 1941 – 1960.
Units produced: 150 (B1), 350 (B1A), 290 (B3), 10 (B4), total of 800.
Designer: Salvador Elizalde.
Licence: base M25 (Sovietic) of a Wright Cyclone (American) patent.
Aircraft: CASA 352 Junkers (B1A, B3) and 202 Halcón (B4); HA-100 Triana (B3, B4).
Structure: 9 radial cylinders.
Power: 615 / 750 / 775 hp at 2,100 / 2,200 rpm.
Displacement: 29,850 cc.
Bore/stroke: 155.5 x 174.6 mm.
Cooling:air.
Weight: 477 / 460 / 485 kg.
Tigre G4A5 / G4B5 (1943 – 1960)
Manufacturing period: 1943-1960.
Units produced: 1.020 en total.
Designer: Miguel Guinea.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: AISA HM y I-115; CASA Dornier DO-25 y 1.131E (Bücker Bu-131)
Structure: Inverted in-line 4-cylinder.
Power: 125 / 150 CV a 2.000 / 2.300 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 6.330 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 120 x 140 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 135 / 145 kg.
Sirio S1 / S2 / S3 (1943 – 1958)
Manufacturing period: 1943 – 1958.
Units produced: 3 prototypes (S1), 10 (S2), 287 (S3), 300 en total.
Designer: Fernando Medialdea.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: CASA 352 Junkers and 201 Alcotán, HS-42/HS-43, HA-100.
Structure: 7 radial cylinders.
Power: 500 CV a 2.300 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 17.930 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 150 x 145 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 324 / 331 kg.
Alción A1 (1951 – 1958)
Manufacturing period: 1951 – 1958.
Units produced: 3 prototypes.
Designer: Fernando Medialdea.
Licence: ninguna.
Aircraft: Dornier DO-27 (proyecto).w
Structure: 7 radial cylinders.
Power: 275 CV a 3.000 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 7.317 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 110 x 110 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 225 kg.
Flecha F1(1952 – 1959)
Manufacturing period: 1952 – 1959.
Units produced: 5 prototypes, 10 preserie, 15 in total.
Designer: Fernando Medialdea.
Licence: none.
Aircraft: AISA I-11B, Jodel.
Structure: 4 opposing horizontal cylinders.
Power: 95 CV a 2.600 rpm.
Cylinder capacity: 3.460 cc.
Diameter x stroke: 105 x 100 mm.
Cooling: air.
Weight: 100 kg.
Marboré II M21 (1955 – 1966)
Manufacturing period: 1955 – 1966.
Units produced: 150.
Licence: Turbomeca (French).
Aircraft: HA 200 Saeta.
Compressor: single-sided volumetric centrifuge.
Turbine: single-stage axial, with 25-blade distributor.
Power: 400 kg maximum thrust.
Take-off speed: 22.600 rpm.
Weight: 140 kg.


Elizalde apprentice school
Apprentices of the Elizalde Apprenticeship School, E.A.E.
A memorable apprenticeship
Created in 1940 under the impetus of Carmen Biada, Julio de Rentería and Manuel Torrado, the company’s general secretary, the Elizalde Apprentices School (E.A.E.) was set up with the aim of promoting the professional, moral and cultural training of the factory’s future workers. The training plan, in a building annexed to the factory, included a syllabus divided into four courses – two per year – with theoretical and practical activities in the company itself, to subsequently join the workforce as operators. The age of the students who entered the school was between 14 and 20 years old.
The E.A.E. developed its activity until 1960. Its first director was Mr. Luis Torra Almenara, and the most outstanding virtue of the school was to manage to combine the excellence of a great technical-professional academic training with a civic, sporting and religious education, without impositions and freely accepted. “ESTUDIO, ACCIÓN Y DISCIPLINA” was the motto and seal of identity that the E.A.E. instilled from the very beginning in all its students, many of whom went on to achieve very prominent professional positions in the motor industry.
Testimonials from former students– of the Elizalde Apprentices School (E.A.E.)