Hotchkiss Anjou Walkaround

Thanks in part to French government policy (the infamous "Plan Pons") that discriminated against makers of low-production mid-to-upper scale cars, the Hotchkiss firm was nearing its last automobile-building legs when it introduced its Anjou model for 1950.  Production of Anjous ended in 1954 and Hotchkiss left the car business the following year.

Anjous were expensive, selling for around two million French francs.  That was about twice the price of a Ford Vedette or a Peugeot 203.  On the other hand, a Delage with a custom body would go for 2.3 to 2.8 million francs.  Little wonder that only 5,500 or so Anjous were made.

Anjou styling was conservative in the 1950 American context, but not for France.  But by 1954 it was becoming dated even by European standards.  The French Wikipedia entry (as of 22 November 2022) suggests that the coachbuilder firm Henri Chapron did some bodywork.  I wonder if Chapron had anything to do with the design, but have no reference regarding that.

All things considered, the Hotchkiss Anjou was an attractive car, though not really exciting to look at.

Walkaround images below are via the Artcurial auction site, with one exception.

Gallery

The 1930s-traditional Hotchkiss grille was retained.  Those crossed-cannons on the badge reflect Hotchkiss' history as an arms maker.

This view reveals the Anjou as being in line with contemporary Jaguar design practice.

This left-side view of a 1951 Anjou is from an unknown (to me) source.  Because Anjous had right-hand steering, a driver's natural approach would be to the right side, which most side views favored, including Artcurial, which didn't have a left side view.

The rear is rather bland, but that was the case for most 1950-vintage designs.

Front fenders extend over the front doors, a common 1940s American style.  That made for difficult hinging on the A-pillar, so the Anjou's front doors were the "suicide" type, hinged on B-pillars.

French luxury cars up to World War 2 often had right-side steering, and the postwar Anjou continued that odd feature.  In France, cars drove on the right side of roads, so left-side steering was safer, more practical.  The Anjou dashboard seems Spartan, even for 1950.