Having founded the world’s first aviation company in 1906, with his younger brother Charles, the pioneering Gabriel Voisin would go on to build over 3,500 military aircraft for France and other countries through WWI. After subsequent exploits in prefab building and aircraft-hangar production, he then founded Avions Voisin, which became one of the world’s most dynamic automakers.

Revolutionary from the beginning, Avions Voisin’s first production automotive efforts focused on the adoption of the Knight sleeve-valve engine architecture. Known for its almost silent operation, these engines were a hallmark of Avions Voisin’s cars until very late in the marque’s existence.

Built from late 1927 to 1932, the C14 was another version of Avions Voisin’s first six-cylinder car – the 1926 C11. C14s were built with both all-aluminum four-door berline and two-door coupe bodies that did not rely on underlying wood framing, and their resulting light weight made this model one of the most satisfying of all Voisins to drive. The new C14 retained the C11’s inline six-cylinder sleeve-valve engine with its 2.327-liter displacement; and though it transitioned to a multi-disc clutch, it retained the previous model’s three-forward ratio gearbox.

The Voisin’s unconventional look and advanced technology made it attractive to notables and celebrities such as Rudolph Valentino and Josephine Baker. Despite the high price, nearly 1,800 C14 examples were sold, making it one of the most successful Voisin models; approximately 100 remain in existence today. According to Voisin authority Pascal Courteault, around the 1970s, this C14 was in the museum assembled by Les Mutuelles du Mans, a French insurance company. In 2007, according to a copy of its Carte Grise, it was purchased by Michel Lempidakis, before it was added to the Mullin Collection in 2008. Once on display in the museum, it ably represented the importance of the C14 model in one of the most comprehensive collections of Gabriel Voisin’s cars ever assembled.

*Please note that all of the Lots in this Auction have been in long-term static storage at the Mullin Automotive Museum and may not be currently operational. They will require mechanical attention and in some cases significant restoration prior to any road use.