The all-new, front-wheel drive 1955 SARA 4
Presented model : SARA 414 TL
With the added dynamism from deputy platform engineer Seurat, Watteau, the chief platform engineer, quickly recognized the need for fresh ideas, and petitionned to push forward with Front Wheel Drive ; t was the hot topic of the moment, with Panhard and Citroën making extensive use of it with impressive success, and italian luxury carmaker Lancia reported to be interested.
As both the SARA 3 redesign and the Modulor® engine designs were ahead of schedule (a world premiere in project management), some funds and brains could be diverted to the SARA 4, the first truly new car of Jeanneret’s era.
Jeanneret’s brief on design was short - “Keep it simple !”, which further freed some time until Watteau was able to confirm the new car was to be FWD (but not transversal, he could only handle that much bold decisions).
The result was impressive, especially comparing the newer car to its ill-designed ancestor, using the same engine (though the tuning was corrected using the last years progresses…)
As one journalist wrote :
Getting from the Marshall to the SARA 4 gives the feeling you are Barjavel’s Voyageur imprudent. You go to sleep with a car that feels and drive like it was designed in the 30s, and you wake up with a car that drive like a car from the future […] Only this trip at least will be safe !
Fernand Léger, Chief Marketing, did a heavy use of these “future metaphors”, so much so that a alienated Amédée Turini, which, as a pilot, had a deep disdain for front wheel cars.
This led to Jeanneret validating a decision to keep the Coupé, an elegant fastback, much more modern in design than the sedan, as a RWD, as it would be mostly sold in “Turini” trim.
Jeanneret, knowing the vital role of Turini in spicing the otherwise bland image of SARA, even went to Modane to discuss with the Sorcerer.
“- Amédée (Turini), listen. We need to have front wheel drive for our everyday’s cars, and we need your cars to sell these cars, please, be reasonnable”
“- Calm down, François (Jeanneret). Please, don’t offend me, try that grappa. Here, we toast first, then we talk.
Actually, first, we toast, then we try some smoked ham from my Pappa, and then we talk”
"- coughs, try laboriously to catch his breath - “ohmygodohmygod what is this ? Even Poussin would find this strong”
“- This is grappa. Fruit alcool. You make the alcool, then you let it out in the cold nights. The water freezes, the alcohol doesn’t. Come the morning, you discard the water.
This is triple distillation. You can really smell the apple in it, eh ?”
“- But, there’s a toad in that bottle, too !”
“- Yeah, the aftertaste is not for everybody, but it adds some invigorating alcaloïds. The trick is to dessicate the toad first, then it slides easily in the bottle. Just like dried mushrooms”
“- Coughs some more. So, the, watchcallit, the front tyres thingy, we need it. And you. And your grappa. It is an acquired taste, but indeed I feel great”
“- What about I make my own company, my own cars, using your pieces as basis, and you pay for it ? Like a, a, brother company of yours ?”
“- Seems brillant. Hold my grappa while I sign the papers”.
Obviously, once a bit less drunk, Jeanneret would review the terms a bit, but the idea was indeed good. Making Turini an “independant” company allowed for more branding opportunities, while externalizing the costs associated with competition from SARA.
In the end, it was Poussin and Jeanneret that got the better part of the deal, but, in the meantime, it pleased everybody with the opportunity to build real sports car on one side, and real people movers on the others, with both sides benefitting from the others
Granpa', once more you forgot about the car !!!
Sorry, kids. Yeah, the 414 TL. Great car, I told you how much it was an improvement over the Marshall, for basically the same building costs.
For some weird reasons, this peaceful family car scored really high, 150 and more on the MARKETING STANDARDIZED AUTOMATION®, as a “fun car”, or a “Pony car”, whatever these were.
While not understanding a bit why, Bernard Ingres and Jean Poussin gladly accepted the fact, laughing all the way to the bank, as they say.
It cost about 675$ to produce (6261$ adjusted), which made it an easy sale up to 25% markup, completely unexpected in this prestige level.
Sure, its design remained bland, but you weren’t afraid you’d die at every corner, it moved (reasonnably) fast, in (some) comfort, and was economical. And there were some Chromalite® even on the lower trims !
And there were now different colors available : gray, and black, with beige offered with a supplement on the luxury trims !
Look, it is not undercoat grey !
Engine Details
Based on the SARA Marshall Family (pushrod, all iron I4 with max 72.5x96.7 mm = 1596 cc)
Capacity : 72.5x84.7, 1398 cc (restroked to be less undersquare)
6.8 compression, single barrel carburetor tuned for french 89 RON regular, short cast header
51.6hp@4400, 95.1Nm@2700, 13.2% efficiency
125.5 kg, 440.3$ ('18) cost
Car Details
6261$ build cost (0 markup)
4 door - 5 seats, 2.49m wheelbase, 4.06m total
Front Longitudinal FWD
Steel monocoque chassis and panels
McPherson and semi-trailing arm
3 gear manual
Weight : 834 kg
Fuel Economy : 12.8 l/100 (19.6 MPG US)
Max Speed : 125 km/h
0-100 km/h : 19.5
1/4 mile : 21.9
Kilometer : 41.3
G : 0.75-0.72
Braking 0-100 : 56.4m
Airfield time : 2.02.62
530 kg load capacity
And what about the coupé, then ? 416 TS "Turini"
Bleu de France de rigueur
This is a “soft” tune, with 80 hp out of the 1600 cc OHV, but it manages to make the same time as the SARA 3 competition client on Airfield (1:49.84), reaching 149 km/h max speed and over 0.9g on the skidpad.
Yet, with the costs associated with the specific parts, it was a hard to sell car, costing over 1000$ (9645$ adjusted) to produce, and with a scarier drive even with the extra large tyres (and their impact on gas mileage and upkeep costs).
It is a collector today, most notably because, just like the SARA 3, it is the last “true” Turini sold under the SARA badge