Historic Car Brands

The FN, Fabrique Nationale, company was established in Herstal, Belgium, in 1889, to produce rifles for the Belgian Army. FN subsequently diversified into producing cars, motorcycles and trucks.

FN factory – Segura

The Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre (National Factory of Weapons of War) was co-founded by major arms makers of the Liège region, with Henri Pieper, of Anciens Etablissements Pieper, being the primary shareholder of the new company. 

However, by the end of 1895, FN was in poor financial shape, having lost a legal battle with Mauser over rights to produce the improved M1893 rifle.

In 1896, most of FN’s primary shareholders left and FN’s major arms competitor, DWM, took a controlling stake. That situation ended FN’s  export market for military firearms and forced it to diversify into sporting firearms and then bicycles.

In 1897, FN’s sales manager, Hart Berg, visited the USA’s bicycle maker, Pope Manufacturing Company that was linked with the electric vehicle maker, Columbia. In 1898 FN imported a Columbia Victoria battery-electric vehicle, for evaluation.

The first FN automobile prototype was built in March 1899, but it had an internal combustion engine, not battery-electric power. 

Series production of FN’s initial ‘Spider’ model started in 1900 and the company was destined to become Belgium’s longest-lived home brand. 

The first FN was powered by a two-cylinder, front-mounted engine, which drove the rear wheels via a two-speed gearbox and final-drive chain. Around 100 cars were produced. 

A redesigned model, with a 14hp, four-cylinder, four-litre engine followed in 1904 and was followed in 1905 by the more luxurious FN Typ 30-40. Customers included members of the Belgian Royal family and the Shah of Persia.

The FN 6900 was developed from the Typ 30-40 and was powered by an engine built under licence from Rochet-Schneider. Its side-valve cylinders were cast in pairs. Drive to the rear axle was via a disc clutch and a prop-shaft. The car was designed for comfort, with suspension that used both laterally and longitudinally-mounted leaf springs.

In 1908, FN downsized its engine size in the FN Typ 2000 model that featured flexible engine mountings.

Pre-First World War FN four-cylinder model list in Typs from earliest to latest (1908-1914) is:
2000, 2000A, 1400, 2100, 1500, 1560, 1600, 2400, 2700 – the first model powered by an engine designed and built by FN itself – 1950 and 1250.

Many of these made their way Down Under and there’s a concentration of pre-WWI FNs in  the city of Newcastle, in NSW. Below is FN enthusiast, Catherine Strutt’s photo of four of these FNs:

Left to right: 1913 FN 1950 (now in South Australia), 1912 FN 1600 (Strutt/Duncan car), 1911 FN 2400 (Strutt/Duncan car), 1912 FN 2400. The first three cars on the left were restored by the late Doug Marshall of Nords Wharf, NSW. The olive green car came from Nathalia, Victoria. The blue car was once owned by the mayor of Dubbo and came from Dandaloo NSW. The dark green car came from a sheep station near Yass, NSW. The maroon car came from near Quirindi NSW.

The FN factory suffered significant damage in WWI, but automobile production resumed afterwards, when the Typ 2700a was fitted with an electric starter, a tachometer and central-actuation chassis lubrication. 

FN Typ 1560 – Queensland Museum

Further model introductions were an improved FN Typ 1250A, followed by the FN 1250T, with a full electrical system, 15hp engine and three-speed transmission.

The Typ 1250 was followed by the very popular Typ 1300 that was available in three different versions – A, B and C – that were mechanically similar, but with different wheelbases and equipment levels. 

1925 FN 1300S Sport – Pelicanactor

All Type 1300s were powered by a four-cylinder, 1327cc engine, with a side-mounted camshaft and overhead valves. The cars rode on wide, low-pressure ‘balloon’ tyres and featured four-wheel brakes. 

The range was later broadened by the arrival of the FN Typ 1300D, with four speed transmission; followed by the Typ 1300E, with a widened track and the FN Typ 1300Sp sporting model.

1931 FN eight-cylinder

At the top of the range was the 3.2-litre, straight-eight, side-valve FN Typ 3800, which was produced in only very small numbers, but a strengthened Typ 3800 chassis was the basis of FN’s small truck.

In 1927 came the 1.3-litre, FN 10CV that was replaced in 1930 by the sportier 1.45-litre, OHV FN 11CV. A delivery van based on the 11CV was also available. 

FN cars were successful in competitions, with a third place in General Classification in the 1925 Monte Carlo Rally; class wins in the Spa 24 Hours race in 1925, 1926 and 1933 and a Coupe des Alpes for the FN works team of FN 1625s in the 1931 Alpine Trial. 

In 1928, an FN 1300 became the first normal-wheeled vehicle to cross Africa from north to south.

1935 FN42A Prince Albert

By the early 1930s, FN was making 16 different models, which led to economic difficulties. Therefore, from 1930, only two new models were made and named after King Albert’s eldest grandson, and his baby brother: the ‘FN Prince Baudouin’ and the ‘FN Prince Albert’. The two cars shared the same 11CV engine, but had different bodywork.

However, increasing competition from European and US mass producers made FN cars uncompetitive by 1935 and an additional complication was the need to concentrate more on volume production of a Browning-licensed pistol for the Belgian Army. 

As a result, the decision was made to phase out car manufacturing and concentrate on small arms, motorcycle and commercial vehicle production. Cars remained in the company’s catalogue until the outbreak of WWII, but few were made after 1935 and none after 1945.

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