Louis Coatalen

Louis Coatalen (1879 to 1962) was a Breton-born automobile engineer who became one of the leading figures of the British motor industry in the early twentieth century. Born in Concarneau, he trained as an engineer at the technical school at Cluny, worked for De Dion-Bouton, Clement-Bayard and Panhard-Levassor, and moved to England in 1900, where he became chief engineer at Humber. After a short partnership with William Hillman he joined Sunbeam at Wolverhampton in 1909 and became joint managing director in 1914. During the First World War he designed aircraft engines for Sunbeam, and after 1920 he sat on the board of the combined STD Motors group while remaining Sunbeam's chief engineer. His main interest was racing cars and land speed record attempts, including the 1,000 horsepower car of 1927 and the unsuccessful Silver Bullet of 1930. Grace's Guide credits him with balancing wheels, moving the oil pump into the sump and early advocacy of shock absorbers. He had taken British citizenship and died on 23 May 1962.