Châtillon-Panhard

The Châtillon-Panhard, also called the Tracteur Panhard-Châtillon, was a French all-wheel-drive truck built by Panhard between 1911 and 1918 and one of the first of its kind in French military service. It grew out of a plan by a technical adviser to the Châtillon-Commentry steelworks, who teamed up with Panhard under its manager Arthur Krebs. The first prototype was the K8, upgraded in 1913 as the K11, and about 100 K11 were built before a lighter K13 followed in 1915. A sleeve-valve four-cylinder petrol engine of 8.8 litres gave roughly 40 to 42 horsepower, and the truck steered on all four wheels for a tight turning circle. It could haul about 15 tonnes and towed the guns of French artillery at the First Battle of the Marne.