The Marford Alsace V8 is a high-end car produced from 1935 to 1937 by the French - American car manufacturer Matford .
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It was the first model marketed by Matford. The Alsace V8 shared chassis and mechanics with the Ford V8-48 , produced in parallel with the Alsace V8 itself and in turn derived directly from the Ford Model B marketed in the USA. The Alsace V8 was launched in September 1935 and was equipped with a 3621 cm³ V8 engine , capable of delivering a maximum power of 90 HP at 3800 rpm. This engine had side valve distribution controlled by a central camshaft . The suspensions were rigid axle both front and rear. The gearbox was manual with 3 gears and the maximum speed was 130 km/h. Aesthetically, the Alsace V8 presented itself as an elegant four-door sedan , with a rounded and pleasant design. The front and rear doors were both hinged on the B-pillar, so that the front doors opened backwards and the rear doors opened forwards. The tail was more inclined than that of the V8-48 and this led firstly to the advancement of the rear seat and secondly to the increase in the volume of the trunk. The Alsace V8 was planned in two versions, the Standard and the De Luxe , with more elegant finishes and more complete equipment. At the beginning of 1936 , the range was completed downwards by the arrival of the Alsace V8-62 , which was equipped with a 2225 cm³ V8 capable of producing 60 HP at 3800 rpm. It differed externally from its older sister due to the chassis with a wheelbase shortened by 10 cm and thus gone from 2.85 to 2.75 m , but also due to the absence of the running board and the renewed front. The maximum speed was 120 km/h. With the arrival of this latest model, the Alsace V8 was renamed Alsace V8-66 , but the characteristics remained those of the previous model. The only variation regarding the 1936 Matford range was the introduction of the convertible version for both models. In 1937 there was a new restyling: the bodywork was substantially the same, but the front headlights were semi-incorporated into the bodywork itself, on the model of the contemporary Lincoln Zephyr . For the occasion, the range was renamed again: having lost the Alsace name , the Alsace V8-62 with 2.2 liter engine became V8-72 , while the top version became V8-76