Gilles Poncin

Poncin vehicles is a company created in en 1974 and situated in the north of France, in Tournes (08540), specializing in off-road vehicles (ATV).

All documents you find on this page are owned in part (technical documents and photos) to http://poncin02.free.fr/ – Enthusiasts looking to list all existing vehicles, and secondly to newspapers “l’Auto Journal” and “Automobile” Special Exhibition of the last few years to a few texts and pictures.
A big thank you to Duser Motorlegend.com forum for all dates and also to Alain Rossignol.

There is a Poncin Vehicles forum which is still very active, you can also chat with Gilles Poncin. All technical questions are welcome, sign up : https://vehiculesponcin.forumactif.org/

Club Poncin organizes a meeting every year near Reims in Saint Pierre in Arnes in the Ardennes, more information on dates and location in the forum. There are lots of vehicles and free rides in amphibious and off-road, VP, 4×4 and 6×6, sure 2 days with meals possible on site.

We will detail each of its models.

VP 2000/2025 – 29 ch 1981 – 850 vehicles produced

The first model was a 6 wheels powered by the engine 2 cylinder Citroen Diane, the VP2000.
Box 4 speeds + 1 back. A full 25 Liters allows it to hold 6 to 8 hours.

VP 2800 MINIBUS/CARGO – 60 ch (1986) – 7 vehicles produced

Utility transport vehicle, people and freight, for mountain, to 8 chenillables wheel drive. Engine 60 cabbage 2,5 liters 75 ch (Renault Master origin), weight 1810 kg , reservoir 60 lites, top speed : 24 km/h. Price of 1992 : Minibus 228 300 FHT Cargo 198 900 FHT 53cm Rubber Tracks 38 100 FHT Crawler alu 53 500 FHT .

Ladies watch TC 100 – 4 vehicles produced

This is a basic tracks plotter, fitted with an engine 100 ch (Peugeot turbo D), a rake hisseur, two tracers and a snow thrower. prices in 1990 : 341 000 FHT-piece with rubber tracks, 368 000 FHT caterpillars with aluminum strips

VP 2800 AGRICULTURAL (1986) – 8 vehicles produced

Vehicle specially designed to evolve in marshland, equipped with a diesel engine of Peugeot XUD9 65 ch. prices in 1990 : 131 500 FHT, tracked 42 cm 26 850 FHT, 53 cm 29 500 FHT

VP 2800 RICE (1986) – 5 vehicles produced

VP 2800 H EDF SEMME Heliportable 65 cv Essence (1986) – 9 vehicles produced

field access Engin difficult 8 chenillables wheel drive equipped with atmospheric Renault diesel 2068 cm3 65 ch. Length 335 cm, width 209,2/219,2 cm, height 208.6 cm, longitudinal slopes 100% maxi, crossfalls 70% maxi.

VP 3000 – 65 ch – 120 vehicles produced

This craft amphibious all terrain and is led by the Peugeot engine XUD9 (diesel) 1905 cm3 65 ch.
Box 5 speeds + 1 back. Top speed : 30 km / h on land and 3 km / h in water. Unloaded weight 1080 kg, payload 480 kg.
prices in 1990 : 109 800 FHT rubber tracks 42 snow cm 26 850 FHT, tracked 53 cm 29 500 FHT, electric winch 8 100 FHT.
The center of gravity is very low, it allows him to attack slopes 80% maximum.
For 6 to 8 hours of battery, a full 50 simply liters, as stated in the pub !
In water, it moves with its drive wheels, but the back of the VP 3000 is designed such that it is possible to add an outboard motor.

VP 3000 S – SUPER SPEEDY – 65 ch – 2 vehicles produced

VP 2000 S – SUPER SNOFLY – 35 ch (1987) – 14 vehicles produced

Universal Sherpa – 10 vehicles produced

VP 5000 Green area – 4 vehicles produced

VP 3000 Remote controlled vehicle for Matra on base 2800 – 2 vehicles produced

GP 35/65 4×4 (1984) – 4 vehicles produced

4×4 independent wheel called GP 35 or GP 65 according to engine power, the latter from Citroën VISA or GSA.

Jeep 4×4 (1990) – 500 vehicles produced

Approved since July 1 1991, Jeep in Poncin 4 independent wheels has a Renault engine either injection 2103 cm3 developing 106 ch IN, or turbo diesel 2068 cm3 have 88 ch developing a couple 18,5 m / kg 2750 T / mn. length 346cm, width 170cm, 186cm height with tarpaulin. TTC price 1991 the petrol version : 125 990 F bareback, 132 905 F tarp, versions diesel : 139 355 F and 146 270 F. It offers outstanding qualities crossing through a guard at exceptionally high ground (47cm between the wheels, 31cm in the rear differential) and a suspension 4 wheel independent long-travel coil springs by.
The transmission is not permanent in 4×4 or 6×6, differential front and separate manual locking rear.

Latest version of the Jeep 4×4

Jeep 6×6 (1990) – 35 vehicles produced

This machine is the first of its kind endowed with 6 wheel independent, same characteristics as the Jeep 4×4 EXCEPT : length 420 cm. Price of 6×6 gasoline : 234 828 F pickup without headband or hood, version diesel : 247 755 F.
A ton payload, it was equipped with a cooling fan designed for warmer climates and very chands, driven by engine crankshaft, proven system in slurry more 80 cm. oversized water pump, oil cooler Type “modine” connected in series, the oil is cooled in a special radiator with water circulation. shielded alternator, waterproof 90 A/h, to operate in water, saline, mud and sand. protected and sealed electrical harnesses of all connections.

Historical

In 1976, Gilles Poncin, engineer of Ponts-et-Chaussée, created the company Ardennes Equipment in Tournes, specializing in the construction of construction machinery, and equipment such as excavator buckets for construction machinery. It is a true design company with a design office made up of engineers and a factory equipped with specialized tools. In 1980, Ardennes Equipment employs more than 100 people and will embark on the development of lightweight all-terrain vehicles.

It’s to amuse his children that he’s going to buy a used small American ATV like Amphicat so that they can have fun with it., but unfortunately for them, the machine broke down after an afternoon of games. Gilles will then dismantle the machine to try to repair it and with his vision of an experienced engineer will tell himself that it is very poorly thought out and that he will build one himself. The idea is quickly transmitted to his design office and to 1981, the Poncin VP vehicle 2000 is in focus. The vehicle was marketed the following year under the company name Poncin Vehicles, S.A. . It has a plastic shell, six-wheel drive with track option and is amphibious, the whole motorized by a motor of 2 CV. Several versions will follow, with propellers, with an aluminum shell, with a gray card, and options too.

During the years 1980, a whole range appears, ranging from amphibian 6 wheels or 8 wheels, mini van passing by jeep 4X4 and even 6×6, and has had some export success.

Throughout the life of the company, approximately 1562 vehicles have been produced.

In the early 1990, The French Army is looking for a vehicle to replace the Jeeps of the time and Gilles Poncin has the idea of ​​placing his Jeep 6 for them.×6. Christian de Léotard will have the same idea and will offer them his P4 6×6, I don't know for what reason, Christian's will not be retained. On the other hand that of Gilles Poncin will be retained and acclaimed to such an extent that he will incur expenses to bring it up to standards and adhere perfectly to the specifications.. Gilles got into debt but the promise of the French army means that there will be a nice return on investment and everything will be fine.
The worry is that during this time, Peugeot always negotiates bitterly with the French Army and that by dint of arrangements and promises, they get the contract instead of Poncin.
Poncin also had another project, at the same time, the GP65 of which only one copy had been built, which he presented at the Auto Show of the time. The car had been so popular with the public that it had already received hundreds of promises to buy. Poncin had also started to create an assembly line and had therefore also incurred additional expenses.

When the French Army announced to the company that it would not have the contract, Gilles Poncin had to resolve to put the key under the door and bankrupt this beautiful company with great regret.

For the little story, Gilles Poncin then set up a helicopter operating company, he was a pilot and worked a lot with EDF on the maintenance of the high voltage pillars.

Other Poncin photos

These photos come from PM.D, who took advantage of a trip by Poncin 6×6 with his wife and a couple of friends in Guinea in 1995. He tells us about his trip :

We left Saly for Tambacounda. From there to Labé via Koundoura (frontier), Youkounkoun and Mali on the way, and via Koubia, Malinda, Fongolimbi (frontier), Kédougou and Niokolo-Koba on the way back. Then little tour in Mali before returning to Dakar. Tar and rolling tracks most of the time. Some very “stony” and others with steep slopes on tracks in very poor condition in Guinea (Tamgué massif and in Fouta-Djalon on the way back to Senegal).

From memory, O. et R. have driven permanently. Several transmission problems : broken needle cages of the braces (changing the bearings or… reassembling the needles) and a broken branch of a tree fork (one of the two flanges) with attempted repairs at the forge ... It didn't last very long and we had to drive on the only front axle, what, with the 2 trains in the back, gives very random motor skills : two sitting on the hood and the others must walk alongside the vehicle in steep hills ! Fortunately, the sheet metal is solid, like the old Japanese Land and all-terrain vehicles : We can “to walk” on the body !

No problem apart from transmissions. There is no question for difficult passages and the vehicle is very comfortable.

O.J. had 3 Poncin based in Saly, Senegal, about 80 km south of Dakar.

The following photos are all of my partner Virginie Maneval or of myself taken at the Poncin meetings in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The Poncins in 3D

I also do 3D in my spare time, and I tackled the VP2000 and VP2025, a Sketchup format 2017, you find the free file here : https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/8053e186-69e5-4c64-aee9-33a8352ee623/Poncin-VP2000-et-VP2025-ATV-6×6

By modifying this 3D file a little, you can then print it in 3D !

Do not hesitate to send us your best photos of Poncin, I will be happy to publish them here and if not, leave us a little comment at the bottom of this page 🙂