Aster
French automobile manufacture Paris, France. Produced from 1900 to 1910

L'Aster, Aster, Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster, was a French manufacturer of automobiles and the leading supplier of engines to other manufacturers from the late 1890s until circa 1910/12. Although primarily known as an engine mass manufacturer the company also produced chassis for coach-works and a complete range of components.
Aster produced a range of engines including: stationary motors; electricity generators; automobile motors; marine engines and aero engines. There were air-cooled and water cooled Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors, and Gas Motors. Among the companies for which Aster produced engines and other parts were Achilles, Argyll, Ariès, Aster-Newey, Automobiles Barré, Bolide, Belhaven, Bij 't Vuur, Century,Clément, Darracq, Dennis, Durham-Churchill,Ernst, Excelsior, Gladiator, Hanzer, Hoflack, Hurtu, Korn et Latil, Lacoste et Battmann, La Torpille, Lucerna, Newey Aster, Société Parisienne, Passy-Thellier, Pearson, Prunel, Rochet, Rouxel, Reyrol, Sage, Siddeley-Deasy, Simplicia, Singer, Swift, Vulcan, West-Aster, Whippet, Whitlock. and Le Zèbre. By 1906 Aster were able to claim over 11,000 users of their engines.
From the mid-1900s 'Aster-Wembley' manufactured engines under license in Wembley (London) UK. In 1913 this became the 'Aster Engineering Co' which produced aircraft engines during the First World War, and then in 1922 started production of Aster cars. By 1927 it had been absorbed into Arrol Johnston. In Italy the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied and built both cars and engines under licence from 1906-1908.
In 1904 the Parisian newspaper Le Petit Journal stated that Aster monopolised the mass manufacture of engines in France, and had a 'universal reputation' and success shown by innumerable users. By 1912 they claimed to cater for over 130 makes.
History
Aster was a French manufacturer of automobiles and the leading supplier of engines to other manufacturers from 1900 to 1910. Although primarily known as an engine mass manufacturer the company also produced chassis for coachworks.
In 1878 the Aster company was established at 102 rue de Paris, Saint-Denis. Engine id plates stated 'Ateliers de Construction Mécanique l'Aster. 74, Rue de la Victoire, Paris (the registered office), Usines à St Denis (Seine) (The factory).
At the 1900 'Salon de l'Auto' in Paris Aster exhibited a motor quadricycle equipped with their own 3.5 HP, single cylinder engine. The expanding range included : stationary motors; electricity generator; automobile motors and marine launch motors. There were air-cooled and water cooled Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors, and Gas Motors.
A 12 h.p. Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace Motor Show and a range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907.
In Italy the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied cars and engines from 1906-1908 under licence.
Aster had manufacturing capabilities in Wembley, North London, UK which both traded and stamped the engines as Aster-Wembley. Begbie Manufacturing of Wembley was founded in 1899 by Sydney D Begbie (A.M.I.M.E.) and in mid-1900s became British licensees of Aster, making mainly stationary engines. In 1913 they became Aster Engineering Co (1913) Ltd and during the First World War made aircraft engines. In 1922 they began producing Aster automobiles. From 1927 they were absorbed into Arrol Johnston & Aster Eng, Dumfries Scotland GB. The last Aster engines were made in 1930 by Meadows.
Sydney D Begbie (A.M.I.M.E.) worked as the 'Resident Engineer' of Aster, St. Denis, in Paris during the 1900s. He was an early cyclist, world record holder, and pioneer in the motor engineering business. He was Managing Director of the Begbie Manufacturing Co., Ltd of Wembley, which became the British licensee of Aster. Begbie also worked as Consulting Engineer to Henry Whitlock, Ltd. and The West London Motor Co. Ltd, both of whom were users of Aster engines.
Automobiles
At the 1900 'Salon de l'Auto' in Paris Aster exhibited a motor quadricycle equipped with their own 3.5 HP, single cylinder engine. Engine sizes and multi-cylinder engines were progressively developed.
A 12 h.p. Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace Motor Show and a range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907.
In 1904 Aster produced a 16/20 h.p. four-cylinder, five seat automobile with rear-entrance and Tonneau, with a Type 43 JS engine.
In Italy, the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied cars and engines from 1906-1908 under licence.
The 'Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster' from St. Denis (Seine) exhibited a four-cylinder chassis at the 1907 Paris Salon
Components

Aster was a major supplier of automobile components to both vehicle manufacturers and end users. As shown in its advertising and exhibition stands, both the French parent and the English associate were suppliers of : engines, gear boxes, gears, chassis, steering gear, radiators, spark plugs, magnetos, coils, accumulators, Oleo plugs, C.M.F. and lubricators.











