Jide Classic Cars for Sale

Jidé motor vehicles are sleek vehicles with a sturdy muscle-car appearance. The brand is rarely seen on the roads as few vehicles were produced and those that were are now classic cars.

History of Jidé

Jidé was started in 1969, when Jacques Durant designed and began producing his own motor vehicle. He arrived at the name by combining his own initials (JD with a French accent sounds like 'jhee-day'). Production was fairly slow, and when operations were suspended in 1974, the company had only produced less that one hundred vehicles in total. At around this time, Jacques Durant had sold off the company, brand name included, to Michel Baxas. Baxas was less interested in the smaller models that the company had been producing until that time, being more interested in the 1600cc and higher models.

In 1977, production resumed for a short time, and the Jidé Company gained something of a fan base. These fans set up the Jidé Club of France, and used the club to correspond with other aficionados and to swap and source parts for their own Jidé vehicles. The club grew in popularity and also began to provide Jidé vehicles in kit form, for owners to buy relatively cheaply and assemble in their own time.

In the meantime, production was still unviable and Jidé the company had to close its doors in 1981.

Jidé Club of France

The fan club continued, and grew to the point when members discussed and agreed to try and resume production once more. The Jidé Club of France even went so far as to buy the rights to the brand name and set up a new company to produce Jidé vehicles. However, once again, production stumbled and the dream died, with production and the company shutting down, this time permanently, in 1993.

Jidé Models

Jidé vehicles came in three basic size engines: 1100cc, 1300cc and 1600cc. The available horse-power ranged from 43hp in the smaller models to a power 113hp. The tough sporty cars were durable and speedy and have been used in races and rallies, by such names as Jean Ragnotti, who rallied his Jidé in 1972.

Jidé Logo

The very logo of Jidé speaks of this racing connection, with the word emblazoned on a chequered-flag background.