Berbia

Leon Berbia en Cie., better known as Berbia was a Brunanter manufacturer of sport and racecars.

Early history
Leon Berbia (1884-1926) was a Barzuna race car driver and one of the earliest in Brunant. He brought over several Alfa Romeo's in the late 1910s and was a founding organizer of a Brunanter rally (a precursor to the Brunants-Rally). Berbia entered automobile manufacturing in 1923 when he built a small racecar. Berbia himself drove the cars at various events. At the 1926 San Sebastián Grand Prix, Berbia lost control of his car at 75 mph and he died at the race.

Expansion
His son Martin (1905-1997) would take control of the company. He did not race, but in 1932 expanded the company's operations to building sports cars. During WWII the company stopped production, but several German officers died driving a Berbia at high speeds on the twisty roads.

Type 199/200
The Type 199 was the first production Berbia. Introduced in 1932, this sports car was quick and very popular; 43 were sold by 1935. The 199 was modified the Type 200 in 1935. Based on the 6C's suspension, this car's reputation (and sales) were bolstered by the success of racing Berbia's in the late 1930s.

Early cars
Berbia's first race car was the Model 5 (1923-1927). This car participated in various European events and preformed well. The highest speed achieved on a Model 5 was 79 mph in 1926. The model 5 was succeded by the Model 6 (1926), the 6A (1927-29), 6B (1929-1934) and the Model 8 (1933). A lighter and nimbler 5A model followed in 1935, which accelerated and cornered better than the 6-cylinder models. The most famous of the prewar racecars was the 6C, which won the King's Cup in Motorsport in 1935, 1936 and 1938, becoming the only Brunanter manufacturer to win it before WWII.