[Auto-Moto] From the archive: on this day in 1948

[-Sethu]

“Simplified to the point of crudity, it seems almost needlessly ugly, but it is full of original ideas planned to cut weight and cost and increase production,” we reported. 

Its steel box-frame chassis bore on each side two suspension arms linked by tension rods to a central cylinder containing a spring; and had a very thin steel body welded to it (with a canvas roof), home at the front to air-cooled 375cc flat-twin with a three-speed gearbox; and the four ‘seats’ inside cushions held to frames by rubber bands. 

Top speed was just 37mph, but economy was a superb 50-60mpg. 

It cost a mere £213 (£5970 today) – £71 less than even Renault’s 4CV. 

Quelle surprise that the French went mad for it, making it the first car to sell a million and a cultural icon. It lasted right up until 1990, with some nine million produced.

Amid the severe austerity of the 2CV and its rivals from various other French firms, Ford France’s new V8 Vedette was “comparatively a breath of sanity, an example of how modern quantity production can reach to the best standards”. 

In addition to its fast little 600cc saloon, Panhard presented “a startling streamlined four-seater body of aircraft inspiration on the same chassis”. 

Peugeot’s 203, meanwhile, was “deservedly one of the big attractions of the salon”, not least as it moved past chassis construction in favour of a monocoque. This was something also adopted by Rovin for its latest two-door economy car. 

Mathis, having been refused permission to produce its miniature, even after converting it into a four-wheeler, presented a fascinating new prototype; Wimille progressed in its efforts to bring a sporty option to the class; and new firm Brandt brought a bizarre little thing with its doors front and rear. 

At the other end of the spectrum, there was lots of stunningly elegant coachwork to be admired, sitting on Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Delahaye, Ferrari, Lancia and Talbot chassis. 

Saoutchik’s gold-plated coupé interior might have strayed into insulting territory, mind you...

Austin of Longbridge and Morris of Cowley had been fierce rivals since the formative days of the British car industry, so it was a shock when they agreed “a constant interchange of information on production methods, costs, purchases, design, research, patents and all other items likely to result in manufacturing economies”. 

The tensions between bosses Lord Nuffield and Leonard Lord initially proved too difficult, the deal called off in 1949, but they must have resolved their differences, as in 1952 they agreed to merge into the BMC.

A new V8 roadster for Britain 
Sydney Allard began motor racing in 1929 and soon was building his own specials; and immediately post-war, he set up a firm in his name to build sports cars using Ford parts, these being easy to source and maintain. The J was a racer, the K a roadster and the L a four-seat open tourer, each having the Pilot’s steel chassis and 3.6-litre V8. The K impressed our testers by how it raced to 60mph in a quick 13.6sec and on to 86mph; climbed hills swiftly and easily; and handled the old-fashioned way, not presenting a steep learning curve.

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