A Special Journey Through 80 Years of Automotive History
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>> 80thanniversary 1938: sign of the times introduced at Le Mans without success. Roads around London are governed by So the Highway Code had only been a new 40mph speed limit. A special journey through 80 around for seven years by the time this 1955 Ford produces its fifty millionth car. photograph appeared in the magazine. The revolutionary Citroen DS19 is A record one million cars are produced But there’s no doubting the clarity and introduced with a futuristic aerodynam- in Britain. years of automotive history sense of this particu- ic body, self-levelling hydropneumatic lar original sign, put suspension, power steering and braking, 1959 up by a farmer to and automatic jacks. The UK Government reduces Purchase James Luckhurst takes a nostalgic look back over the past eight decades, warn motorists. This McDonald’s opens its first drive-thru Tax on new cars from 60 to 50 per cent. particular artistic hamburger bar. Dutch manufacturer DAF begins car both in the archives of GEM Motoring Assist and in the wider world effort could be found production, using the Variomatic belt- on a road near 1956 drive automatic transmission. Chapel-en-le-Frith. Fuel supplies are seriously limited by The M1, Britain’s first motorway, is 1932 an international census. Saloon at £128, the cheapest car in the Suez crisis, resulting in rationing in opened by The Right Honourable Ernest The Company of Veteran Motorists is A 30mph speed limit is introduced for Britain. car, an 8hp Anglia. Britain. Marples, Minister of Transport. A wide founded. It’s just a year after the publi- towns and villages. The first Ferrari takes to the road. network is planned. cation of the first Highway Code. 1939 1957 British Motor Corporation introduces Ford moves from Manchester to 1936 Britain, France, Australia and New 1947 The Lotus Elite (Type 14) is announced, the Morris Mini-Minor and Austin Dagenham over one weekend without Morgan, specialists in economical three- Zealand declare war on Germany on Henry Ford dies at the age of 84. featuring a revolutionary fibreglass con- Seven variants. losing any production, at the same time wheelers since 1909, introduces its first September 3rd. David Brown buys Aston Martin. struction. The Ford Anglia arrives. It is a small as designing its first car for the four wheeler. The British Government introduces The American Congress approves con- family car with conventional mechani- European market, the 8hp model Y. Fiat launches the 500A, with full-length petrol rationing. Petrol is exchanged for 1948 struction of the 41,000 mile Interstate cal layout. Hillman introduces the Minx, a small sunroof. Its appearance earns it the coupons allowing each motorist about Morris introduces the Minor family car, highway system. family saloon. nick-name ‘Topolino’ while 55mpg 200 miles of motoring designed by Alec Issigonis. economy makes it very popular, particu- per month. Jaguar announces the XK120 sports car. 1934 larly in its home country. There are now two Citroen introduces the 2CV. 1938: we review the Rolls-Royce Phantom III A 30mph limit is imposed in built-up Ferdinand Porsche begins development million cars on Rover introduces the 4 wheel drive Introduced in 1936 to an awe-struck nism was added in that year. It could areas by Transport Minister Leslie and construction of prototype Britain's roads. Land Rover. public, the Phantom III included a four- reach speeds of 88 mph, but at quite a Hore-Belisha. ‘Volkswagens’ to demonstrate his con- speed manual gear- price; fuel consump- Pedestrian ‘Zebra’ crossings are intro- cept to Adolf Hitler. 1940 1950 box and was pow- tion was just 10 mpg. duced, illuminated by a flashing orange Fifty-four percent of families in the Car production in Britain is put on hold The British government ends petrol ered by a 7.3-litre, Watch out for a par- ‘Belisha’ beacon. United States now own a car. as most factories go over to munitions rationing but doubles fuel tax. V12 engine. It war- ticularly fetching black New drivers are required to pass a test. production. 60% of American families now own a ranted a further men- and yellow version in Morris Motors’ first conveyor assembly 1937 Enzo Ferrari leaves Alfa Romeo to car. tion in 1938 because the James Bond line is installed at Cowley. 800 miles of autobahn have been built establish Auto-Avio Costruzioni Ferrari. an overdrive mecha- classic, Goldfinger. Construction of the German autobahn in Germany at a cost of £56,000 a mile. 1951 system commences, conceived by Adolf 1941 Ferdinand Porsche dies, aged 75. Hitler as a productive way of harnessing 1938 Packard becomes the first car manufac- Triumph announces the TR and Healey A new Fiat 500 is introduced featuring a 1960 the unemployed masses. The Volkswagen goes into production in turer to offer air conditioning. introduces its 100/4 sports cars. rear-mounted vertical twin-cylinder air OPEC (The Organization of Petroleum Nazi Germany. cooled engine. Exporting Countries) is formed to give 1935 The British government raises the petrol 1942 1952 the oil producing countries more power There are now 35 million motor vehi- tax from 8d to 9d per gallon. Mr Theodore Porter, a joiner and organ Mercedes shows the 300SL 'gull wing' 1958 over crude oil prices. cles on the world’s roads, according to Morris launches the Series E 8hp builder from Clevedon in North sports coupe. Volvo introduces the seatbelt. The millionth Morris Minor leaves the Somerset, joins the Company of Veteran Work starts on the Ml ‘London to production line, one of a series of 350 Motorists. 70 years later, at the tender 1953 Birmingham’ Motorway, the UK’s first. painted in a celebratory shade of lilac 1935 and the first edition of ‘Veteran Motorist’ age of 98, he is GEM’s longest-serving Singer announces the SMX Roadster, with white leather upholstery. member. Britain’s first plastic-bodied production Supported by a raft of appropriate advertising, 1943: Daimler to war the magazine launched to a delighted member- car. Only 12 are made before the project 1961 ship in 1935. Gracing the front cover was the 1944 is abandoned. Daimler armoured scout cars with their The Cortina Mk I is introduced by Ford Henley Tyre Company, proclaiming that thrifty Volvo introduces its first ‘safety cage’ General Motors launches the Corvette, a famous fluid flywheel transmission served of Britain. motorists should read the ‘Tyre Way Code’, for car occupants. radical glass-fibre-bodied roadster con- in North Africa and Sicily with distinction. The ‘MOT’ test is introduced by Ernest available on application to the company at its cept car featuring a wrap-around wind- Daimler saw fit to make Good Motoring Marples, requiring that all cars over 10 London offices. 1945 shield and powered by a venerable readers aware of the build quality they years old are subjected to an annual test. How do we choose what to put on the W orld War II ends. straight six engine. could expect when peace returned. front cover of each edition these days? It’s the Henry Ford hands over the Presidency Porsche introduces the 550 ‘Spyder’ 1963 editor’s responsibility to identify possible of his company to his grandson. racing car. The Leyland Motor Corporation is themes, which are then considered by an edi- formed under Sir Henry Spurrier. torial committee that meets four times a year. 1946 1954 The Hillman Imp is unveiled to com- Sometimes we go for a straightforward but The British motor industry celebrates its The 50 millionth General Motors car pete with the BMC Mini. striking car image. At other times we aim to 50th birthday. rolls off the production line. leave readers wondering about what it’s to Petrol rationing for British motorists is The two seat Ford Thunderbird roadster 1964 do with or what it means. Who knows, you increased by 50 per cent. is announced. Triumph launches the 2000 family may see a chap with a pipe again one day! Ford of Britain produces its millionth The new Jaguar D Type racing car is saloon. (continued on page 28) 26<< www.motoringassist.com www.motoringassist.com >> 27 >> 80thanniversary with a squarer body style, arrives. 1983 1952: suits you, sir! It becomes illegal to use a hand-held A special journey through 80 British Leyland gets a £200 million The Company of Veteran Motorists As well as offering topical features, news, mobile phone while driving. cash injection from the UK becomes the Guild of Experienced reviews and road safety advice, Good Production of the ‘Beetle’ finally comes years of automotive history Government. Motorists (or GEM for short). Motoring has occasionally put itself at to an end at VW’s Puebla plant in Jaguar replaces the E type with the XJS. Front seatbelt use becomes compulsory the cutting edge of fashion, too. Take Mexico. All American cars now come with cat- in the UK. this smart gent’s beret Arthur Chirkinian, a competitor in the (continued from page 27) 1972 alytic converters in the exhaust system from the Christmas San Francisco to Miami Gumball Rally, Despite continuing disinterest, front A record l,900,000 cars are produced by in an effort to cut emissions. 1984 gift guide of 1952. It is clocked at 242mph in a 75mph zone seatbelts are now supplied as standard the British motor industry in this year. Renault releases its Espace, the first was billed as the per- in Texas. in all American cars. 1976 MPV. fect headgear for the 1973 The Chrysler Alpine is voted European gentleman who enjoys 2004 1965 The Arab-Israeli War causes fuel supply Car of the Year.