Car makers who are gone

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 29 Oct 2011 22:16
Car makers who are gone - barney100

Reading the demise of Saab on onther post got me thinking of names no longer with us. I remember on the radio years ago for you to salute if you saw an Armsrong Siddely. I can think of Simca... I had one....NSU...Lada. there must be so many.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 29 Oct 2011 22:23
Car makers who are gone - Falkirk Bairn

Austin, Morris, Riley, Wolseley, Rover, MG(as was) Hillman, Sunbeam, Humber, Argyle, Jenson, Jowett, Standard, Triumph, Wartburg, Auto union, Gilbern, Bond,Trojan, BMC,

there must be dozens more

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 29 Oct 2011 22:31
Car makers who are gone - Auristocrat
Moskvich. Singer. Meadows. Fraser Nash. American Motors. Rambler. Buick. Oldsmobile. Checker. Reliant. TVR. Matra. Yugo. Polski-Fiat. Daimler. Iso. Monteverdi. Marcos.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 29 Oct 2011 22:40
Car makers who are gone - richardcroft

Barney, Lada still exists.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 29 Oct 2011 22:57
Car makers who are gone - Bilboman

Bristol, Reliant.
Across the pond, Checker, Plymouth, Pontiac and short-lived Saturn... Buick are still going, though!
Daimler seems to be on ice for the moment. Good to hear that AC and Ginetta are still in existence. Jensen seems to be coming back. MG is back but not as we know it, Jim.

Languages, species of flora and fauna, car manufacturers. They live and they die...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 30 Oct 2011 09:59
Car makers who are gone - barney100

thanks for that, have they just pulled out of here or are they only selling at home?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 30 Oct 2011 00:28
Car makers who are gone - Auristocrat

Edited by Auristocrat on 30/10/2011 at 00:43

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 30 Oct 2011 00:38
Car makers who are gone - Auristocrat

British ones include:

  • Abbey (1922)
  • ABC (1920-1929)
  • Aberdonia (1911-1915)
  • Abingdon (1902-1903)
  • Abingdon (1922-1923)
  • AC (1908-present)
  • Academy (1906-1908)
  • Accles-Turrell (1899-1901)
  • Ace (1912-1916)
  • Achilles (1904-1908)
  • Adams (1905-1914)
  • Adamson (1912-1925)
  • Addison (1906)
  • Advance (1902-1912)
  • AEM (1987)
  • Aero Car (1919-1920)
  • Aeroford (1920-1925)
  • Africar (1982-1988)
  • AGR (1911-1915)
  • Airedale (1919-1924)
  • AJS (1930-1932)
  • Albany (1903-1905)
  • Albany (1971-1997)
  • Albatros (1923-1924)
  • Alberford (1922-1924)
  • Albert (1920-1921)
  • Albion (1900-1913)
  • ALC (1913)
  • Alex (1908)
  • Allard (1899-1902)
  • Allard (1937-1960)
  • Alldays & Onions (1898-1918)
  • Allwyn (1920)
  • All-British (1906-1908)
  • Alta (1931-1947)
  • Alvechurch (1912)
  • Alvis (1919-1967)
  • Amazon (1921-22)
  • André (1933-1934)
  • Anglian (1905-1907)
  • Anglo-American (1899-1900)
  • Anglo-French (1896-1897)
  • Angus-Sanderson (1919-1927)
  • Arab (1926-1928)
  • Arbee (1904)
  • Archer (1920)
  • Arden (1912-1916)
  • Argon (1908)
  • Argyll (1899-1928)
  • Argyll (1976-1990)
  • Ariel (1898-1915; 1922-1925)
  • Arkley (1970-1995)
  • Armadale (1906-1907)
  • Armstrong (1902-1904)
  • Armstrong (1913-1914)
  • Armstrong Siddeley (1919-1960)
  • Armstrong Whitworth (1904-1919)
  • Arno (1908)
  • Arnold (1896-1898)
  • Arnott (1951-1957)
  • Arrol-Aster (1927-1931)
  • Arrol-Johnston (1896-1928)
  • a***nal (1898-1899)
  • Ascot (1904)
  • Ascot (1928-1930)
  • Ashley (1954-1962)
  • Ashton-Evans (1919-1928)
  • Asquith (1901-1902)
  • Aster (1922-1930)
  • Astra (1954-1959)
  • Astral (1923-1924)
  • Atalanta (1915-1917)
  • Atalanta (1937-1939)
  • Atlantis (1981-1986)
  • Athmac (1913)
  • Atkinson and Philipson (1896)
  • Atomette (1922)
  • Attila (1903-1906)
  • Aurora (1904)
  • Ausfod (1947-1948)
  • Austin (1906-1989)
  • Austin-Healey (1952-1971)
  • Autotrix (1911-1914)
  • Autocrat (1920s) (see Hampton)
  • Autovia (1936-1938)
  • AV (1919-1924)
  • Baby Blake (1922)
  • Baker & Dale (1913)
  • Bantam (1913)
  • Barnard (1921-1922)
  • Barnes (1904-1906)
  • Batten (1935-1938)
  • Baughan (1920-1929)
  • Bayliss-Thomas (1922-1929)
  • Bean (1919-1929)
  • Belsize (1901-1925)
  • Berkeley (1956-1961)
  • Bifort (1914-1920)
  • Billings-Burns (1900)
  • Black Prince (1920)
  • Blériot-Whippet (1920-1927)
  • Bond (1948-1974)
  • Bound (1920)
  • Bow-V-Car (1922-1923)
  • BPD (1913)
  • Bradwell (1914)
  • Brotherhood (1904-1907)
  • Brough Superior (1935-1939)
  • BSA (1907-1926; 1929-1940)
  • Breckland Technology (2000-2009)
  • Bristol (1946-present)
  • Britannia (1913-1914)
  • British Salmson (1934-1939)
  • Broadway (1913)
  • Brooke (1901-1913)
  • Buckingham (1914-1923)
  • Buckler (1947-c.1962)
  • Burney (1930-1933)
  • Bushbury Electric (1897)
  • Calcott (1913-1926)
  • Calthorpe (1905-1926)
  • Cambro (1920-1921)
  • Carden (1912-1923)
  • Carlette (1913)
  • Castle Three (1919-1922)
  • Caterham (1973-present)
  • CFB (1920-1921)
  • Centaur (1974-1978)
  • Chambers Motors (1904-1929)
  • Charawacky (1894-1914)
  • Chater-Lea (1907-1922)
  • Chota (1912-1913)
  • Christchurch-Campbell (1922)
  • Clan (1971-1974)
  • Clan (1982-1985)
  • Clarendon (1902-1904)
  • Climax (1905-1909)
  • Cluley (1921-1928)
  • Clyno (1922-1930)
  • Connaught (1952-59)
  • Coventry Premier (1912-1923)
  • Coventry-Victor (1926-1938)
  • Crossley (1904-1937)
  • Crouch (1912-1928)
  • Crowdy (1909-1912)
  • Croxted (1904-1905)
  • Dalgliesh-Gullane (1907-1908)
  • Dawson (1919-1921)
  • Deasy (1906-1911)
  • Dellow (1949-1959)
  • De Lorean (1981-1982)
  • Diva (1961-1966)
  • Eadie (1898-1901)
  • Economic (1921-1922)
  • Edismith (1905)
  • Enfield (1969-1973)
  • Ekstromer (1905)
  • Electric Motive Power (1897)
  • Electromobile (1901-1920)
  • Elswick (1903-1907)
  • Elva (1958-1968)
  • Emms (1922-1923)
  • Endurance (1899-1901)
  • Esculapeus (1902)
  • Evante (1983-1994)
  • Fairthorpe (1954-1973)
  • Frazer Nash (1924-1957)
  • Galloway (1920-1928)
  • Garrard (1904)
  • Garrard & Blumfield (1894-1896)
  • Geering (1899-1904)
  • Gerald (1920)
  • Aquada (2004-present)
  • Gibbons (1917-1929)
  • Gilbern (1959-1973)
  • Gilbert (1901)
  • Gilburt (1904-1905)
  • Gill (1958-1960)
  • GN (1910-1925)
  • Godfrey-Proctor (1928-1929)
  • Gordon-Keeble (1960-1961; 1964-1967)
  • Grose (1898-1901)
  • Guy (ca1919-1932)
  • GWK (1911-1931)
  • Gwynne (1922-1929)
  • Gwynne-Albert (1923-1929)
  • Hampton (1911-1933)
  • Healey (1946-1954)
  • Hewinson-Bell (c.1900)
  • Hill & Stanier (1914)
  • Hillman (1907-1976)
  • Horstmann Cars (1914-1929)
  • HRG (1936-1956)
  • Hubbard (1904-1905)
  • Humber (1896-1976)
  • Iden (1904-1907)
  • Imperial (1901-c.1906)
  • Imperial (1904-1905)
  • Imperial (1914)
  • Invacar (1947-1977)
  • Invicta (1900-1905)
  • Invicta (1913-1914)
  • Invicta (1925-1950)
  • James and Browne (1901-1910)
  • Jappic (1925)
  • Jensen (1936-1976; 1983-1992; 1999-2002)
  • Jensen-Healey (1972-1976)
  • Joel-Rosenthal (1899-c.1902)
  • John O'Gaunt (1901-1904)
  • Jowett (1906-1954)
  • JZR (1989-1998, 2000-present)
  • Karminski (1902)
  • Kieft (1954-1955)
  • Kingsburgh (1901-1902)
  • Kyma (1903-1905)
  • LAD (1913-1926)
  • Ladas (1906)
  • Lagonda (1906-1964)
  • Lambert (1911-1912)
  • Lammas-Graham (1936-1938)
  • Lanchester (1895-1956)
  • Land Master (1970s-1980s)
  • Lea-Francis (1903-1906; 1920-1935; 1937-1952;
  • Lee Stroyer (1903-1905)
  • Lems (1903-1904)
  • Lester Solus (1913)
  • Leuchters (1898)
  • Leyland (1920-1923)
  • Light Car Company/LCC
  • Lister (1954-1959;
  • Lloyd (1936-1950)
  • Lonsdale (1982-1983)
  • Lotis (1908-1912)
  • Lucar (1913-14)
  • Madelvic (1898-1900)
  • Maiflower (1919-1921)
  • Marauder (1950-1952)
  • Marcos (1959-2007)
  • Marendaz (1926-1936)
  • Marlborough (1906-1926)
  • Maudslay (1902-1923)
  • McLaren (1969-1970; 1993-1998
  • Mini (1959-2000)
  • Morris (1913-1983)
  • Motor Carrier (1904)
  • Napier (c.1900-1924)
  • Napoleon (1903)
  • Neale (electric car) (1896)
  • New Carden (1923-1925)
  • Ogle (1960-1972)
  • Omega (1925-1927)
  • One of the Best (1905)
  • Oppermann (1898-1907)
  • Palm (1922-1923)
  • Palmerston (1920-1922)
  • Panther (1972-1992)
  • Paramount (1950-1956)
  • Paydell (1924-1925)
  • Payze (1920-1921)
  • Peel (1955-1966)
  • Peerless (1957-1960)
  • Perry (1913-1916)
  • Phoenix (1903-1926)
  • Phoenix (1905)
  • Piper (1967-1975)
  • Projecta (1914)
  • Quadrant (1905-1906)
  • Quasar-Unipower (1968)
  • Queen (1904-1905)
  • Radical (1997-present)
  • Railton (1933-1950)
  • Railton (1989-1994)
  • Ralph Lucas (1901-c.1908)
  • Rapier (1933-1937)
  • Reliant (1952-2002)
  • Rex (1901-1914)
  • Rickett (1858-1860)
  • Ridley (1901-1907)
  • Riley (1898-1969)
  • Rochdale (1952-1968)
  • Rodley (1954-1956)
  • Roper-Corbet (1911-1913)
  • Rover (1904-2005)
  • Rudge (1912-1913)
  • Russon (1951-1952)
  • Ruston-Hornsby (1919-1924)
  • Ryley (1901-1902)
  • Rytecraft (1934-1940)
  • Santler (1889-1922)
  • Scootacar (1957-1964)
  • Scott (1921-1925)
  • Sheffield-Simplex (1907-1920)
  • Sheppee (1912)
  • Siddeley (1902-1904)
  • Siddeley-Deasy (1912-1919)
  • Simplic (1914)
  • Sinclair (1984-1985)
  • Singer (1905-1970)
  • Skeoch (1921)
  • Skirrow (1936-1939)
  • Smith & Dowse (1900)
  • Sports Junior (1920-1921)
  • Squire (1935-1936)
  • SS (1934-1945)
  • Standard (1903-1963)
  • Star (1898-1932)
  • Sterling (1987-1992)
  • Straker-Squire (1906-1925)
  • Strathcarron (1998-2001)
  • Sunbeam (1899-1937; 1953-1976)
  • Sunbeam-Talbot (1938-1954)
  • Swallow (1931-1934)
  • Swallow Doretti (1954-1955)
  • Swift (1900-1931)
  • Talbot (1903-1938)
  • Tamplin (1919-1925)
  • Tiny (1912-1915)
  • Tornado (1958-1964)
  • Tourette (1956-1958)
  • Toward & Philipson (1897)
  • Trident (1965-1978)
  • Trident (1999-
  • Triking (1978-present)
  • Triumph (1923-1984)
  • Trojan (1922-1936; 1962-1965)
  • Turner (1951-1966)
  • TVR (1954-
  • Tyseley (1912-1914)
  • Unipower (1966-1970)
  • Urecar (1923)
  • Utopian (1914)
  • Vale (1932-1935)
  • Valveless (1908-1915)
  • Vanden Plas (1960-1980)
  • Vapomobile (1902-1904)
  • Velox (1902-1904)
  • Vulcan (1902-1928)
  • Warne (1913-1915)
  • Warwick (1960-1962)
  • Weigel (1906-1909)
  • Whitlock (1903-1932)
  • Wigan-Barlow (1922-1923)
  • Wilbrook (1913)
  • Williamson (1913-1916)
  • Wilson-Pilcher (1901-1904)
  • Wolseley (1896-1975)
  • Woodrow (1913-1915)
  • Wrigley (1913)
  • Xtra (1922-1924)
    • Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 01:35
    Car makers who are gone - Avant

    Thank you so much for doing that for us, Auristocrat. There are some fascinating stories behind some of these: the period between the wars wqs even worse than recent times for makers going to the wall. There were just too many of them around. and not enough USPs.

    I think it was Professor Garel Rhys who said that by 2020 there would be just six car-making companies left in the world - plus Morgan.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 01:52
    Car makers who are gone - jamie745

    Most of them are from a period in our history where we were the main car exporters and producers. It all went very wrong very quickly and symbolic of the financial strain the wars brought the UK. We remained free but at a price, a considerable one.

    The world is getting smaller now and everybody is somebody elses subsidery and i wouldnt be surprised if by 2020 it was just BMW, Merc, VW Group, Ford and GM with a couple of others thrown in.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 11:31
    Car makers who are gone - RaineMan

    When I saw Auristocrat 's list I thought one of my favourite cars must be there. But no, no sign of Borgward. They lasted from 1929 to 1961 although manufacturing was restarted in Mexico in the late sixties but only lasted arounfd three years. One of my father's friends owned a Borgward Isabella. This seemed somewhat superior in both performance and appearance to the mass market cars with which it competed.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 12:16
    Car makers who are gone - 475TBJ

    The world is getting smaller now and everybody is somebody elses subsidery and i wouldnt be surprised if by 2020 it was just BMW, Merc, VW Group, Ford and GM with a couple of others thrown in.

    You seem to have forgotten a wee company - Toyota. Not sure how jamie missed that one or the next one. Hyundai is now about number 5 in the world, that's another. There'll be host of Chinese manufacturers aswell. Jamie, I expect these are the couple of others thrown in. Don't forget TATA. Bye bye!

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 12:50
    Car makers who are gone - jamie745

    Yes i forgot all about Toyota.

    Hyundai is now about number 5 in the world

    When on earth did this happen? Last time i looked at Hyundai they made horrible cheap little rotboxes.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 13:30
    Car makers who are gone - barney100

    Hyundai have come in like the little Japanese motorbikes did in the 60s and 70s. Oh how we extracted the Michael.....little put puts we said. Same with saxophones...Yanagisawa are as good as anything and in my opinion as good as the best french ones. TVs, cameras etc. just the same.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 14:28
    Car makers who are gone - carr

    Good site here http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Main_Page that lists the names of all sorts of British engineering companies that disappeared in the last century.

    It's not just car makers who have gone.


    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 16:41
    Car makers who are gone - Avant

    "But no, no sign of Borgward."

    Auristocrat's list was just of British defunct makes. Borgward's story shows that Germany was not immune either.


    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Sun 30 Oct 2011 16:54
    Car makers who are gone - Auristocrat

    Here you are - German car makers who have gone (including Borgward):

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Mon 31 Oct 2011 12:05
    Car makers who are gone - LikedDrivingOnce

    Shame BMW and Audi aren't on that list. (TIC)

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Mon 31 Oct 2011 16:51
    Car makers who are gone - Bobbin Threadbare

    I was going to say Hispano-Suiza, as they were sold off in the late 40s and went into aerospace as far as I know, but then I read something about them exhibiting some sort of insanely souped-up Audi-based Hispano-Suiza car at the Frankfurt motorshow.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Tue 1 Nov 2011 01:19
    Car makers who are gone - 1litregolfeater

    My mate with his Simca 1000 dared me to race him in my Bond 875, not understanding how light the Bond was, and how inevitable his failure. About 77.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Tue 1 Nov 2011 01:21
    Car makers who are gone - 1litregolfeater

    (Duplicate post)

    Edited by Avant on 02/11/2011 at 22:26

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Tue 1 Nov 2011 01:23
    Car makers who are gone - 1litregolfeater

    (Duplicate post)

    Edited by Avant on 02/11/2011 at 22:26

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Wed 2 Nov 2011 22:30
    Car makers who are gone - Avant

    No surprise there - I can't imagine that any Simca 1000 every wona a race in its life.

    Wasn't that the Imp engine in the Bond? It was quite lively in the Imp, and should have been good fun in the fibreglass Bond.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Thu 3 Nov 2011 00:17
    Car makers who are gone - Ethan Edwards

    Anyone use that Howmanyleft site?

    Couple of my old cars...Austin Princess 2litre HL Auto there are just TWO left! I had it from 18 months old it was my first modern car (it was 1982). Sold it for a seven series Bimmer. petrol was a lot cheaper in them days!

    1963 Ford Corsair deluxe...19 left.

    http://cdn5.wn.com/pd/81/02/447f8dbc4bd2736a97be34db2eaa_grande.jpg

    Lord Lucan had one, he dumped the nanny's body in the boot...good sized boot they had.

    Not just makers that are vanishing. Anyone else own a vanishingly rare car?

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link
    Thu 10 Nov 2011 03:49
    Car makers who are gone - 1litregolfeater

    Yes, it was the low compression van engine they fitted in the Bond in a vain attempt to keep the front wheel on the ground.

    It weighed nothing, you could lift the front by hand.

    Fantastic fun, but most of the drivers would have been ex-motorcyclists, in the hands of a car driver there would have been carnage on the roads!

    As it was so light it was very fast, but the top speed was limited to about 85 as it got very choppy above 70. The whole thing slapped from side to side, the plastic windows vibrated.

    With 5 gears we could still be driving them today.

    Reply | Report as offensive | Link