No mass production in UK

Car manufacturers all over the world were getting ready for the long post war boom when most manufacturers concentrated on a few basic models – but not the UK industry, which had never really taken to mass production on the American model. Even in the 1950s the only real mass production site in the UK was run by the American owned Ford Company in Dagenham East London. Although Morris, for example, produced the small Morris Minor, the typical British car of this era was a medium sized saloon with quite a high price, produced in small numbers.

The Standard Vanguard was launched in 1947 as a world car by the Standard Car Company. It looked modern, like a small version of the American cars of the period. But it was a failure because its poor performance, reliability and lack of ruggedness were not acceptable in a world market.

2008-05-18