Although Frederick Lanchester designed one of the first (and, for its day, highly advanced) British cars in 1895, his Birmingham-based company was rather slow to get its products into production. Once established in the early 20th century, Lanchester gained a reputation second only to Rolls-Royce, moving smoothly from making twin-cylinder (1901) to four-cylinder cars (1904), and to the first stately six-cylinder machines in 1906, these last having overhead-valve engines of a unique layout.
The main feature of all Frederick Lanchester’s production cars was the position of the engine, which was much further back in the chassis than on later conventional machines. Although it was not fair to call a Lanchester ‘mid-engined’, there was certainly no long snout up front, and front seat passengers usually sat on either side of the engine, which was made as narrow as possible for that reason.
The layout of the 1911 38 hp ‘six’ (which was revealed at the same time as a smaller, 25 hp ‘four’ with a similar engine), was typical, although it would be the last of the line. Several varieties were available, and the general style of the cars exhibited a large and spacious passenger compartment, (which was always Lanchester’s intention) with a surprisingly short bonnet. Even then the radiator was behind the centre line of the front wheels. |
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This was, however, the first Lanchester to be designed by George, rather than ‘Dr Fred’, and it signalled a partial change towards a more conventional layout: that change would not be completed until the arrival of the later, ‘Sporting Forty’ of 1914.
Like earlier Lanchesters, the 38 hp had an engine with horizontal (instead of vertical) overhead-valve, ante-chamber combustion space, and the famous Lanchester wick-type carburettor. Although transmission was still by Lanchester-patented three-speed epicyclic control, it had a conventional clutch pedal and gate-type lever control.
Although this was a fine car, it was the last of that particular line. Production of both six-cylinder and four-cylinder types carried on to 1914, when work for the war effort took precedence, but they were dropped in favour of new machinery thereafter.
Lanchester retained its independence until 1931, when it was taken over by the BSA/Daimler Group. Later Lanchesters, therefore, were really re-developed Daimlers.
Because of the forward position of the front seats, the rear seat could also be moved forward, just ahead of the line of the rear axle, ensuring a good ride for the rear occupants, not something that could be guaranteed by Lanchester’s similarly-priced rivals. |
