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Singer (car)

 
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Singer (car)
 
 
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Singer was an automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 company founded in 1905 in Coventry
Coventry

Coventry is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. With a population of 303,475 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom....
, England.






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Singer
1960
Old Car
Singer was an automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 company founded in 1905 in Coventry
Coventry

Coventry is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. With a population of 303,475 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom....
, England. It was acquired by the Rootes Group
Rootes

The Rootes Group was a British automobile manufacturer, which was based in the English Midlands and south of England. Rootes was the parent company of many well-known British marques, including Hillman, Humber , Singer , Sunbeam Car Company, Talbot, Commer and Karrier....
 of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 in 1956. The British Singer company had no connection with the Singer company of Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, New York

Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of the Bronx....
, New York, USA, who made luxury cars from 1915 to 1920.

History


Singer started life as one of the many bicycle makers in Coventry. In 1901 they moved into motor tricycles and bicycles. Motorcycle
Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a Single track, two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an Motorcycle engine. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as Touring motorcycle travel, navigating Naked bike, Cruiser , Motorcycle sport and Motorbike racing, or off-road conditions....
 manufacture would continue until the outbreak of war in 1914. In 1905 they made their first four wheel car which had a 3 cylinder 1400 cc engine and was made under licence from Lea-Francis
Lea-Francis

Lea-Francis was a motor manufacturing company that began life building bicycles.Richard Henry Lea and Graham Ingoldsby Francis started the business in Coventry in 1895....
. The first Singer designed car was the 4 cylinder 2.4 litre 12/14 of 1906. The engine was bought in from Aster
Aster (auto parts company)

Aster was a France manufacturer of automobile parts; from 1900 to 1910 the company produced chassis, though it is not known if they built complete cars....
. For 1907 the Lea-Francis design was dropped and a range of two, three and four cylinder models using White and Poppe
White and Poppe

White and Poppe were Coventry based proprietary engine and gearbox manufacturers. Prior to WWI they served the booming motor industry but in 1919 during the post WWI recession they were bought by Dennis Brothers of Guildford and became a subsidiary....
 engines launched. The Aster engined models were dropped in 1909 and a new range of larger cars introduced. All cars were now White and Poppe powered. In 1911 the first big seller appeared with the 1100cc Ten with Singer's own engine. The use of their own power plants spread through the range until by the outbreak of the First World War all models except the low volume 3.3 litre 20hp were so equipped.

With peace the Ten continued with a redesign in 1923 including a new overhead valve engine. Six cylinder models were introduced in 1922. In 1927 the Ten engine grew to 1300 cc and a new light car the 850 cc overhead cam (ohc) engine, the big selling Junior was announced. By 1928 Singer was Britain's third largest car maker after Austin and Morris. The range continued in a very complex manner using developments of the ohc Junior engine first with the Nine, the 14/6 and the sporty 1 1/2 litre in 1933. The Nine became the Bantam
Singer Bantam

The Singer Bantam is a car formerly made by the Singer . It was the first model produced by the company to have a Pressed Steel Company body. It was offered as a new economy model at the 1935 Motor Show in London....
 in 1935.

After World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 initially the pre war Nine, Ten and Twelve were re-introduced with little change but in 1948 the all new SM1500 with independent front suspension but still using a chassis was announced. It was however expensive at £799 and failed to sell well as Singer's rivals also got back into full production. The car was restyled to become the Hunter in 1954 which was also available with a twin overhead cam version of the engine few of which were made.

By 1956 the company was in financial difficulties and Rootes Brothers who had handled Singer sales since before World War 1 bought the company which spelled the end for independent designs. The next car, the Gazelle, was a badge engineered Hillman Minx
Hillman Minx

The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
 variant which retained the Singer ohc engine for the I and II versions but this too went in 1958 with the IIA. The Vogue which ran alongside the gazelle from 1961 was a rebadged Hillman Super Minx with more luxurious trim.

The last car to carry the Singer name was an upmarket version of the rear engined Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp

The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined sedan that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes from 1963 to 1976. An estate version known as the Hillman Husky was produced from 1967....
 called the Chamois. With the take over of Rootes by Chrysler in 1967, many of the brands were to vanish and the Singer name disappeared forever in 1970.

Models


The main models produced were:

  • 10 1400 cc 1905
  • 12/14 2400 cc 1906-10
  • 20/25 3500 cc 1908-10
  • 15 2600 cc 1911-14
  • Ten 1100 cc 1912-23
  • 10/26 1300 cc 1925-27
  • 14/34 and Senior 1800 cc 1926-27
  • Light Six 1800 cc 1929-31
  • Senior Six 1600 cc 1927-30
  • Super Six 1920 cc 1930-31
  • Junior 850 cc 1927-35
  • Nine 970 cc 1933-37
  • 1 1/2 litre 1500 cc 1933-37
  • Bantam
    Singer Bantam

    The Singer Bantam is a car formerly made by the Singer . It was the first model produced by the company to have a Pressed Steel Company body. It was offered as a new economy model at the 1935 Motor Show in London....
     970 cc 1936-40
  • Twelve 1500 cc 1937-39
  • Ten 1200 cc 1938-49
  • 4A Roadster
    Singer Roadster

    The Singer Roadster was launched by the Singer in 1939 as an open version of the Singer Bantam saloon. Production was suspended for the duration of World War II following which production of the Automobile was re-started in virtually unchanged form....
     1074 cc 1949-1951
  • SM1500
    Singer SM1500

    The Singer SM1500 was the first car produced by the Singer after World War II. It was officially announced in 1947 with deliveries starting for export in 1948 and home market models in 1949....
     1500 cc 1948-54
  • 4AD Roadster
    Singer Roadster

    The Singer Roadster was launched by the Singer in 1939 as an open version of the Singer Bantam saloon. Production was suspended for the duration of World War II following which production of the Automobile was re-started in virtually unchanged form....
     1497 cc 1951-1955
  • Hunter
    Singer SM1500

    The Singer SM1500 was the first car produced by the Singer after World War II. It was officially announced in 1947 with deliveries starting for export in 1948 and home market models in 1949....
     1500 cc 1954-56
  • Gazelle I
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1500 cc (Singer engine) 1956-57
  • Gazelle II
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1500 cc (Singer engine) 1957-58
  • Gazelle IIA
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1500 cc (Rootes engine from now on) 1958
  • Gazelle III
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1500 cc 1958-59
  • Gazelle IIIA
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
    1500 cc 1959-60
  • Gazelle IIIB
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1500 cc 1960-61
  • Gazelle IIIC
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1600 cc 1961-63
  • Gazelle V
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1600 cc 1963-65
  • Gazelle VI
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1725 cc 1965-67
  • New Gazelle
    Singer Gazelle

    The Singer Gazelle name has been applied to two generations of automobile from the United Kingdom manufacturer the Rootes Group, using the Singer marque....
     1725 cc 1967-70
  • Vogue I
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1600 cc 1961-62
  • Vogue II
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1600 cc 1963-64
  • Vogue III
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1600 cc 1964-65
  • Vogue IV
    Hillman Minx

    The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes between 1932 and 1970. There have been many versions of the Minx over the years, as well as various badge-engineered versions which were sold under the Humber , Singer , and Sunbeam Car Company marques....
     1725 cc 1965-66
  • New Vogue
    Hillman Hunter

    Rootes Arrow was the manufacturer's name for a range of automobile produced under several badge engineering marques by the Rootes from 1966 to 1979....
     1725 cc 1966-70
  • Chamois
    Hillman Imp

    The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined sedan that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes from 1963 to 1976. An estate version known as the Hillman Husky was produced from 1967....
     875 cc 1965-70


See also

  • Singer (motorcycle)
    Singer (motorcycle)

    Singer motorcycles was a United_Kingdom motorcycle manufacturer between 1900 and 1915, when it stopped motorcycle production on the outbreak of the First World War....
  • Premier Motorcycles
    Premier Motorcycles

    Premier Motorcycles was a United Kingdom motorcycle manufacturer. Originally founded as a bicycle manufacturer by W.H. Herbert and William Hillman in 1876, the "Hillman and Herbert Cycle Company" was renamed the 'Premier Cycle Co'....


External links