Lanchester 1897

Brothers Frederick, George, and Frank Lanchester ran their first car in 1896 with a single-cylinder engine. The following year they built this car with a two-cylinder engine.

Lanchester 1895

The first-ever, all-British gasoline car took to the road in Birmingham in December 1895, when Frederick Lanchester fired up his prototype and eased it forward those first, historic feet. Fred had designed the whole thing from scratch, including the centrally located single-cylinder engine.

It had a three-speed gearbox, and was steered by an upright tiller. Its cantilever spring suspension and torsionally stiff chassis gave for the times-an astounding ride. It could also do 15mph (24kph) highly illegal at a time when cars were governed at 4mph (6kph) with an escort. What it couldn’t do was get up hills very well.

Brothers Frederick, George, and Frank Lanchester ran their first car in 1896 with a single-cylinder engine
Brothers Frederick, George, and Frank Lanchester ran their first car in 1896 with a single-cylinder engine

Driver and passenger were both obliged to get out and help it up all but the gentlest slopes. That didn’t deter the young British maverick, however. Two years later, a new, more powerful and superbly balanced 214ci (3,500cc) twin-cylinder engine was installed.

The car could now reach 18mph (29kph). In 1899, the Lanchester Engine Company was formed with plans to make a production car. This was easily feasible because the scrupulous Lanchester had created interchangeable components between each of his prototypes.

The first-ever, all-British gasoline car Lanchester took to the road in Birmingham in December 1895
The first-ever, all-British gasoline car Lanchester took to the road in Birmingham in December 1895
Lanchester 1897Specification
YEAR REVEALED1895
PLACE OF ORIGINBirmingham, UK
HISTORICAL STATUSprototype
ENGINEsingle-cylinder, 80ci (1,306cc)
MAXIMUM POWER5 bhp
LAYOUTmid-mounted engine driving the rear wheels
BODYWORKsix-seater open tourer
TOP SPEED15mph (24kph)
NUMBER BUILTone
Table specification Lanchester 1897
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