A New 2-Litre British Gran Turismo Saloon

The picture below shows a car, as yet unnamed, which J. S. Gordon and J. E. Byrnes of Peerless Motors Ltd., Slough, expect to produce by next spring. Designed by Bernie Rodger, it has a space frame of 1½ in. by 1 in. rectangular steel tube, de Dion back axle with 3.7 Salisbury diff. unit sprung on rear-shackled TR3 leaf springs, modified TR3 front suspension, TR3 100 b.h.p. engine/gearbox unit with o/d., Girling disc front brakes, Triumph rear brakes and centre-lock wheels, and Sponson fuel tanks of 5½ gall. each. The radiator is Standard Ten. A very Continental two-door full four-seater salon in 16 g. aluminium, lower than a Porsche Giulietta (sic), will be supplied by a Sunbury firm. The wheelbase is 7 ft. 10½ in., the dry weight is given as 17 cwt. and 118 m.p.h., 30 m.p.g., 0-50 m.p.h. in 7 sec. and 0-80 in 17 sec. are claimed. The boot holds two big suitcases and the Ferrari-like nose carries a “W” motif, as the name will probably be Warwick. It may be possible to keep the basic price of this ambitious newcomer to under £1,000. The two/four-seater prototype was thrashed for 6,000 miles, absolutely trouble-free. Incidentally, history hides in unexpected places. After the 1914/18 war the firm sold Peerless chain-drive lorries and a fitter who worked on them helped to build the prototype of the new car. — W. B.