Part 11 Big cars, little cars

IN THE EARLY 1900s, WHEN THE PRACTICAL long-distance automobile had become a reality, cars were big, heavy and expensive. There were a few smaller vehicles but they were underpowered, crude and minimalist, needing constant attention. Between 1910 and 1920 the appearance of the ‘cyclecar’ gave less well-off enthusiasts for the ‘new motoring’ a chance to become car owners, but you would have had to be a pretty hardy kind of person to endure the rough ride, slow speed and exposed driving experience; a bit like a very patient Lotus Seven owner.

The arrival of the Austin 7 in 1923 hastened the demise of the cyclecar. Instead of the compromised single-or twin-cylinder engine, often with what was called a ‘total loss oiling system’, which splattered the occupants with oil droplets, the little Austin was almost a big car scaled down.