British car brochures ( www.car-brochures.eu )

Members only section

• My interest for classic cars.
• My interest in the marketing through the years.
• The mirrored LHD and RHD brochures.
• My interest in minor changes in brochures.
• The nice artwork of the BMC brochures.
• The brochures tell much about the life style at the time the cars were produced.

MG 8/33 Midget brochure 1933
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of MG

MG Magna L-type brochure 1933
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of MG

MG Magnette K-Series brochure 1933
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of MG

MG Continental Coupe 1934 brochure 1934
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of MG

MG two litre brochure 1936
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of MG

Jaguar SS & MK IV brochure 1938
Nice historic pre war car and brochure of Jaguar

Land Rover Series IIa 1958
For those who combine adventure and work.




Morris Oxford Traveller 1958
For those who combine a family car and work.




Austin Seven Countryman 1964
For those who combine business car and family car.




Austin A40 Countryman 1959
For those who combine a car for hunting, work and family.

  

Jaguar MK II 1968
For those who combine a car for business and family.

MG Midget MK V brochure 1978.
For those who look for adventure and sporty life style.

Mini Jet Black 1985
For those who are young and looking for adventure or life style.
 

Triumph TR3a 1958, mirrored brochures.



Daimler SP250 1962 - 1964 mirrored brochures.
The front of this brochure was not mirored, but because the steering wheel has changed the male driver has changed place as well, still to sit behind the steering wheel. In later period brochures more aften women were found behind the steering heel.

 

Morrored brochures for the Austin 1100 / 1300 of 1972

My interest in minor changes in brochures.

Sometimes brochures look just like they are the same, but a critical look tells something else. A good example of this are the early MG Magnette brochures as shown bellow. Look at the hat of the lady which has disappeared, look at the clothing which is made more modern and look at the different collars used for the same pictures. Look at the minor differences in these three brochures

MG Magnette brochure 1953

 

MG Magnette brochure 1955

 

MG Magnette brochure 1955

The nice artwork of the BMC brochures.

During the 1950's and the 1960's especially the BMC brochures were known for their nice artwork. Examples of these are the MG Magnette brochures of above, but also the Austin Healey brochures. Which came same as the the Magnette brochure as above with many minor different changes. Have a look at the nice art work, the minor changes as well as the difference in LHD / RHD at below brochures.  

Austin Healey 100-SIX 1959

 

Austin Healey 100-SIX 1959

Austin Healey 3000 1960

 

Austin Healey 3000 MK II 1961

 

Austin Healey 3000 1961

Austin Healey 3000 MK III 1963

 

Austin Healey 3000 MK III 1964

The brochures tell much about the life style at the time the cars were produced.

Last, but not least, he brochures tell much about the life style at the time the cars were produced. Clothing, houses, life style, should the men or the woman drive the car. In early brochures you would never see a woman behind the steering wheel. From the late 1960's this changed completely. Especially in British sport car brochures the woman was more often seen as the driver. Something which seemed in the 1950's not possible. See above the mirrored Daimler SP250 brochure where the steering wheel has changed from RHD to LHD but the man changed chair as well. The 1970's brochures showed much women behind the steering wheel, but also the nice looking lady's were used to make the brochure and the car even more attractive to potential (male) drivers. Still today beautiful woman are used in brochures to make the car suit a certain life style or make the car even more exiting to potential buyers. See some examples below where esprcially woman or couples show the life style which are telling so much about the period the cars were produced. Especially in the MG brochures young couples in love were shown together with the cars in a sporty environment. So this must have been the profile of potential buyers. It is al about selling a life style in stead of selling a car. 

MG B brochure for the USA 1970
The woman seems to be as important as is the car

 

MG B GT brochure for the USA 1970
A young sporty couple in presenting the MG B

MG B brochure UK 1971
A young sporty couple presenting the MG B
The lady is also allowed to take the steering wheel now.

MG B GT brochure for the USA 1972
A young sporty couple in love presenting the MG B GT

 

MG B brochure for the 1972
A young sporty couple presenting the MG B

MG Midget MK IV brochure 1969 USA.
A young sporty couple presenting the MG Midget

 

MG Midget MK IV brochure 1970.
A young sporty couple presenting the MG Midget.

MG Midget MK IV brochure 1972.
The lady is also allowed to take the steering wheel now.

 

MG Midget MK IV brochure 1974.
A young sporty couple presenting the MG Midget

MG Midget MK V brochure 1978. (8 pages USA)
A young sporty couple presenting the MG Midget

Triumph TR7 1978 (16 pages)
A young and nice looking lady presenting the Triumph TR7

MG ZR ZS Atomix brochure 2002 (8 pages)
Exiting ladies present an exiting car.

MG TF brochure 2002 (40 Pages)
Even in 2002 young and sporty people are the profile of the potential buyers.

Jaguar XK brochure 2007
Even in 2007 young and sporty couples are presenting the car to potential buyers.

Triumph engines reliable or not ?

a previous colleague of mine was watching my web site some time ago. He came with a comment which I have investigated further. He asked if the Triumph cars were so unreliable that the engine bonnet was open already in the Triumph brochures. This was something he noticed.

If you have a look at the following pictures taken from Triumph car sales brochures, you might indeed wonder why the engine bonnets are opened so often. Is it because of non-reliability of the cars, or are the bonnets open just to have a look at the fine art of British motoring.

Would the answer not differ if you ask a Triumph enthusiast or someone who has nothing with British cars. It is the combination with the people around the car watching the engine, which makes it doubtful.

Have a look at the lady in this blue Triumph Spitfire MK3. She does not look so happy. Is it because the car was unreliable to her, or does she hates al the people watching her stunning engine al day?

 Look at this Triumph Herald. It looks as if this Triumph is not willing to make a nice Sunday afternoon ride, although the family seems to be ready for it. Is this man waiting for road service?

What about the people looking at this Stag V8 engine? Even the French police is having a critical look at it. For what reason? Look at the man with gray hair, who has even a cigarette pointing to the Triumph engine. I hope this Triumph V8 has a vapour lock device.

Also the picture below will give two explanations. Is the police having a look at some nice Triumph engineering, or did the engine fail. The answer depends if you would ask a Triumph enthusiast or someone without interest in British motoring.

And then this picture. I wonder what this lady is looking for? May be she is looking for her clothes only?

The story of Alfred Thomas Goldie Gardner

On my web page you will find some adverts and brochures about Goldie Garder, an amazing MG racing car driver. I wanted to know more about this men. This is what I found and I like to share it with you.

Alfred Thomas Goldie Gardner (31 May 1890 - 25 August 1958) was an English racing car driver. He was holder of the O.B.E. and the M.C. He was also awarded the BRDC Gold Star three times.

Gardner, better known as Goldie Gardner, (Goldie was his mother's maiden name) was born in 1890 in Woodford, Essex.. In 1910 he embarked from England to Colombo, Ceylon, to take up a 3 year business appointment. Upon completion of his Ceylon contract he gained a new appointment in Katha, Burma, but it was cut short by a bad attack of typhoid fever with Malaria and he was sent back to England on six months' sick leave.

In 1924 he purchased a Gordon England special Austin Seven and despite his disability began racing on the British circuits. 1930 saw him team up with MG Cars and he raced various of these marks with considerable success. He suffered a crash during the 1932 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Ards in Northern Ireland that further worsened the disability to his already damaged leg. By 1934 he was fit enough to continue track racing and in the 500 mile race at Brooklands with co-driver Dr.J.D.Benjafield he achieved third place as well as winning the 1,100cc class.

Goldie's MG after the crash at the 1932 RAC Tourist Trophy

After accompanying Sir Malcolm Campbell's expedition to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1935 to witness the World Land speed record attempt, he returned to England and concentrated on speed racing records. On 31 May 1939 just before the outbreak of WWII driving his special engineered MG, in Dessau, Germany, Goldie Gardner took the 750cc up to 1,100cc class records over 2 km, 1 mile, and 5 km distances, at average speeds of 203.5mph, 203.3mph and 197.5mph respectively. After an overnight engine rebore, on 2 June 1939 at the same venue he gained the 1,100cc to 1,500cc class records over the same distances at average speeds of 204.3mph, 203.9mph and 200.6mph.

During WWII 1939-1945 Gardner offered his service and was accepted as a second Lieutenant in mechanical transport training. He rapidly regained his old rank as Major and eventually in 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

In the 11 peacetime years between 1936 and 1950 he set over 100 international and local speed records throughout England, Europe and the USA. In 1951 at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, with his supercharged MG streamliner EX-135 car he obtained 6 international and 10 American records in the 1,100cc to 1,500cc engine class. In 1952 he returned to Bonneville with the MG EX-135 car and set 21 speed records in the same engine class as the previous year.

Brochure for the 1951 Speed Records

Part of MG brochure for the 1951 / 1952 Speed Records

MG cars of Jacques Coune.

Jacques Coune

Jacques Coune (Born in 1924) started his car workshop in the mid '50s at the avenue de la Couronne in Brussels, where he took care of exclusive sport cars like Jaguars, Aston Martins and other valuable cars, but also more regular and less expensive production cars. His clients were mainly rich people looking for individual transport.

One of the more known Coune creations was the Coune MGB Berlinette of which 56 were produced during 1963-1968 before British Leyland presented their own MGB GT Coupe. Coune also built a BMW 700 Combi, a BMW 1800 Combi, a Mercedes 220 SE Estate, a single Peugeot 404 Break, five Volvos Amazone Convertible and a special one-off MGB Targa, called the Gemini Spyder. Jacques Coune had his own booth (in 1963, 1964, 1965) at the autosalon in Brussels where he presented his unique creations to the public.

Coune also was the first Abarth agent outside Italy and he had the Iso agency. These Italian cars were distributed at the same building where Garage Francorchamps was located. Coune was co-founder of the Belgian National Racing Team, which ran with Abarths, Ferraris and F1 cars.

Coune's staff were mainly specialist coachbuilders from northern Italy. The Abarth department employed two staff and the panel workshop 17 specialists. In the sixties Coune lost many of his specialist Italian workers who one by one returned to their homeland when the Italian economy improved. Jacques Coune, now retired and in his 70s, lives a very private life.

With thanks to Nicolas Lecompte of the Coune registry.

Coune MGB Berlinette

In 1963 - one year before the prototype and two years before the official launch of the BGT, Jacques Coune built this "MGB Berlinette". This car was produced over three years, with a total production of no more than 56 cars.

Jacques Coune met Sir Alec Issigonis to discuss the potentiality of collaborating with The British Motor Corporation to explore the possibility of using the design concept of his MGB Berlinette Coupe, for production at Abingdon. The final decision was not to adopt the design in favor of MG's own GT Coupe introduced in 1965. Issigonis's recorded comments to Coune when advising him of his ruling was: "It looks too Italian!" A true statement as most of the craftsmen were from Turin.

Without the backing of BMC, and their mass production
advantages, Coune's manufacturing methods, although skillfully hand built, were not really a commercially viable proposition. The retail cost was GBP 1,300 against GBP 690 for the equivalent MGB. Ultimately therefore a total of only fifty six Berlinettes were produced, all of which were left hand drive models for the European Market.

Today, just about 12 MGB Berlinettes survived.

Jacques Coune Berlinette 1963

Jacques Coune Berlinette 1963

Jacques Coune Berlinette 1963

Jacques Coune Berlinette 1963

Jacques Coune Berlinette 1963

Coune MGB Hardtop

Jacques Coune Hardtop


Jacques Coune Hardtop 1965


Jacques Coune Hardtop 1965

Coune MGB Gemini Spyder

This MGB-based one-off with targa roof was presented at the 1966 Brussels Motor Show. Unfortunately this unique car was destroyed in a traffic accident.

MG Police cars.

MG L1 Police Car 1933


MG L1 Police Car 1933


MG ZA Police Cars 1955


MG A Police Cars1957


MG A Police Car 1962


MG A Police Car 1962



MG B Police Car 1963, with one of the first women crew



MG C Police Car 1970.




MG B GT Police Car 1971



MG B GT Police Car 1972



MG B GT Police Car 1972



MG ZT-T Police Car 2006


MG ZT-T Police Car 2006



MG 7 Police Car 2008, for Chinese market



MG TF Police Car 2008, for Chinese market

MG TD as comic character.

The MG TD has become a well known car in Holland because it was one of the comic characters of a comic strip.

Jan Kruis, the author of the comic strip, which is also a member of the MG T-type owners club Holland was inspired by the MG TD. It is the family car of family Tromp. Father Jan, Mother Jans and their children Carlijn and Catootje including their dog and cat became well known comic characters in Holland starting in 1970. The stories are humorous and tell typical family situations for all Dutch families.

Through the years the comic characters changed a bit, except for the red MG TD, which was the same all the time. This says even more that the MG TD is a timeless classic and one of the best examples of a British classic from the 50's.

Below the 2^nd comic album of Jan, Jans and the children of 1972.

War and post war car advertisements.

General advert of the British Motor Industry from The Autocar 1943

Nuffield Organisation advert 1943



Rootes Group advert 1943



Lagonda advert 1943



Singer advert 1945



Lea Fracis pointed to the celibration day for celebrating the end of WWI November 11, 1918. This advert was placed 25 years after. 

Nuffield announches the production of a the light Morris reconnaissance car 1943

Rootes announches the production of a Humber Armoured car 1943, with his Super Snipe engine

Daimler announches the production of a Daimler Armoured Scout Car 1943.

Armstrong Siddely was proud to name thier cars after famous warfighters such as Hurricane, Lancaster, Typhoon and Whitley.

1944 Armstrong advert related to the Lancaster



1945 Armstrong advert related to the Lancaster



1945 Armstrong advert related to the Typhoon

Armstrong Siddely was proud to name thier cars after famous war fighters such as Hurricane, Lancaster, Typhoon and Whitley. Even after the war Armstrong Siddely was proud to show thier relation to the air plane industry. The adverts below are beautifull examples.

Armstrong Siddely advert 1949


Armstrong Siddely advert 1949



Armstrong Siddely advert 1949

Jaguars SS & MK IV for sale


Jaguars SS & MK IV for sale

Jaguars, MG, Alvis, Bentley, etc, etc, for sale in 1955

History of the Union Jack.

In 1603, the year of Queen Elizabeth I's death, England and Scotland existed as completely separate nations, each with their own monarch and parliament. Elizabeth, being a spinster and therefore childless, expressed a deathbed wish that her cousin, King James VI of Scotland, be named as her successor to the English throne. Thus, the Scottish monarch was projected into the unique position of ruling two nations simultaneously. He ruled Scotland as King James VI and England as King James I.

The English national flag at this period consisted of a simple red cross fully imposed upon a plain white field, this being the emblem of St. George, England's patron saint.

English National Flag

(with a narrow white border to represent its normal white field) upon the Scottish flag. This became known as the Union Flag, and it was the forerunner of the present flag of Great Britain.

Scottish  National Flag

Union flag 1606-1801

In the decree of issuance of the new flag, James stipulated that all ships of both English and Scottish registry were to fly this flag from atop their mainmasts. The Cross of St. George was to be flown from the foremasts of the English ships, while the Cross of St. Andrew was to be flown form the foremasts of the Scottish ships. As the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery were of English registry and did not embark upon their historic voyage until December of 1606, it logically follows that on this voyage their flags conformed to the royal decree of the preceding spring.

the national flag of the newly created nation. In 1801, when Ireland became a part of Great Britain, the Union Flag was redesigned to include the Cross of St. Patrick (red, diagonal), the patron saint of Ireland. It is in this form that the British flag still exists today, known as the Union Jack.

Irish National Flag

Union Jack flag

I found this information by coincidence and thought it would be nice to place on my web page. If you see now a Union Jack Flag, you know a bit of its history.