The 1930s was a decade of massive road building and soaring car ownership and this contender for machine of the decade is one of the great mass-produced, affordable cars of the era. The challenge for this British car was to be good enough to fight off competition from the well-established Ford models dating back to the Model T (1908-27).
The Series I Morris 8 was introduced in Britain in 1935, the same year as the compulsory driving test, which many people in the 1930’s passed in this very car. It’s powered by a 918cc four cylinder engine producing 23.5 brake horsepower and a very economical 45mpg. With a three-speed gearbox its top speed was clocked at a fairly impressive 58mph - probably quite enough for a car with notorious poor headlights and no indicators! But those were pretty much the only weak points - the Morris 8 dashboard features a full set of dials and gauges, it has electric windscreen wipers, hydraulic brakes, it was comfortable, stable to drive and looks great. An iconic car treasured by modern car collectors in their thousands.
What makes it great: It brought car ownership to the masses.
Time Warp: The Morris 8 could be bought for £118 when it was originally introduced in 1935, which is about £7000 in today’s terms, or roughly what you’d pay for a small, economical hatchback.
From 'Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie'.
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13 янв 2015
