British Salmson

British Salmson was a small British automobile and engineering manufacturer associated with the French Salmson company. Its origins lay in a British branch established in 1929 at Raynes Park, London, under the name Moteurs Salmson. The original purpose was to manufacture radial aircraft engines for the British Empire market. Engine sales were slower than hoped, and in 1930 the operation was taken over by British sports-car racer Howard Martineau together with investors. It was subsequently renamed British Salmson Aero Engines Ltd and continued to operate under licence from the French company. The company broadened its licence arrangements in 1934 to include local production of Salmson cars. British Salmson cars were closely related to French Salmson designs but were not simply imported vehicles. The British-built S4C used the French company's 1,471 cc, four-cylinder, twin-overhead-camshaft engine and chassis, while receiving a gearbox revised with synchromesh on the upper two ratios. Its bodywork followed British designs and was supplied in several forms, including four-door saloons, sports saloons, open tourers and drophead coupés. Bodies were bought from specialist coachbuilders including Ranalah or Newns. The S4C was offered in 12/55 single-carburettor and 12/70 twin-carburettor forms, with the latter advertised as capable of approximately 80 mph. Around 230 examples are estimated to have been built. For 1937, the S4C developed into the S4D. Its engine grew to 1,596 cc, and the car gained hydraulic brakes and transverse-spring independent front suspension. The S4D was offered as a curved-back saloon and a drophead coupé. Although its larger engine increased displacement, the heavier car did not deliver a substantial performance improvement over its predecessor. Approximately 75 were produced, with production ending in 1938. British Salmson also created the S6D, marketed as the 20/90. Built from 1936 until the outbreak of the Second World War, this six-cylinder model had no direct French equivalent. Its 2,580 cc twin-overhead-camshaft engine was installed in sports saloon, two-seat sports and drophead coupé body styles. The company claimed a top speed of nearly 90 mph. Early examples used Bendix cable-operated brakes, while later cars adopted Lockheed hydraulic brakes. Production was extremely limited, with approximately 15 cars made. When the Second World War began, British Salmson stopped making cars and became a general engineering supplier. It produced components and sub-assemblies for other manufacturers and undertook war-related production. Post-war automobile manufacturing did not resume. The business later made a small number of 31 cc bicycle-conversion engines and eventually moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where it manufactured printing machinery. British Salmson therefore represents a short-lived British branch of a continental engineering and automobile marque rather than a mass-market car company. Its historical importance rests on technically sophisticated, coachbuilt sports and saloon cars produced in very small numbers, as well as its transition from aviation and automobile work to wartime engineering and industrial machinery.

British Salmson originated as a British branch of the French Salmson company rather than as an independent automobile venture. In 1929, Salmson established Moteurs Salmson at Raynes Park in London. The branch was intended to manufacture radial aero engines for the British Empire market, extending the French company's engineering activities into a market where local production could support sales and distribution. Engine demand proved insufficient, however, and the British operation changed control in 1930. British sports-car racer Howard Martineau and a group of investors took over the business, renamed it British Salmson Aero Engines Ltd, and continued production under licence. The licensed relationship was later expanded. In 1934, the company began producing cars locally, allowing Salmson's advanced mechanical designs to be combined with British manufacture and coachbuilding. The first principal model was the S4C. It retained the French design's 1,471 cc four-cylinder, twin-overhead-camshaft engine and chassis, but the gearbox was modified with synchromesh on the top two ratios. Its bodywork was designed for the British market and supplied in several styles, including four-door saloons, sports saloons, open tourers and drophead coupés. Specialist body suppliers identified in reference material included Ranalah and Newns. Engine specification included the 12/55 single-carburettor version and the sportier 12/70 twin-carburettor version, the latter being claimed to reach about 80 mph. Estimated production of the S4C was approximately 230 cars. The S4D replaced the S4C in 1937. Its engine displacement increased to 1,596 cc, and the chassis incorporated hydraulic brakes and transverse-spring independent front suspension. The model was available as a curved-back saloon and a drophead coupé. The increased weight meant that the larger engine did not produce a major performance advance, and output remained modest at around 75 cars. Production ended in 1938. Alongside the four-cylinder cars, British Salmson developed the S6D, also known as the 20/90. Produced from 1936 to 1939, this six-cylinder car was a British-specific model with no French equivalent. It used a 2,580 cc twin-overhead-camshaft engine and was offered in sports saloon, two-seat sports and drophead coupé forms. A maximum speed of nearly 90 mph was claimed. The earliest examples used Bendix cable brakes, while later cars used Lockheed hydraulic brakes. Only about 15 were produced before the Second World War interrupted civilian automobile manufacture. At the outbreak of war, British Salmson stopped car production and shifted to general engineering. The company made components and sub-assemblies for other manufacturers and contributed to wartime industrial production. Unlike some British manufacturers, it did not return to automobile manufacture after 1945. A limited number of small 31 cc engines for bicycle conversions were made after the war, but this did not become a revival of the car business. The company eventually relocated to Glasgow, Scotland, and produced printing machinery. British Salmson's history is consequently one of technical ambition and industrial adaptation under severe production constraints. It began as an aircraft-engine branch, became a licensed producer of sophisticated sports and touring cars, and then survived through engineering and machinery work after automobile production ceased. Its cars were never produced in mass-market volumes, but the S4C, S4D and S6D demonstrate the combination of twin-cam engineering, British coachbuilt bodies and a distinctly limited-production business model that characterized the marque.

• 1939

  Civilian car production ceases

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  The outbreak of the Second World War ended British Salmson automobile production and redirected the company toward general engineering.

• 1938

  S4D production ends

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  Production of the S4D ended after an estimated 75 cars.

• 1937

  S4D replaces S4C

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  The 1,596 cc S4D succeeded the S4C, adding hydraulic brakes and transverse-spring independent front suspension.

• 1936

  S6D / 20/90 introduced

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  British Salmson introduced the six-cylinder S6D, marketed as the 20/90, a model without a direct French equivalent.

• 1934

  Car production begins

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  The company's licence was extended to permit local manufacture of Salmson cars, leading to production of the British S4C.

• 1930

  Local management takeover

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  Howard Martineau and investors took over the British operation, which was renamed British Salmson Aero Engines Ltd and continued under licence.

• 1929

  British branch established

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  The French Salmson company established Moteurs Salmson at Raynes Park, London, to manufacture radial aircraft engines for the British Empire market.

• Move to Glasgow and diversification

  [1]British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org

  After the war, the company did not resume car production. It later moved to Glasgow and manufactured printing machinery.

A technically advanced, low-volume British sports and touring-car marque derived from French Salmson engineering, with coachbuilt bodies and limited production.

• Passenger car · 1934

  S4C

  The S4C was British Salmson's principal early automobile, produced from 1934. It used a 1,471 cc four-cylinder, twin-overhead-camshaft engine and the French Salmson chassis, while receiving a British-market gearbox with synchromesh on the top two ratios. British-designed bodywork was offered as four-door saloon, sports saloon, open tourer and drophead coupé, with bodies supplied by firms including Ranalah or Newns. The 12/55 and 12/70 engine specifications were offered, and approximately 230 cars are estimated to have been built.

• Passenger car · 1937

  S4D

  Introduced in 1937 as the successor to the S4C, the S4D used a larger 1,596 cc engine. It added hydraulic brakes and transverse-spring independent front suspension, and was sold as a curved-back saloon and drophead coupé. The heavier design did not produce a significant performance increase despite its greater displacement. Estimated production was about 75 cars, with manufacture ending in 1938.

• Sports and touring car · 1936

  S6D / 20/90

  The S6D, marketed as the 20/90, was a six-cylinder British Salmson model produced from 1936 until the outbreak of war. Its 2,580 cc twin-overhead-camshaft engine powered sports saloons, two-seat sports cars and drophead coupés. British Salmson claimed a top speed of nearly 90 mph. Early cars used Bendix cable brakes, while later examples adopted Lockheed hydraulic brakes. Approximately 15 were produced.

• Small engine

  31 cc bicycle-conversion engine

  After automobile production ended, British Salmson made a small number of 31 cc engines intended to convert bicycles into motor-assisted vehicles. This post-war product was part of the company's limited continuation as an engineering business rather than a return to automobile manufacturing.

• Industrial machinery

  Printing machinery

  In its later existence, after moving to Glasgow, the company manufactured printing machinery. This industrial equipment activity followed its wartime general-engineering work and represented the final documented direction of the business.

• 1939

  Conversion to wartime general engineeringStrategy

  Background

  The outbreak of the Second World War made continued civilian automobile production impractical.

  Action taken

  British Salmson stopped making cars and produced components and sub-assemblies for other manufacturers.

  Aftermath

  Automobile production never resumed after the war; the business later made small engines and printing machinery.

  Source

• 1934

  Expansion from aero engines into carsStrategy

  Background

  Aircraft-engine sales had been slow, while the licensed relationship with French Salmson provided access to established twin-cam automobile designs.

  Action taken

  The company expanded its licence to permit local production of Salmson cars, beginning with the S4C.

  Aftermath

  British Salmson became a low-volume automobile manufacturer, producing the S4C, S4D and S6D before wartime conditions ended car production.

  Source

• 1930

  Shift toward locally managed licensed productionStrategy

  Background

  The British branch's initial focus on radial aero engines produced insufficient sales momentum, creating pressure to change the operation's management and commercial direction.

  Action taken

  Howard Martineau and investors took over the business, renamed it British Salmson Aero Engines Ltd, and continued manufacturing under licence.

  Aftermath

  The revised structure later enabled the company to expand its licence to include British production of Salmson cars from 1934.

  Source

1. 1British Salmsonen.wikipedia.org