50 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 8 APRIL 2 020
any readers will
remember the arrival
of the Korean cohort
of car companies in
the 1990s and, before
that, the genesis of the Japanese.
The latter’s excellent products played
a significant role in the downfall of
Britain’s own car manufacturing
industry, which had once accounted
for almost every vehicle sold here.
But many of the foreign brands
you see represented out on thestreets today have been peddling
their wares on these shores since
a time when most homes didn’t
e v e n h av e a s uppl y of e le c t r ic it y –
and it’s pretty doubtful that any
of you are old enough to recall that.
S o he r e w e de t a i l e x a c t l y w he n
and how each non-British brand
that’s still relevant today (because
there are literally hundreds that
aren’t) bravely stepped into this
new territory. You might well be
in for some surprises.
M
Polestar has just arrived in the UK, but when did the other
foreign brands do so? Kris Culmer delves into the archives
1895
Panhard 3.75hp
W h at w a s t he v e r y f i r s t c a r t o l a nd i n Br it a i n? A
Panhard et Levassor, powered by a 3¾hp Daimler
engine, on the 4th or 5th of July 1895. Its buyer
was the Honourable Evelyn Ellis; he purchased
it i n Pa r i s , f r om w he r e it w a s d r i v e n t o L e Hav r e ,
shipped to Southampton, loaded onto a train to
Micheldever and illegally driven home to Datchet.
Panhard was formed in 1887 and made its first car
in 1890. It would produce several key innovations,
achieved sporting success and made cars for the
president of
France. It
was sold to
Citroën in
1967 and has
since made
military
vehicles.
It moved
to Renault
in 2012.
1895
Peugeot 3.75hp
In September of the same year, a second car
of Fr e nc h or i g i n a r r i v e d: a Pe u ge ot , a l s o w it ha 3¾hp Daimler engine, and vis-à-vis bodywork.
It was owned by the inf luential engineer Sir David
Salomons and, alongside the 1895 Panhard, was
the first car publicly demonstrated in this country,
at a special event in Kent. Within just a few years, a
sales agent for Peugeot had set up shop in London.
1895
Benz Velo
The first British Benz landed in November of
- This car, a 4hp model, was sold as a Roger-
B e n z b y t he G e r m a n f i r m’s Pa r i s a ge nt , E m i le
Roger. A British Benz agent with a showroom
in London was established in 1899. Meanwhile,
Mercedes, which was owned by Daimler, had a
UK sales agent by 1902. Following the creation
of Daimler-Benz, the amalgamated Mercedes-
Benz brand began its business in 1926.
1958
Volvo Amazon
1954
Porsche 356
A year after the first Volkswagen came a spicy model mechanically derived
from it. Indeed, the air-cooled Beetle was designed by Ferdinand Porsche and
the Porsche 356 coupé by his son Ferry. The first 356 here was sold from the
s a me Fr a z e r Na sh s p or t s c a r de a le r sh ip i n L ondon t h at i nt r o duc e d BM W t o t he
UK, before Porsche itself took control of the brand’s British business in 1965.
1957
Abarth 500
1958
Ferrari 250GT
Pininfarina Coupé
This nation’s first Formula 1 world champion, Mike
Hawthorn, struck a deal with his Italian employerto sell two 250GT Pininfarina Coupés at the 1958
Earl’s Court motor show. Hawthorn met a sad,
untimely death in 1959, after which the purchaser
of one of those 250GTs, Ford dealer Ronnie Hoare,
s t r uc k a de a l w it h Fe r r a r i t o t a k e ov e r t he Br it i sh
business. He founded Maranello Concessionaires,
which today makes around 700 sales annually.
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