1959 Berkeley B95

The individual responsible for designing the Bond mini-car, Mr. Lawrence Bond, was given the opportunity to create the Berkeley cars of the mid-1950s. The request had come through Charles Panter of the Berkeley Coachwork Company, which specialized in building trailers in Britain.

Inspired by the small sports cars found throughout England, Bond created a sports car that was inexpensive yet packed with performance and visual appeal. An added benefit was the skill of the Berkeley Coachwork Company, which was used to work with fiberglass material. The Berkeley cars were given a steel chassis with an alloy-reinforced fiberglass body, making them rigid yet low in weight. Mounted under the bonnet was a vertical, air-cooled two (and sometimes three) cylinder engine. When first introduced in 1956, the engine produced 18 horsepower. By the close of the 1950s, the power had risen to 50.

The Berkeley cars made their debut at the London Motor Show in 1956. Most were sold in Europe, with a few being sent to the United States. Sales were never strong as their price was similar to their larger, more refined competition, such as the Austin-Healey.

By the late 1950s, the B95/QB95 was introduced. The B95 had a wheelbase size of 70 inches, while the QB95 rested on a 78-inch platform. The engine now had a four-stroke design and displaced 692cc. Girling drum brakes could be found in the front and the rear.

The design had changed slightly from the original Berkeley; the grille had become square, and the hood now had a bulge to conceal the larger engine.

Funds were not available to make bank payments for the loan funding this project, and by 1960, production ceased. The company's demise meant that the supply of Excelsior engines was no longer needed. Though other microcar companies were using these motorcycle engines, the Berkeley Company had been one of their top customers. When Berkeley went under, it was not long before the Excelsior had a similar fate.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2009