1956-1960 жылдарғы «Беркли» микроавтомобильдері

British microcar company
the 1913 car manufacturer

Berkeley Cars Ltd '/b//ɑr//k//l//iː/ was a British car manufacturer based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. The company produced economical sporting microcars with motorcycle derived engines from 322 cc to 692 cc and front wheel drive between 1956 and 1960. About 4,100 cars had been sold before bankruptcy in 1960.

The Berkeley automobile was a collaboration between designer Lawrence "Lawrie" Bond and the Berkeley Coachworks factory owned by Charles Panter, which at the time was one of the largest manufacturers of caravans in Europe. It was an ideal project for Berkeley, who had developed considerable skills in the use of Glass reinforced plastic (GRP), and were looking for something to fill the gaps in the very seasonal caravan market. What Panter and Bond wanted to achieve was "something good enough to win World 750cc races but cheap, safe, easily repairable and pretty." The early cars were an immediate success on the home market, and several derivative models were spawned over the four years of car production. Export markets, most notably the United States, were exploited and the cars earned a reputation for fun, if fragile, sports motoring on a budget. Recognising the threat posed by the newly introduced Mini and Austin Healey Sprite in the late fifties, the company started to develop a more conventional model with the support of Ford Motor Company. The caravan market collapsed towards the end of 1960, and Berkeley's cash flow problems forced the company into liquidation on 12 December 1960, taking its car manufacturing activities with it. After having produced about 4100 cars of various types, the workforce was laid off shortly before Christmas that year. An attempted sale of the company to Sharp's Commercials Ltd (manufacturer of the Bond Minicar) came to nothing, and the company's assets were liquidated in 1961. The factory was later used by Kayser Bondor Ltd to make women's underwear, but it was demolished in 2002 and the site turned over to housing. A road named 'Berkeley Close' in the housing estate provides the only obvious link to the car factory. Today there is an owner's club (the Berkeley Enthusiasts' Club), which provides a range of parts and services aimed at preserving the remaining few hundred cars known to survive worldwide.

In late 1957 a new derivative model was introduced, using a , Excelsior three cylinder 492 cc engine with triple carburettors. This engine configuration was made possible by the vertically split crankcase of the Excelsior engine and modular crankshaft and barrels, which made adding a central cylinder relatively easy. A four speed gearbox was standardised. The top speed was now Production ran from October 1957 to March 1959 with chassis numbered 1 to 666. From about October 1958, in order to coincide with the introduction of the 'Foursome' (see below), they were renamed the ‘Twosome’. Also at the 1958 Motor Show a Fixed Head (or Hardtop) was announced and displayed that had external as well as the usual internal door handles, but there are no records that this body style actually reached production. It is probable that cars pre chassis number 120 (approx), about April 1958, had similar bodies to the early Berkeley “Sports” cars. Cars from about April 1958 to the end of production had vertical front door edges and internal door hinges, as well as body moulding and a few mechanical changes. Early cars were fitted with the four speed TR gearbox whilst later cars had the larger and stronger VR gearbox. The cars enjoyed some success in Motor Sport and Giovanni Lurani bought three which he took to Italy, fitted them with his own design of hardtop, and running them in the 750 cc GT class, one driven by Lorenzo Bandini finishing first in the 1958 Monza 12 hour race. Reliability of the air cooled two strokes, became more of an issue with the extra heat generated by the triple, and there were a number of recorded reports of warranty claims.

The B95 and B105 models were launched at the 1959 Geneva Motor Show and boasted more power from twin cylinder Royal Enfield 692 cc four stroke engines, with the Super Meteor engine in the B95 and the Constellation unit in the B105 which could reputedly exceed mark. The engines featured Berkeley design primary chain cases to accommodate a Lucas Bendix starter motor, an external Lucas dynamo mounted above the gearbox, and a duplex (or double row) chain drive to the differential. Kerb weight increased to B95 engine numbers have the unique prefix 'SMTB', while B105 engines are prefixed 'SMUA'. The prototype car was SE492 chassis number 638, which was modified to add bracing to withstand the extra power and weight of the four stroke engine, a taller bonnet (US hood) with large grille to accommodate the engine, and unfaired headlights. In mid February 1959 this car spent two weeks at the Royal Enfield factory, during which time it covered 500 mile (805 km) of general road use and 1000 mile (1609 km) of endurance testing at MIRA. By the time of the press release announcing the launch of the B95 in March 1959, a further 2500 mile (4023 km) of road and track tests had also been carried out by Berkeley factory drivers. Perhaps to address the reputation for breaking down that the two strokes had developed, especially in export markets, it was emphasised by the factory that during this testing there had been no involuntary stops or any form of mechanical failure, and that further testing would be performed until a total of 15000 mile (24140 km) had been completed. At its launch, the B95 cost £659 (equivalent to £ today). Chassis numbers followed on from the SE492 series, and chassis number 670 (the earliest known B95) was registered at the end of March 1959. The first B105, chassis number 686, was delivered about one month later. Series production continued to chassis number 835. A separate batch of about 12 cars (chassis numbers 850 to 861) appear to have been made for Mantles Garage in the summer of 1960, which used some chassis parts and the bucket seats of the T60. About 178 B95 and B105 models were made in total, of which approximately 15 to 20 cars were sold to export markets.

In 2020, automotive designer Martin Rees partnered with motorsport engineer Simon Scleater with the intention of producing a modern interpretation of the Berkeley Bandit. Powered by a 2.3 litre Ford Ecoboost engine, the car would be based on a composite chassis using plant fibre materials. Production was set to commence in 2021 at the Old Warden Aerodrome in Biggleswade. Sixty examples of both a GT and Roadster version were planned to be produced, priced at around £40,000 £60,000. In August 2021, Berkeley Coachworks announced that due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, production of the Bandit had been severely disrupted due to significant supply chain issues. As of 2023, any further news of this venture has yet to materialise.