Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon (1946 - 1949)

De Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon was a two-door, four-seater coupe that was built between 1946 and 1949 based on the 1945 Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster saloon. The Typhoon also owed its name to the aircraft that Armstrong Siddeley built during the Second World War.

Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon

History and background

The Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon appeared in 1946, precisely during the period when Great Britain was recovering from the war and the car market was slowly coming back to life. It was a sporty, two-piece coupé based on the chassis of the Lancaster saloon and intended to appeal to a younger audience seeking a little more flair than the tame sedans from Coventry.

The name “Typhoon” was, of course, no coincidence: Armstrong Siddeley named many of his models after fighter aircraft that had made a name for themselves during the war. In that respect, the Typhoon was a tribute to the Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber. The model remained in production until 1949 and was built in limited numbers, making it a fairly rare sight today.

Design and interior

In terms of design, the Typhoon was an elegant coupé with flowing lines, a long bonnet, and a fastback-like rear end that gave it a dynamic appearance. Compared to the larger and more formal Lancaster, the Typhoon was clearly intended to come across as more sporty and modern. The car featured a two-piece door layout and a low, streamlined roofline.

Inside, it was a typical British mix of luxury and restraint: wood veneer on the dashboard, neat leather seats, and a practical yet chic layout. It was no exotic Italian flamboyance, but rather the stylish solidity that would impress at a golf club in Kent.

The body was constructed from steel and aluminium panels mounted over a wooden and aluminium frame with a fabric hood. The doors hinged backwards, giving them the name suicide doors. Initially, the Typhoon was fitted with a 70 hp, 1991 cc, six-cylinder engine; from 1949 onwards, this became a 2309 cc, 75 hp engine.

Competitors

The Typhoon had to compete against cars like the Jaguar XK120 (although that played in a higher class in terms of performance), the Riley RM coupes, and models from Alvis. In fact, the Typhoon occupied a niche between sporty sedans and true sports cars.

Many Typhoons were ordered by wealthy Britons who wanted to afford something special after the war. Because so few were built, it is today one of the most sought-after Armstrong Siddeleys among collectors.

After the Typhoon, the Armstrong Siddeley Hurricane in fact took over the role as a sporty coupé in the range, although the line of post-war models eventually evolved into more formal sedans such as the Whitley and the Sapphire.