Wolseley

De Wolseley Motor Company was one of the oldest British car brands and was founded in 1901. The first vehicle was built in 1895.

History of Wolseley

Part of William Morris's Nuffield Concern since 1927, and from 1952, following the merger between Nuffield and Austin, part of the BMC Concern. The last Wolseley was produced in 1975, the Wolseley 2200, which looks exactly like the Austin Princess. Of the BMC Concern, after various name changes—BLMC, BL—and the BMW adventure, only Rover and MG remain today.

Initially, Wolseley was a brand that found its clientele in the “Upper Class”. After the First World War, attempts were made to broaden the customer base by producing cheaper cars. This did not bring the success that was hoped for, and in 1927 the factory was forced to be taken over by MorrisIn the early 1930s, the brand constructed highly advanced, small, and fast sports cars. Policy changes at Nuffield and the image of Wolseley as a luxury car led to the brand's technical know-how being transferred to MG, and until 1939, MGs were fitted with Wolseley engines. Characteristic of the brand was the illuminated radiator ornament.

Wolseley 1500 MK 3

The brand was clearly positioned as a brand for the upper middle class and remained so until the very last example produced. The product range was quite extensive until the 60s, from the Wolseley Hornet (Mini), via the Wasp (1100/1300 Glider), the 1500 (partially Minor), the 16/60 (A60) to the 6/110. By current standards, the latter would be comparable to a BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

In 1973, only two models were still available: the 18/85 and the Six, and in 1975, the 2200 was only available for a short period, the latter being almost 100% based on the wedge-shaped Princess. No export version of this model was produced anymore (i.e., left-hand drive cars), and in 1975, the brand was definitively discontinued.

Wolseley Gyrocar

The car manufacturer once built a six-person two-wheeler that remained upright even at a standstill thanks to a built-in gyroscope. This Wolseley Gyrocar only extended its side wheels when the engine was switched off. The gyroscope was electrically powered. The Gyrocar was invented in 1912 by the Russian Count Peter Schilovsky. It was powered by a 20 hp Wolseley engine. After a number of test drives in 1914, the count left the machine at Wolseley because he went to Russia at the outbreak of the First World War.

After the war, the machine was in the way, and it was decided to bury the Gyrocar. The forgotten machine was unearthed by chance at the end of the 1930s, restored, and placed in the company museum. At the end of the 1940s, it was decided to scrap the Gyrocar after all. Count Schilovsky had returned to the United Kingdom in the 1920s but had never contacted Wolseley again. The Gyrocar apparently no longer interested him, but the gyroscope did, for in 1924 he wrote a book about the application of gyroscopes in vehicles.