1930s Saloons that look similar

Andeh

is teahte tbungafloed
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
3,514
Location
Cumbria, UK
Car(s)
Fiestas, Mondeos, Anglia, Austin 7, Corsair, Chrys
This doesn't really have any purpose or interest to anyone I suspect, but since buying the Standard at the start of the year I thought I'd finally get my head around 1930s cars. Like vintage cars, in my naive yoof I had written them off as all looking the same. Time has come to show me that this is not true.

1930s saloons though, really do all look the same. I've seen enough of them now to broadly tell them apart, but if I'm ever sat behind one of these in traffic I'd have a hard time guessing what it was from the rear view... It's not a criticism, just an observation that during the early-mid 30s car designs in the UK broadly took the two box design and ran with it to an unnervingly similar degree.

Yes, I'm aware there were some different 30s designs, but if we just take the family saloons, my god, they were similar.

So to kick off, my barn fresh Standard 12:
xiRywnK.jpg

ACPhraB.jpg

Morris 12:
morris%2012-4%20side.gif

Austin 12:
ascot-010_2498.jpg

Wolseley 9:
1934_Wolseley02_650px.jpg

Rover 12:
51364a934695ce5ee8b91574aaa873cf.jpg

Lanchester:
ebay185499.jpg

Jowett:
Jowett%207hp%201935%20Curlew%20%20rear.jpg

BSA:
5686157.jpg


This wasn't just the 9hp class, it was everything from 7-20hp, all designs had these shared traits. Probably more, but all I could think off from the top of my head.

I like to call these "Generic 30s saloons" and they genuinely excite me for some reason when I spot one now.
 
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I was hoping to see some old flapper girls... :p
 
Makes sense when you think about it. It's essentially Depression Era platform sharing between manufacturers at a time when the economy was on its arse, nobody had any money and the burgeoning, fledgling motor industry was trying stretch its wings.

Shit, when did I suddenly become the voice of reason?
 
Makes sense when you think about it. It's essentially Depression Era platform sharing between manufacturers at a time when the economy was on its arse, nobody had any money and the burgeoning, fledgling motor industry was trying stretch its wings.

So, what's the excuse of today's awful platform sharing? Lack of imagination? Greedy accountants trying to save money? Something else?
 
Platform development and tooling is extremely expensive. It will only be cost effective if enough are sold to cover those expenses.
 
Plus the demand from the consumer for realistically priced cars and all of the extra stuff that they need to build into them because of safety and emissions regulations.

Spectre will probably have a link to something but in real terms, inflation adjusted, cars are significantly cheaper than they used to be and the economies have to be found somewhere. It's why fun, niche cars just don't happen unless they are premium brands and expensive.

As an example, Toyota, one of the world's biggest car makers, currently sells just one sports car and that was jointly developed with Subaru and hasn't really sold in massive volumes. 25 years ago you could walk into a Toyota dealer and select from a Supra, Celica or MR-2.
 
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