Record sales
The 1930s was a golden period for the British motor industry with significant growth in the production of both new cars and commercial vehicles. In fact, so rapd were the changes that annual car production
In terms of output, Morris and Austin remained the
two leading truly domestic producers, although Ford, having moved to huge new premises in Dagenham on the banks of the River Thames brought out their much heralded V8 car in 1932 and this helped to establish their position as a leading manufacturer. Ford then enjoyed further success when they launched the first £100 four seater car in 1935.
Sports cars
Morris’s response to Ford’s growing strength was the launch of the Eight in 1934, which also proved popular and nearly 300,000 were produced in just five years. Morris’s offspring, MG, also established itself in the sports car market, initially with the cute "boat tailed" M type, and then with the J2, which remained in production until the 1950s.
Another new sports car name was launched in the 1930s, SS cars. The first model was the SS1, then the SS90, followed by the SS100. These were more expensive than MG, but were highly stylish and paved the way for the development of the world beating XK series of cars which were launched after the war under the more acceptable name of Jaguar Cars.
Vauxhall also returned to a position of dominance, helped by the input and financial backing of its new parent company in Detroit, General Motors.
Motoring for the masses
The 1930s was the first decade when the joys of car ownership could be enjoyed by the middle classes for the first time. As prices of small cars steadily dropped, so more and more professional people and middle managers began to get their first taste of motoring and started using their own cars for commuting and pleasure. And it wasn't just a male preserve, more women were also learning to drive.
To cope with the rise in car ownership, many new measures were introduced to make driving safer and more enjoyable. These included compulsory driving tests for the first time; compulsory third party insurance; the introduction of the Highway Code; 30 mile per hour speed limits in all built-up areas; the first "cats eyes" in the roads; the first pedestrian crossings; the first "flyovers" and the compulsory fitting of safety glass in all new cars. In 1934, Phillips installed the first factory fitted radio into a British car when it installed a special Phllco model into the appropriately named Hillman "Melody Minx".
Major employer
As more people began to own a car, so other industry’s grew and prospered. Tourist resorts saw the first great influx of motorists going on holiday in their cars in the summer, while the growing number of cars meant more cars needed to be repaired which saw a rapid rise in the number of garages. More components also needed to be produced, creating even more jobs.
The growth in car ownership during the 1930s meant the industry had directly and indirectly become one of the biggest employers in the country, although all this was to change with the outbreak of war in 1939.
Almost overnight, the major car factories were required to make machinery for the war effort and this meant the number of new cars produced fell to just a few thousand a year until 1946.
UK launch of the Ford V8 in 1932
Motoring in Britain in the 1930s
Duration of video: 3 mins. 26 seconds
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During the 1930s the British motor industry was the biggest in Europe and enjoyed record sales
At the start of the 1930s, Ford built Europe's biggest car factory at Dagenham, on the banks of the River Thames
With cars getting cheaper, they became increasingly affordable to the middle classes
There were not only more cars on the
road, but also many more women drivers
Despite the developments in automation, car manufacturing was still very labour intensive
By the end of the 1930s, car production had hit record levels and the motor industry was a huge employer
In 1930, Bentley won Le Mans for the 5th time and were also one of the most successful teams at Brooklands
Brooklands was also regularly
used for car launches and shows
Vauxhall enjoyed a resurgance during the
1930s following its take over by General Motors
The highly popular Austin Seven remained in production
until 1939 and was also a regular sight at race circuits.
The Rover 14 of the late 1930s, maintained
the traditional lines of the previous models
Ford pursued many innovative marketing ideas. Their rally around Britain in 1931 generated considerable publicity.
Although cities were more "car-friendly", in rural areas, many roads were still unpaved
The MG Tigress from the beginning of the decade was one of the company's most powerful models
MG came of age, rapidly going from a small-time car
maker to a reputable specialist sports car manufacturer
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