In the first quarter of the 20th century, more fledgling car companies failed in Britain than at any other time in automotive history. It was an era of radical innovation, not just in terms of product engineering and design, but also in the way cars were manufactured and promoted. There was no proven template for developing, producing, and selling cars, so experimentation was rife, and only those companies that hit upon a successful formula were rewarded with, at the very least, survival.
Belsize had a longer life than most, with the '15' model you see here launched 22 years after the company's first vehicle. This particular car is significant, because it was the only one produced by Belsize in 1919, with series production starting the following year. It effectively became the default press and promotions vehicle for the company, appearing in publications such as The Motor. But by then Belsize was on the precipice, scrabbling to return to the relative pre-war boom times it had once enjoyed.
You can't help feeling a sense of profound regret when delving into the company's history, not so much that it didn't survive (we'll come to its demise later), but more that what it achieved in over a quarter-century of manufacturing now barely warrants a single page from a Google search. That it was producing more than 10% of Britain's vehicles before the First World War makes that all the more lamentable.
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Esta historia es de la edición June 2022 de Classic & Sports Car.
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RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
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One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison