ENGLISHMEN ABROAD

Playing to demanding North American buyers wasn't always an easy game for British manufacturers

-  MARTIN BUCKLEY

Success in the huge and lucrative North American market has always been the ultimate prize for British manufacturers, simply because the territory is so vast and the potential returns are so substantial. In the 1950s and '60s UK sports cars - MG, Triumph, Jaguar and Austin-Healey - led the way, creating a new market for themselves with little local competition. The trouble was, the sense of humour required to run an MGB or a TR as a fun car often deserted American buyers when they bought British sedans.

As this list shows, makers of saloon cars had a much patchier record and too many hopefuls have underestimated the infrastructure required in a country where the extremes of weather can be as unforgiving as the buyers. Countless British cars - even good ones such as the Rover 2000 - broke down too often and were poorly served by local dealers. The energy crisis of the early '70s was an opportunity that Britain fumbled by foisting on the Americans slightly worse versions of its cheaper-to-run offerings that were as unreliable and uncompetitive as ever. Japanese makers were left unchallenged and reaped the rewards.

Here we present 10 ways in which British manufacturers have tweaked and rebooted some familiar (and not so familiar) faces for Stateside consumption over the years.

1 Triumph TR250