Speedwell

GB, 1900 – 1907

(1) Speedwell Motor and Engineering Co Ltd, Reading, Berks.

(2) New Speedwell Motor Co Ltd, London

By 1904 the Speedwell car firm held at least eight foreign agencies, but they were still selling various lesser-known imported cars as Speedwell cars. Models ranged upwards from single-cylinders of 700cc, the buyer of a de luxe model enjoying a genuine De Dion engine, rather than merely one ‘of De Dion type’. Some Speedwell car versions included Léon Bollée parts. In the 1905 Tourist Tophy 4-cylinder Speedwell cars of 2.011 and 2.497cc were entered; the 1906 contender Speedwell car was of 3.922cc. A 3-cylinder Speedwell car was also available, and so were Gnome-engined models of 4.084cc (4-cylinder) and 6.126cc (6-cylinder). By this time the Speedwell car company was building its own designs, including a patented rear axle, split horizontally and with a torque rod below, with a system of mounting the wheels that was claimed to eliminate wheel-wobble and like vices. Another feature of the Speedwell car was a spring take-up in the clutch. For 1907, Aster engines were used on Speedwell cars.

US, 1907 – 1914

Speedwell Motor Car Co, Dayton, Ohio

Early models of the Speedwell car used a 40hp, 4-cylinder engine with shaft drive. Six different body styles Speedwell cars were offered in 1909. Later Speedwell cars were very large, with 6.9-litre, 6-cylinder engines. In 1913 the buyer had a choice of a Mead rotary valve engine in their Speedwell car, or one with standard poppet valves.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; DF, GMN

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