[2] It was an ideal project for Berkeley, who had developed considerable skills in the use of Glass-reinforced plastic[3] (GRP), and were looking for something to fill the gaps in the very seasonal caravan market.

What Panter and Bond wanted to achieve was "something good enough to win World 750cc races... but cheap, safe, easily repairable and pretty.

Export markets, most notably the United States, were exploited and the cars earned a reputation for fun, if fragile, sports motoring on a budget.

The caravan market collapsed towards the end of 1960, and Berkeley's cash flow problems forced the company into liquidation on 12 December 1960, taking its car manufacturing activities with it.

Stirling Moss drove one at Goodwood in September, and the car was launched to the public at the 1956 London Motor Show – one year ahead of the Lotus Elite, which was also to be of fibreglass monocoque construction.

Bond's 2-seater open tourer design capitalised on Berkeley's GRP experience, and consisted of three large mouldings (floor or 'punt', nose, tail) with no conventional chassis.

Power was provided by a British Anzani twin-cylinder 322 cc two-stroke engine producing 15 bhp (11 kW; 15 PS)[8] and mounted transversely, driving the front wheels via a chain and three-speed gearbox.

The engine was already used by various motorcycle manufacturers such as Cotton and Greeves, but in the Berkeley was fitted with a Siba Dynastart to provide both battery charging and electric starting.

[7] The identification plate was a plain stamped alloy rectangle fitted on the engine bay side wall just above the Dynastart and marked SA322 B1 etc.

The production run ran from Jan 1957 to April 1958 with chassis numbers from 164 to 1422, many being exported to the United States where it sold for approximately $1600 (equivalent to $17,357 today).

During their production run a Deluxe model was offered which was bodily the same but featured polished wheel trims and spinners, tachometer and twin carburettors.

The SE328 enjoyed considerable success and press exposure through their involvement with lightweight motor racing, and their famous drivers included Pat Moss who drove one in the 1958 Liège-Brescia-Liège rally for cars up to 500 cc.

In late 1957 a new derivative model was introduced, using a 30 bhp (22 kW; 30 PS), Excelsior three-cylinder 492 cc engine with triple carburettors.

Also at the 1958 Motor Show a Fixed Head (or Hardtop) was announced and displayed that had external as well as the usual internal door handles, but there are no records that this body style actually reached production.

The cars enjoyed some success in Motor Sport and Giovanni Lurani bought three which he took to Italy, fitted them with his own design of hardtop, and running them in the 750 cc GT class, one driven by Lorenzo Bandini finishing first in the 1958 Monza 12 hour race.

Reliability of the air-cooled two-strokes, became more of an issue with the extra heat generated by the triple, and there were a number of recorded reports of warranty claims.

By the time of the press release announcing the launch of the B95 in March 1959, a further 2,500 mi (4,023 km) of road and track tests had also been carried out by Berkeley factory drivers.

The only 'official' mention comes from the Autocar magazine's Motor Show edition of October 1959, when it appears that Berkeley's stand featured a red soft-top QB95 and a blue QB105 with a black hard-top.

They were fitted with the 328 cc Excelsior Talisman engine like the older SE328, and the four speed and reverse type VR gearbox, and were available as both soft and hardtops.

"[14] Drive was still to the front wheels through a four-speed gearbox, but a trailing arm replaced the swing axle independent suspension of the four-wheeled cars.

The car had a complex sheet steel chassis, braced by a GRP floor which was riveted to it, and boasted 8in diameter Girling disc brakes at the front.

The cost of the development programme exacerbated the financial difficulties facing the company at the end of 1960, and despite active involvement in the project from Ford the Bandit failed to survive Berkeley's insolvency.

In the late 1980s, in Auckland, New Zealand, a few cars called the 'Ibis Berkeley' were made that paid homage to the Berkeley—but using Mini front and rear subframes and a fibreglass monocoque 6 inches wider.

Sold as complete body units to accept Mini parts by Ian Byrd and Tim Monck-Mason, these were advanced little cars using carbon fibre and foam beams.

[15] In 2020, automotive designer Martin Rees partnered with motorsport engineer Simon Scleater with the intention of producing a modern interpretation of the Berkeley Bandit.