Calthorpe cars

The Calthorpe Motor Company based in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, England, made a range of cars, motorcycles and bicycles from 1904 to 1932.

[7] The 16-20 model was launched in summer of 1907, and appeared at the Olympics motor show, where it was described as having a 4-cylinder engine of 93mm bore and 104mm stroke (so 2825cc), with a Hele-Shaw clutch and transmission by live axle.

At the Olympia show in 1908 it was announced that for the forthcoming season the 16/20 would have an increased stroke from 105mm to 120mm, this appears to coincide with the Calthorpe moving away from the Alpha engines, to another supplier.

Calthorpe briefly made some larger types, but it was in the light car field that they specialised, using proprietary White and Poppe engines.

The cars continued to have excellent coachwork made by the Calthorpe subsidiary company of Mulliners (acquired in 1917),[5] who had an adjacent factory.

The days of the high-quality light car were coming to an end by the late 1920s, and sales of the fairly expensive Calthorpe were declining.

Both cycles and motorcycles were produced in the Barn Street works, the car production moving out to Cherrywood Road.

[10] The ohv twin-port 348cc launch unit was fitted into a full-cradle duplex frame, and used a 3-speed Burman gearbox, with a tank mounted change.

"[10] With a marketing unit by no sales team, the motorcycles were exclusively sold by London-based dealer Pride & Clark in Stockwell Road, Brixton.

Pierre Garcet in his Calthorpe at the 1912 French Grand Prix in Dieppe
Calthorpe 500 cc M4 Ivory 1936