The island of Great Britain is almost half the size of California. A better comparison would actually be Michigan – Great Britain is only slightly smaller than that U.S. state, and both have a rich and vibrant automotive history.

Since the invention of the automobile, Britain has seen hundreds of automotive manufacturers come and go. Some were rather small, but others became icons of the country. Whether the luxury car used by the upper class, a motorcycle used by the working poor, or a mass-produced automobile for the middle class, the British automotive industry was incredibly diverse over the years.

The California Automobile Museum is excited to host a special display of British automobiles and share just a sampling of their fascinating stories, amazing cars, and even some cultural differences. So put your luggage in the boot, pull the map out of your cubby box, and hop on the motorway to drive to the museum!

The Cars

Any early Veteran or Edwardian car
Early Rolls Royce or Daimler
Cycle-Car from pre-1930
Motorcycles from pre-1920, and also pre-WWII
Sidecars to pair with motorcycles (especially a Swallow)
Austin Seven or Morris 8
Pre-war MG saloon (such as a YA or SA)
1920s or 30s Bentley (such as a Speed Six)
Morgan three-wheeler
Ford Model Y Popular
Jaguar SS90 or SS100, or Mk V-IX
Pre-war Singer (or other Rootes group)
Post-WWII Motorcycle
Bond Minicar or Reliant Regal
Frog (or Bug)-Eye Sprite
A big Austin-Healey (especially a Healey Silverstone)
Morris Minor Traveller
Land Rover Series I, II, IIA
Triumph Mayflower
London black cab (Austin)
Ford Anglia (105E ideally, or a Ford Cortina)
Aston Martin (DB5 ideally)
Triumph TR-series
Mini (UK-market ideally)
Austin America/MG 1100
Jaguar E-type
And numerous others: Hillman Husky, Lotus Elan, Sunbeam Tiger, Jenson Interceptor, Ford Capri, Allards, just to name a few!
An example of the modern version of these marques (Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, etc)