Warne (car)

Motor vehicle

Warne 8

1914 Warne

Overview
Manufacturer| Pearsall Warne Ltd
Production| 1912-1915
Body and chassis
Class| cyclecar
Body style| two seat open
Powertrain
Engine| JAP V twin cylinder 964 or 1070 cc[1] also Precision V-twin of 964cc in air-cooled or water-cooled form
Dimensions
Wheelbase| 78 in (1,981 mm) or 84 in (2,134 mm)[1]
Length| 114 in (2,896 mm)[1]
Width| 50 in (1,270 mm)[1]

The Warne was a British 4-wheeled cyclecar made from 1912 to 1915 by Pearsall Warne Ltd at the Icknield Works in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

The car had a lightweight two-seat open body with full weather equipment. The car was launched in 1912 fitted with a JAP, V twin air-cooled engine of 964 cc with an RAC horsepower rating of 8 hp.[2] but by the 1913 Olympia show the company had swapped to using F. E. Baker Ltd Precision 50 degree V-twin engines of 964cc.[3] One model had the air cooled version of the engine, and the other used the water-cooled version.

In the original car the drive was to the rear wheels by belts, but the water-cooled version for 1913 had a 3-speed with reverse gearbox, the air-cooled version retaining the belt system. The suspension used half elliptic leaf springs all round.

The engine size increased to 1070 cc in 1915.

It originally cost £99.[4] The 1914 models with Precision engines were £120 for the air-cooled version and £130 for the water-cooled version. The air-cooled version was given a conventional appearance by fitting a dummy radiator.

In mid 1913 six cars a week were being made.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
2. ^ The Warne Cyclecar, Motor Sport, February 1964, p85
3. ^ The Olympia Show, The Motor Cycle, 27th November 1913, p1591
4. ^ a b Georgano, N. (2000). Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.