Berkeley B90
| Berkeley B90 (Twosome / Foursome) | |
|---|---|
| Production period: | 1957-1959 |
| Class : | Sports car |
| Body versions : | Roadster |
| Previous model: | Sports B60 |
| Successor: | B95 / B105 |
The Berkeley B90 is a mini sports car that the British manufacturer Berkeley Cars built in two series from October 1957 to March 1959 as the successor to the Sports B60 .
From the end of 1957 there was a new engine for the sport. The air-cooled three - cylinder two-stroke in - line engine was also supplied by Excelsior , but had one cylinder more than its predecessor. The modular design of the Excelsior engine made this change easily possible. The engine had a displacement of 492 cm³ (bore × stroke = 58 mm × 62 mm) and made three carburettors 30 bhp (22 kW) at 5500 rpm. It was installed transversely at the front and drove the front wheels via a chain and a manual four-speed gearbox.
Sports and Twosome (SE 492)
| SE 492 (B90) Sports / Twosome | |
|---|---|
 Berkeley Twosome SE 492 (1959) |
|
| Production period: | 1957-1959 |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 0.49 liters (22 kW) |
| Length: | 3124 mm |
| Width: | 1270 mm |
| Height: | |
| Wheelbase : | 1778 mm |
| Empty weight : | 330 kg |
The SE 492 (also B90 ) succeeded the Sport B65 in October 1957 . Like this one, it had a GRP body made up of three parts (floor pan, front, rear) . The dimensions also remained essentially the same. Initially, the new car was again offered as Sports . Only with the appearance of the four-seat variant in October 1958 (see below) did it receive the name Twosome .
A hardtop was designed for the roadster body in 1958 , which was supposed to turn the car into a coupé . In contrast to the roadster, this variant should also have door handles on the inside and outside. However, there are no records of series production of this additional body variant.
The first 120 copies built up to around April 1958 corresponded exactly to the previous model in terms of chassis and body. Later there were concealed door hinges and, in addition to some minor mechanical changes, a more resistant gearbox.
The three-cylinder engine developed more heat than its two-cylinder predecessor. There have been many warranty claims due to overheating damage. Because of this, even the export to the USA was stopped for a short time by the local authorities so that alleged construction errors could be rectified. This is likely to have significantly impaired the profitability of the car.
By March 1959, 666 copies were made. The successor was the B95 with a four-stroke engine.
Races
Like their predecessors, the Twosome also enjoyed some success in motorsport. Giovanni Lurani bought three copies and took them to Italy . He installed hardtops of his own design and used them in the 750 cc class. One car was driven by Lorenzo Bandini in the Monza 12-hour race in 1958 and won its class.
Foursome (SE 492/4)
| SE 492/4 (B90) Foursome / Sports 4 | |
|---|---|
 Berkeley Foursome SE 492/4 |
|
| Production period: | 1958-1959 |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 0.49 liters (22 kW) |
| Length: | 3327 mm |
| Width: | 1372 mm |
| Height: | 1168 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 1981 mm |
| Empty weight : | 356 kg |
The Foursome or Sports 4 was manufactured from October 1958 and was longer and wider than its predecessor. The rear suspension was lower than on the Twosome and was under the vehicle floor. The spare wheel - stowed behind the seats on the Twosome - was mounted on the back of the car on the Foursome. The cars were also referred to as SE 492/4 , in one case also as B100 . The latter could be the prototype as it appeared in advertisements.
The list price of the Foursome was £ 700 including sales tax. The optional hard top should cost £ 28.
By March 1959, only about 20 copies were made.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975 . Veloce Publishing, Dorchester 1997. ISBN 1-874105-93-6 . P. 85.
- ↑ a b G. Robson: A – Z of British Cars 1945–1980 . Herridge Books, Devon 2006. ISBN 0-9541063-9-3 .
- ↑ a b c Berkeley Foursome in Autocar , October 24, 1958.
