Standard Vanguard

Standard Vanguard / Standard Sportsman / Standard Ensign
Production period:	1947-1963
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , pickup
Successor:	Triumph 2000

Standard Vanguard station wagon (1954)

The Standard Vanguard is a car of the middle class , which by the Standard Motor Company in Coventry was produced from 1947 to 1963.

The car was introduced in July 1947 and was a new design with no relation to standards of pre-war models. It was also the first model with the new standard emblem, which represented a richly decorated wing of a griffin .

The shape of the car was reminiscent of pre-war Plymouth with her beetle back -Fließheck but had smooth sides without lowered wings. The Russian press claimed it was partially influenced by the Russian GAZ-M20 Pobeda , developed in 1943 and manufactured since 1946. In 1952 the British Motor magazine admitted that the Pobeda “showed a certain external resemblance to the standard Vanguard”, although the Vanguard did not appear until a year later.

The same engine was used during the entire production period until the "Six" appeared in 1960. It had four cylinders, 2,088 cm³ displacement, wet cylinder liners, overhead valves (OHV), 85 mm bore and 92 mm stroke, and a downdraft carburetor. The compression was initially 6.7: 1 and then rose to 7.0: 1 in Phase III and to 8.0: 1 in Sportsman. The engine was very similar to those that Standard manufactured in large numbers for the Ferguson TE20 tractor .

The transmission initially had three gears and was synchronized in all forward gears . At times a Laycock de Normanville overdrive was available on request.

In Scandinavia , the Standard Ten was offered as Vanguard Junior .

Vanguard Phase I

Vanguard Phase I
Standard Vanguard Phase IA (1952)
Production period:	1947-1953
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , pickup
Engines:	Otto engine : 2.1 liters (50 kW)
Length:	4216 mm
Width:	1753 mm
Height:	1626 mm
Wheelbase :	2388 mm
Empty weight :	1189 kg

The car had a conventional chassis on which the four-door pontoon body was mounted. At the front, the Vanguard had independent suspension with coil springs and at the rear a driven rigid axle on leaf springs. Stabilizers were attached to both axles. The brakes were hydraulically operated and had 228 mm diameter drums on all wheels.

In accordance with British export subsidies, almost all production was exported in the first two years and it was not until 1950 that the car was available in significant numbers on the domestic market. The Vanguard should sell well overseas, especially Australia . Immediately after the Second World War there were only a few cars, which created a "seller's market". The availability of the Vanguard meant it had willing buyers.

A station wagon was also offered from 1950, and a few convertibles for Belgium were produced by the coachbuilder Imperia . A Laycock-de-Normanville overdrive was available from 1951. In 1952 the body was redesigned; it got a lower trunk lid, a larger rear window and a new radiator grille, which showed a wide horizontal chrome rod instead of the narrow chrome rods of the predecessor, which were close to each other. A total of 174,799 Standard Vanguard Phase I.

A specimen tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1949 achieved a top speed of 126.6 km / h and accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in 21.5 s. The fuel consumption was 12.3 l / 100 km. The test car was £ 671 including VAT.

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  Standard Vanguard Phase 1 (1951) with 'former' grille

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  'Beetle-back' Standard Vanguard Phase 1A (1952)

Vanguard Phase II

Vanguard Phase II
Production period:	1953-1956
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , pickup
Engines:	Otto engine : 2.1 liters (50 kW) Diesel engine : 2.1 liters (44 kW)
Length:	4267 mm
Width:	1753 mm
Height:	1626 mm
Wheelbase :	2388 mm
Empty weight :	1232-1359 kg

The Swiss importer of the Vanguard was an active company called AMAG, which later took over the representation for Volkswagen . AMAG itself assembled a Swiss version of the Vanguard Phase I and a major further development of the car was shown at the Geneva Motor Show : the Vanguard Phase II had the contemporary pontoon notchback style. The volume of the trunk was 50% larger than that of the predecessor and the all-round view was improved by a further enlarged rear window. There were few mechanical changes, only the clutch actuation was switched from cable to hydraulic, and the compression of the engine increased to 7.2: 1. The stabilizers built into the predecessor had disappeared. The new car had 6.00 "× 16" tires, which provided better road holding.

A car without the surcharge overdrive was tested by the British magazine The Motor and reached a top speed of 128.7 km / h and an acceleration of 0-100 km / h in 19.9 s. The fuel consumption was 12.0 l / 100 km.

In February 1954, Standard was the first British manufacturer to introduce a standard diesel engine in a passenger car. The chassis had been reinforced to take the extra weight of the heavier engine; the top speed was only 105 km / h. Like the gasoline engine, the 2,092 cc diesel engine was derived from the “20C” engine for the Ferguson tractor . While diesel engines for tractors to 2,200 min ^-1 were limited to 25 hp (18.4 kW) developed, the motors for the Vanguard no rev limiter and made 60 bhp (44 kW) at 3,800 min had ^-1 . But they kept the "Ki-Gass" decompression lever and the fuel booster, both of which had to be operated by hand during a cold start. 1,973 Vanguard with diesel engine were built, a total of 81,074 Vanguard Phase II.

In 1954, the Motor Magazine tested a diesel version and determined a top speed of 106.5 km / h and an acceleration of 0–100 km / h in 31.6 s. The diesel consumption was 7.53 l / 100 km.

Vanguard Phase III, Sportsman and Ensign

Vanguard Phase III Sportsman Ensign
Production period:	1955-1958
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , pickup
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 1.7–2.15 liters (44–55 kW)
Length:	4369 mm
Width:	1715 mm
Height:
Wheelbase :	2604 mm
Empty weight :	1130-1219 kg

The Vanguard Phase III had a self-supporting body and no longer a separate frame. The station wagon from "Phase II" continued to be built until 1956.

The engine with a displacement of 2,088 cm³ and a single Solex downdraft carburetor made 68 bhp (50 kW). The front of the car had independent suspension on coil springs, a massive subframe and recirculating ball steering . The rear rigid axle had semi-elliptical leaf springs. Lockheed hydraulically operated drum brakes with a drum diameter of 228 mm were found on all wheels. The four-speed transmission had a steering wheel shift; the optional overdrive was activated by a switch on the dashboard.

The new body was lower and had a larger window area, which made it look much more modern. The old two-piece, flat windshield was replaced by a one-piece, curved model. The wheelbase grew by 203 mm, which created significantly more space for passengers. A heater was now included as standard. The front and rear of the car were equipped with benches and fold-out armrests. They were covered with vinyl; Leather seats were available upon request.

The car was lighter than its predecessor. The gear ratios were changed so that less fuel was used while driving performance remained the same. 37,194 of the Vanguard Phase III were made.

A car with overdrive was tested by The Motor magazine in 1956. It reached a top speed of 134.7 km / h and took 21.7 seconds to accelerate from 0-100 km / h. It consumed 10.9 l / 100 km and cost £ 998 including taxes.

Standard Sportsman

A high-performance model, which should actually come out until shortly before the presentation as the Triumph Renown , was presented in August 1956 as a standard sportsman with a performance-enhanced engine with 90 bhp (66 kW). It had many details from the Triumph TR3 sports car . In particular, these were a higher compression ratio of 8.0: 1, dual carburetors from SU and improved pistons. The rear axle ratio was reduced to 4.55: 1 in order to achieve higher acceleration. Brake drums with a larger diameter of 254 mm were also installed. The basic version still had a bench at the front, but individual seats were available on request.

Only 901 Sportsman were made until 1958.

A sportsman with overdrive was tested by British magazine The Motor in 1956 and found a top speed of 145.9 km / h and an acceleration of 0.100 km / h in 19.2 s. The fuel consumption was 11.0 l / 100 km and the test car price was £ 1,231 including taxes.

Standard Ensign

Standard Ensign 1956

The Ensign standard was introduced in 1956. It had the same body as the Vanguard Phase III, but was kept simpler in many ways. A simpler model, the Ensign with a 1,670 cc engine, was introduced in October 1957. It had the body of the Vanguard Phase III, even after it was replaced by the car that Michelotti had redesigned. Many of these cars were bought by the Royal Air Force . A total of 18,852 copies were made. A deluxe version followed in 1962; In 1963 there was a larger engine with a displacement of 2,138 cm³. 2,318 copies of the Ensign Deluxe were sold.

A 1.7 liter Ensign was tested by The Motor magazine in 1958 . It reached a top speed of 124.9 km / h and accelerated from 0-100 km / h in 24.4 s. Fuel consumption was 9.91 l / 100 km and the test car price was £ 899 including £ 300 taxes. The East German automotive engineering team also liked the car because of its low consumption, but also because of the practical high-speed transmission and the effective development work.

Vanguard Vignale

Vanguard Vignale
Production period:	1958-1961
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon
Engines:	Otto engine : 2.1 liters (50 kW)
Length:	4369 mm
Width:	1740 mm
Height:	1524 mm
Wheelbase :	2591 mm
Empty weight :	1168 kg

A facelift of the Vanguard Phase III was carried out in 1958 by the Italian design studios Michelotti and Vignale . The windshield and rear windows were deeper and the side windows had stainless steel frames. There was a new grille and new taillights. A center shift lever for the four-speed transmission was available on request. A three-speed gearbox with steering wheel shift was standard. In both cases an overdrive could be ordered.

The car had vinyl bench seats front and rear, with leather upholstery available as an option for the UK market; The export models had fabric covers on request. The heater and - very unusual at this time - an electric windscreen washer system were standard equipment, but the radio was still only installed on request. 26,267 of the standard Vanguard Vignale were built.

A Vanguard Vignale with overdrive was tested by British magazine The Motor in 1959 . A top speed of 133.2 km / h and an acceleration of 0-100 km / h in 20.8 s were recorded. The fuel consumption was 10.1 l / 100 km and the test car price was £ 1,147 including £ 383 taxes.

Vanguard Six

Vanguard Six
Production period:	1960-1963
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , pickup
Engines:	Otto engine : 2.0 liters (59 kW)
Length:	4369 mm
Width:	1727 mm
Height:	1524 mm
Wheelbase :	2591 mm
Empty weight :	1156 kg

The last Vanguard had in-line six-cylinder engines, as they were later installed in the Triumph 2000 . The compression of the 1,991 cm³ aggregate was 8.0: 1; it made 80 hp (59 kW) at 4500 min ^-1 . From the outside, the only difference to the Vanguard Vignale was the nameplate. The interior has been revised. 9,953 units of the Vanguard Six were built.

A Vanguard Six was tested by British magazine The Motor in 1960 . A top speed of 140.3 km / h and an acceleration of 0-100 km / h in 17.0 s were recorded. The fuel consumption was 11.3 l / 100 km and the test car price was £ 1,021 including £ 301 taxes.

The end

The Ensign and Vanguard models were replaced by the Triumph 2000 in 1963. The Standard brand name disappeared from the UK market after 60 years.

The Vanguard Utility

Standard Vanguard Phase I utility

In 1950 the Australian subsidiary of Standard Motor Company introduced a utility model ("Ute") of the Vanguard Phase I. It had the same 2,088 cc four-cylinder engine as the sedan. Utility models of the Vanguard Phase II, Phase III and Six were also manufactured in Australia in the years thereafter; production stopped in 1964.

Die-cast models

• Dinky Toys made a model of the Phase I.
• Corgi Toys had a model of a phase III as model no. 207 in their model range from 1957 to 1961. There was also a Phase III sedan from 1958 to 1962 as a service vehicle of the Royal Air Force as No. 352.

Web links

Commons : Standard Vanguard  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Standard Motor Club (English)
• Owners Club of the Standard Vanguard Phase III (English)

source

• Michael Allen: British Family Cars of the Fifties. Haynes Publishing, 1985, ISBN 0-85429-471-6 .

Individual evidence

1. ^ The Standard Car Review January 1947 (English).
2. ↑ Clarence; IAS: Impressions of the Russian POBEDA. The Motor, November 19, 1952 ( ZIP , 642 kB)
3. ^ ^{A b} The Standard Vanguard Road Test. The Motor, 1949.
4. ^ ^{A b c d e} David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895–1975. Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester 1997, ISBN 1-874105-93-6 .
5. ^ ^{A b c} Roger Gloor: All cars of the 50s. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, 1st edition, ISBN 978-3-613-02808-1 .
6. ↑ ^{a b c} The Phase II Standard Vanguard Road Test. The Motor, March 11, 1953.
7. ↑ ^{a b c} M. Sedgwick: A – Z of Cars 1945–1970. Bay View Books, Devon 1986, ISBN 1-870979-39-7 .
8. ^ The Standard Diesel Vanguard. The Motor, November 10, 1954.
9. ↑ The Standard Vanguard III , The Motor (June 20, 1956)
10. ^ The Standard Vanguard III. The Motor, June 20, 1956.
11. ^ The Standard Sportsman. The Motor, September 5, 1956.
12. ^ The Standard Ensign. The Motor, January 22, 1958.
13. ^ Standard Ensign - an English 1.7 liter car. In: Motor Vehicle Technology 5/1959, pp. 199-20.0
14. ↑ ^{a b} The New Standard Vanguard. The Motor, January 7, 1959.
15. ↑ ^{a b c} The Standard Vanguard Six. The Motor, December 7, 1960.
16. ^ Australian Monthly Motor Manual, March 1950, Sn 834-835.
17. ↑ pictureaustralia? Term1 = standard + vanguard + utility & Submit = search & action = PASearch & attribute1 = any + field & mode = search Photos of the standard Vanguard utility in Australia  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
18. ↑ History of the Standard Vanguard in Australia (English) ( Memento of the original on 19 July 2008 at the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link is automatically inserted and not yet tested. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
19. ^ Edward Force, Corgi Toys, 1991, p. 166.
20. ^ Edward Force, Corgi Toys, 1991, p. 174.