Standing for Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd, BSA was founded in 1861, for the production of firearms. The brand’s motorcycle division was set up in 1903, and the first motorcycle followed in 1910.
During and in between the two world wars BSA was involved in a wide range of manufacturing including rifles, machine guns, motorcycles and cars and in various ways helping out this nation's war effort.
In 1950 BSA purchased Triumph Engineering Co. Ltd. and in 1953 BSA Motorcycles Ltd. was created by separating from BSA Cycles Ltd. By the 1950s, BSA was the world’s largest motorcycle maker, with one in every four motorcycles sold worldwide sporting the BSA badge. The company also enjoyed phenomenal success on the race track, with notable victories at Daytona and Santa Catalina.
In 1967 and 1968 the company was awarded the Queen's Award to Industry for the export of BSA and Triumph motorcycles. By 1969 they accounted for 80% of the British motorcycle industry's exports. Many organisations, like the AA, used BSA motorcycles for their patrol machines, and police forces all over the world preferred the BSA. The new three-cylinder machines were launched, with a reputation for performance and reliability.
In 1971 the Group found themselves with a trading loss of £3m, despite all their success. In late 1971 rescue attempts were undertaken with 13 new revised BSA and Triumph models. Due to numerous production problems they missed the market at home and in America. Towards the end of the year they were on the verge of bankruptcy. Sixty-three years of non-stop production ended abruptly in the summer of 1973.
In 2021, after a tantalising wait, BSA Company Ltd launched its first new model, following its acquisition in October 2016 by Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group. Manufacture of BSA motorcycles has once again returned to the UK with the launch of its first new model, the Gold Star.
The Seven is the original British lightweight sports car, or 'race car for the road'. Originally created by Colin Chapman and launched as the Lotus 7 in 1957, it is inherently agile and gives startling performance. It is, quite simply, a motoring icon. Caterham Cars has been selling the Seven since the late 1950's. In 1973 Caterham purchased the rights to manufacture the car from Lotus, and has been building and selling it ever since.
Over the decades Caterham has continued to refine and enhance the design, whilst always respecting the brilliance of the original formula. Although originally designated as 'too fast to race' by the authorities in the 1970's, Caterham pioneered one make racing. Today there are more Sevens racing around the world than almost any other single marque, with over 700 competitors taking part in 11 countries during one season.
Today, more than half of the cars produced at the Dartford factory in Kent are exported around the world, including to Japan, France and Germany. 2005 was the most significant year in the history of Caterham Cars, with both the launch of the revolutionary CSR model and the sale of the company by the Nearn family after 40 years of ownership. Caterham Cars is proud to be one of the few remaining British-owned and British-based car manufacturers, with the majority of parts sourced from within the UK where possible.
In a big departure for Caterham the company recently revealed their exciting new Project V all-electric sports car, due for production by the end of 2025. Caterham currently build a five model range of the Seven, plus their well establised Academy race series.
Caton is an all-new luxury British brand brought into existence from a desire to revive and celebrate British icons. Caton intends to do this by using state of the art technology that its strategic partner, Envisage Group, houses under the roof of its Coventry home.
Caton is born out of a passion for design and precision engineering, and to showcase the skill and capability of the very talented engineers and craftspeople within Envisage Group. Caton is here to loudly and visibly celebrate the skills and expertise of a company that can rarely publicise the work that it does for OEMs. Caton isn’t however, just an automotive brand.
Healey by Caton (a modern interpretation of the iconic Austin Healey 100/4) is the first product to showcase all the specialist skills and expertise that future customers will have at their disposal. Caton will curate and reincarnate selected icons of the past with the same sympathetic style, finish, and quality embellishments that you see on Healey by Caton. Caton’s projects won’t be limited to cars and the automotive sector, but could dive into furniture, jewellery, timepieces, or any manner of luxury icons that could feel the benefit of Caton’s in-house design and precision crafting skill.
J.M.E. Healeys (J.M.E.) is the technical partner of the Healey by Caton and undertook the work on the engine. With a history dating back to the inception of Austin-Healey, J.M.E.’s knowledge of this iconic British marque is second to none.
1970 and a keen motorcyclist, Alan Clews, had no ambition to become a motorcycle manufacturer. He worked hard through the week for his wife’s family’s chain of newsagents whilst constantly looking towards the weekend, when he would compete in trials and scramble events.
It was only when his request to purchase a works BSA scrambler was rejected that he decided to build his own competition bike; such was the success of his efforts, that news travelled fast, demand for his services grew and Clews Competition Machines was born in 1971. The letters CCM would become synonymous with multiple successes in motocross, flat-track, trials, supermoto and road racing competition at the highest level.
Alan Clews sadly passed away on May 2nd 2018. His eldest son, Austin, himself a champion motocross rider, now fronts the British manufacturer alongside brother in law Gary Harthern and supported by younger brother Russell and sons Ben and Jack.
The firm is still based in Bolton, Lancashire and with the success of the super lightweight GP450 Adventure bike, now discontinued, behind them, they currently manufacture their highly regarded eight model Spitfire Series.
Charge Automotive is a British company based in London. Their team has extensive experience in the development of luxury and high performance vehicles. Their engineers contributed to various EV projects for Williams F1, McLaren Automotive, Jaguar Land Rover. Moreover, they are passionate about eternal automobile classics
They redefine great classic cars with advanced electric technology while preserving their iconic design and believe in an emission-free future while giving ultimate performance to epic autolegends. They work in intensive collaboration with recognised industry leaders like EV technology company Arrival, the world’s first AI racing platform Roborace and tyre manufacturer Michelin. That brings to their products the most advanced technologies and components including motors, power electronics, battery systems, intelligent software and stunning user interfaces.
After considerable design and development work, they have launched their Mustang EV, based on Ford's iconic 60s classic muscle car.*
* “Ford” and “Mustang” are registered trademarks of Ford Motor Company. Charge Automotive Ltd is not connected, sponsored, approved, endorsed nor, in any way, affiliated with the holder of these marks.
