Blériot-Whippet

Blériot- Whippet 8/9 hp ( 1921)

The Blériot- Whippet was a four-wheeled, British Cyclecar that from 1920 to 1927 by the Air Navigation & Engineering Company Ltd.. was prepared in Addlestone ( Surrey ).

The most striking feature of this car was the continuously variable transmission according to the system Zenith - Gradua. It was originally used in Zenith motorcycles. Motorised was the vehicle with an air-cooled 1.0 -liter V-2 engine Blackburne, of (10.3 kW) at 2000 min -1 contributed 14 bhp. The engine was mounted transversely ( with consecutive cylinders ). He was equipped by Jones and Marchant with roller bearings on the crankshaft. All wheels were suspended on quarter-elliptical leaf springs.

1922, the belt drive was replaced with a three-speed spur gear and chain drive. 1923 the chain-driven model was made ​​with a shaft drive to the side, where the engine was rotated by 90 °.

The two-seat, open bodies were made of plywood and covered with leather. There were several sports versions. The car cost £ 300 when it appears and until 1924 the price dropped to £ 115

A total of several hundred vehicles emerged. One of them belonged to Alec Issigonis. Today is only one surviving copy known.