Berkeley [2] (United Kingdom)

Berkeley Cars Ltd. was a British automobile manufacturer based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, that operated from 1956 to 1961. Originally established as a leading caravan maker in the 1950s, the company was notable for pioneering the use of fiberglass in vehicle construction. The firm was led by Lawrence 'Lawrie' Bond, a designer who advocated for small, lightweight cars with front-wheel drive.

The company's first model, the Berkeley B60, was introduced in 1956 and featured a groundbreaking fiberglass unitary construction, which was a world first at the time. It was equipped with all-independent suspension and powered by a 322cc air-cooled, two-stroke, two-cylinder Anzani engine, which drove the front wheels via chains. The B60 was named for its top speed of 60 mph (96 km/h). However, production was soon halted due to competition from the Austin-Healey Sprite, which was launched in 1958.

Upon resuming production, Berkeley introduced two main lines of vehicles. The T60, a three-wheeled variant of the B65, became the most popular model, with around 2,500 units produced annually, contrasting with approximately 2,000 four-wheeled cars. The revised four-wheeled models included the B90, which featured a 492cc three-cylinder Excelsior engine and was available as either a two- or four-seater. The B95 and B105 models were powered by 692cc Royal Enfield 'Constellation' parallel twin engines, with the B105 achieving notable competition success due to its lightweight design.

In an effort to compete with the Sprite, Berkeley commissioned designer John Tojeiro to create a conventional sports car named the Bandit, which was unveiled in 1961. The Bandit utilized Ford Anglia running gear and was in preparation for production when the company faced financial difficulties due to a recession in the caravan industry, leading to its collapse. In the late 1980s, the Bandit was briefly revived in New Zealand as the Ibis Berkeley, while several copies of the T60 were produced in Britain.