Britannia [3]

Britannia Cars Ltd was a small British manufacturer based in Ashwell, Hertfordshire, active at the end of the 1950s. The company was founded by Acland Geddes, a wealthy enthusiast who wished to produce his own car and who, in 1957, commissioned designer John Tojeiro to create a grand touring model, a category that was still relatively uncommon in Britain at the time.

The resulting Britannia GT featured a tubular chassis with all-independent suspension and a fibreglass body of pleasant but unremarkable styling. Power came from a Ford Zephyr engine that had been modified by Raymond Mays to produce around 110 brake horsepower. To establish some competition credibility for the marque, Tojeiro also designed cars intended for the newly introduced Formula Junior racing category.

The Britannia GT might have found a market had it been sold in kit form, thereby avoiding British purchase tax. However, according to Tojeiro, the project suffered from a lack of clear direction and planning. When the car finally reached the market in 1958, it carried a price of £2,400, some £400 more than a Jaguar XK150, a far more established and capable rival.

Given this pricing disadvantage, Britannia Cars struggled to attract buyers. The company ceased operations in 1960, having produced no more than six cars, not all of which were fully completed.