Enfield [1] (United Kingdom)

The Enfield Autocar Co. Ltd was established in 1906 in Redditch, Worcestershire, as a spin-off from the Enfield Cycle Co., which had previously manufactured bicycles and motor tricycles. The company began producing light cars under the name Royal Enfield in 1903. Enfield Autocar focused on creating more substantial automobiles, featuring four-cylinder side-valve engines with displacements of 4,082 cc (16/20 hp) and 5,878 cc (24/30 hp), along with a smaller 3,258 cc (15 hp) variant introduced in 1907. All models utilized shaft drive technology.

The company was directed by Albert Eadie, who had been involved with Enfield's bicycle manufacturing since the 1890s, and E.H. Lancaster, who was notable for promoting the Clement car in England. However, the Enfield Autocar Co. faced significant challenges during the motor industry slump of 1907-08, leading to a change in management. The company was subsequently auctioned and acquired by Alldays & Onions for approximately £10,000, which included the Enfield works, machinery, three completed cars, and ten partially finished chassis.

Following the acquisition, Alldays continued to produce vehicles under the Enfield name for a few years, primarily offering more upscale versions of their own designs. Notable models included the 1914 Enfield Nimble Nine, which was essentially a badge-engineered version of the Alldays Midget. The pricing of Enfield models was slightly higher than their Alldays counterparts, with the 3,018 cc (18.4 hp) Enfield priced at £425, compared to £400 for the equivalent Alldays model. The company also produced the single-cylinder Enfield Autorette three-wheeler from 1912 to 1913, which was discontinued in favor of the 8 hp two-cylinder Autolette and the four-cylinder Nimble Nine.

In the aftermath of World War I, the motor activities of Enfield and Alldays were merged to form Enfield-Alldays Motors Ltd, with all production subsequently taking place at the Alldays factory in Birmingham. The merger marked the end of the Enfield Autocar Co. as an independent entity, concluding its brief but notable presence in the automotive industry.