Varley-Woods cars were the product of Ernest Vernon Varley Grossmith and Robert Woods. They joined forces in mid-1919 to form H. S. Motors (High Speed Motors) to produce the Varley-Woods car at the High Speed Tool Company premises, in Shaftesbury Road, Acton.

The company soon got into difficulties with unfulfilled orders and rising debt. As a result Varley and Woods decided to move to Wolverhampton, near to the Turner Manufacturing Company, which made chassis for the Varley-Woods cars.

Dorman of Stafford supplied the KNO 11.9 hp., 1,794 c.c. engines, which had an aluminium block. The transmission was via a Varley-Woods gearbox, and an inverted cone clutch. The design of the front end was based on a standard Rolls Royce, with a polished aluminium bonnet, and an almost identical radiator. The car was equipped with Sankey Artillery wheels, and the bodies were typical for the time.

The cars were launched at the 1919 Motor Show at Olympia. There were three models, a 2-seater, priced at £540, a 4-seater tourer, priced at £660, and a coupé, priced at £760.

For the 1920 Motor Show, the cars were displayed with a larger Tylor 14.3 hp. engine, possibly to improve performance, or to save costs, or even because their credit had run out with Dorman. The new models were displayed at White City, but at far higher prices than before. The 2-seater was now priced at £695, the tourer, £725, and a limousine at the incredible price of £1,200. The company was wound up shortly afterwards.

Credit: Grahamn Clayton