Allard · 1953–present
Allard Clipper
Allard, better known for light sports cars, produced a pilot run of around twenty fibreglass-bodied three-wheeled Clipper microcars in 1953–54. The rear-mounted Villiers 24B 346 cc (21.1 cu in) single-cylinder two-stroke motorcycle engine is connected by triple 'V' belt drive to a Burman gearbox which drives the rear left wheel via chain. Suspension is trailing arm using an Andre Neihart rubber mounting design. The car was designed by David Gottlieb of Power Drive Ltd and advertised as having an "indestructible" plastic body, made by Hordern-Richmond Ltd; the Clipper was the first car to have a colour-impregnated fibreglass body. It seats three adults on a bench seat and two children in optional dickey seats revealed when the rear boot is opened. Access to the bench seat is via a single door on the nearside, with the driver having to slide across to reach his place. The Clipper's lightweight body and small engine contributed to its weight of just 6 long cwt (300 kg), with a claimed fuel consumption of 70 mpg‑imp (4.0 L/100 km; 58 mpg‑US). It was priced at £268 (equivalent to £6400 in 2025), although it never reached the production stage.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Specifications
- name
- Allard Clipper
- Manufacturer
- Allard
- Designer
- David Gottlieb
- Production
- 1953–54
- Assembly
- Fulham, SW London
- Class
- Microcar
- Body style
- 1-door 3-wheel saloon
- Engine
- 8 bhp Villiers two-stroke 346 cc
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4731141CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allard_ClipperCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1329655167 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1954_Allard_Clipper.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Mighty Antar · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.