The Swift Motor Company made Swift Cars in Coventry, England from 1900 to 1931.Originating as a sewing machine and cycle company Swift made their first single cylinder car in 1900 using an MMC engine. It had an unusual transmission system involving an unsprung two ratio reart axle. This proved unreliable and was replaced by a more conventional layout in 1903.
The first Swift engined car was the twin cylinder 7, later 10, horse power of 1904. This was shortly afterwards joined by the four cylinder 12/14 which continued in a bewildering number of guises until the first world war.
In 1904 a single cylinder 700 cc cyclecar was produced by a separate company the Swift Cycle Company Ltd. This car was also sold by Austin as the first Austin 7.
A larger car, the 15, with 3 litre engine was added to the range in 1913 and this continued to just post war.
After WW1 the Cycle Car company was merged with the main company as Swift of Coventry. The range was simplified with the excellent 1100 cc 10 continuing and joined by a 2 litre 12 with a 4 speed gearbox. A new 10 was launched in 1923 .
Swift joined with the Harper Bean group in 1920, which had been capitalised as A Harper Sons & Bean at £6,000,000. The group was oversubscribed, but most of the money did not appear.
The reliability of Swift's products earned them the nickname of "The Little Timekeeper".
The first Swift engined car was the twin cylinder 7, later 10, horse power of 1904. This was shortly afterwards joined by the four cylinder 12/14 which continued in a bewildering number of guises until the first world war.
In 1904 a single cylinder 700 cc cyclecar was produced by a separate company the Swift Cycle Company Ltd. This car was also sold by Austin as the first Austin 7.
A larger car, the 15, with 3 litre engine was added to the range in 1913 and this continued to just post war.
After WW1 the Cycle Car company was merged with the main company as Swift of Coventry. The range was simplified with the excellent 1100 cc 10 continuing and joined by a 2 litre 12 with a 4 speed gearbox. A new 10 was launched in 1923 .
Swift joined with the Harper Bean group in 1920, which had been capitalised as A Harper Sons & Bean at £6,000,000. The group was oversubscribed, but most of the money did not appear.
The reliability of Swift's products earned them the nickname of "The Little Timekeeper".