Standard would start out in 1903 producing single
cylinder cars, and like most other manufacturers
these would quickly evolve into two, three and
four cylinder iterations. During World War 1
the company would manufacture a variety of planes,
including the much lauded Sopwith Pup and Bristol
F.2-B. After the war the company started the
manufacture of small domestic cars, for a time
locked in combat with Austin; by 1924 Standard
had manufactured over 10,000 automobiles.
Its
fortunes would take a turn for the worse when,
after committing significant investment into
increasing their production capacity, the expected
export contract would not eventuate. Captain
John Black joined the board from Hillman, he
encouraging the supply of Standard chassis to
other manufacturers such as Jensen, Avon and
Swallow (later Jaguar). Better times would come
in the 1930’s with the Standard Nine and
Standard Ten models, and the 1935 Flying Standards
with their semi-streamlined bodies were somewhat
of a sensation. During World War 2 the company
would again turn to aircraft manufacture, this
time producing the Mosquito, Bristol Mercury
VIII engines and Bristol Beaufighter fuselages.
Following the war Standard resumed production
of the Eight and Twelve models, and acquired
the Triumph Motor Company. The car for which
the company is best known in Australia, the Vanguard,
was the result of a “one model policy” adopted
in 1948. Standard’s global production facilities
would not only include Australia, but Canada,
India and South Africa.
As for the name "Standard", it was adopted by founder R.W. Maudslay to represent the very forefront of excellence. It referred, literally, to the standard, or flag, that traditionally leads an army into battle. The company used similar flag-related names such as 'Ensign', 'Flying Standard' and 'Vanguard' (the leading soldiers in a battle-field charge). It was the eventual debasement of the word "Standard" in general usage that led, 60 years after the company was founded, to the name being dropped by the parent company. It no longer meant what it once did. Standard was taken over
by Leyland Motors in 1960, the last UK Standard
being manufactured in 1963.
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