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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire - you're happy to do without a chauffeur

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Created on March 20, 1980

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Halwart Schrader

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17

Archiv

17

Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - You'd love to be taken for a spin in this. Don't you?

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire 6 Light Saloon (1959) - The larger version for those who like even more legroom.

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Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire Model 346 (1958) - Beautifully shaped body without any blemishes.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire 6 Light Saloon (1958) - Intended for the more affluent society.

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Armstrong Siddeley Limousine (1958) - Apparently there were also people who, despite all their driving pleasure, did not do without a chauffeur.

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Armstrong Siddeley Model 346 (1958) - the two-tone paintwork suits the car well

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire 6 Light Saloon (1959) - Now without a female companion after all?

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire 6 Light Saloon (1959) - if the normal saloon is too small for you, you can upgrade to the larger model with even more space.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire Limousine (1959) - The design of the bodywork was typically British.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - The interior is well-filled, but does not appear cluttered. All the important elements are within easy reach.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - engine seen from the front

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Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire (1959) - in-line six-cylinder of classic design

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - Front suspension

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Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 6 Light Saloon (1958) - front suspension, with disc brakes, seen at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - The dimensions of the Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire clearly shown in feet.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - Looks a bit like a boat, doesn't it? The "Seating Dimensions" of the Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire.

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Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959) - The Seating Dimensions of the Armstrong Siddeley from the side.

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Summary

Britain's wealthier society liked to be driven around in their personal chauffeur. However, when the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire was introduced in the fall of 1952, this changed abruptly. This car was so pleasantly different and sporty that people couldn't resist getting behind the wheel themselves and really making the most of its performance. These sporty attributes and the generally very good performance helped the Star Sapphire and its modifications to become very popular. But those who fly high also fall low. The brand disappeared and only a few people still remember the Star Sapphire. A good reason to look back ...

This article contains the following chapters

The man himself!
Twice the price for a model with a windshield?
A lot of tried and tested features with a few innovations
Technical specifications Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire (1959)
The wolf in sheep's clothing
Ultimately, however, the battle was lost...

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In the 1950s, a Siddeley was in the category of those great British companies that ranked just below Rolls-Royce and Bentley, such as Daimler and Humber. And like so many British car manufacturers, Armstrong-Siddeley was one of those that had made a name for itself as a manufacturer of aircraft engines. An Armstrong-Siddeley was something special; if you stepped out of it, you were unreservedly mistaken for a bank director or Earl. So well-behaved Brits were all the more surprised when the staid Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire, first presented in the fall of 1952, turned out to be an almost sporty automobile, with performance figures that a dignified Piccadilly chauffeur had always known how to ignore. The concept was nonetheless correct: Siddeley owners were increasingly getting behind the wheel themselves, and an "owner-driver" was much more inclined towards sporty driving pleasure and comfort than a gentleman chauffeur, a profession that was already suffering from internal and external emaciation in post-war England.

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