Turner (car company)
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The first Turner models were produced in 1954 by a company established by Jack Turner near Wolverhampton, England.
Initially known as the "803" and using an 803cc Austin A30 engine, transmission and suspension, the car featured a simple ladder frame chassis and open fibreglass 2-seater sports bodywork. In 1956, the uprated 948cc unit from the Austin A35 was adopted and the model renamed "950", but was otherwise unchanged.
In 1959 this model was replaced by a new version which although similar to the outgoing model, featured substantial revisions both to the body and chassis. The 948cc Austin engined version was named the Turner Sports Mk I, and versions known as Turner-Climaxes were also available with the powerful Coventry Climax 1,097cc FWA and 1,216 FWE units. Approaching 150 Turners had been produced by the time this model was replaced.
The following year, a Sports Mk II model appeared with much improved interior trim and further minor styling revisions. As well as the Austin and Coventry Climax engines, in 1961 and 1962 other options such as the Ford 105E 997cc and 109E 1,340cc units were introduced and finally, in 1963, the new Ford Cortina 1,500cc engine was also made available. About 300 Turner Mk II models were made.
A completely new fixed-head Turner GT had been introduced in early 1962 but only 9 of this model, all believed to be fitted with the Ford 1,500cc engine, were produced before the model was discontinued in 1964.
The final Turner model introduced in late 1963 was the Mk III evolution of the Turner Sports and featured a tuned version of the Ford 1,500cc engine as standard. This model remained in production until the company went into liquidation in April 1966 when approximately 100 had been produced. The development cost of a completely new coupe model with a rear mounted Hillman Imp engine, the prototype of which was far from complete, may have been partly responsible for the company's demise.
