Asquith (1981 automobile)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Asquith is an English automobile built since 1981 and originally based in Great Yeldham, Essex.
They started building "Retro-style" delivery vans on the Ford Transit chassis in 1982. In 1991 the company announced production of a 1930s-style taxi cab that would meet the London Public Carriage Office regulations on a purpose-built chassis.
Originally based in Great Yeldham in Essex, Asquith employed 30 fulltime craftsmen who hand made over 1,000 vehicles, many exported to countries as far away as Japan and USA .
In the late 1990’s the company experienced some challenges. The cost of manufacture had increased, research & development on new vehicles including the London Taxi had spiralled and a large Japanese order was cancelled forcing the company into receivership.
The company was purchased from the liquidators by Mike Edgar in 1997. He built a team of designers led by Paul Keegan and engineers led by Eddie Parsons. Further investment was required to move this company forward and Mike soon found that UK investment was too expensive and sought partnership in other countries. Factories were established in Barcelona (Spain) and Katowice (Poland) but these closed following quality problems. In 2000 the factory was moved to Dresden and a partnership was formed with Oliver Buggle, a prominent businessman in Germany but in 2001 when the River Elbe flooded the factory and all the essentials required to contine manufacturing were lost and the factory had to close.
In 2003 the moulds and rights were purchased by Simon Rhodes and Asquith Motor Company Ltd was established to develop new versions of the original vehicles. Mike Edgar is involved as a consultant.
In 2005, Asquith Motor Company Ltd bought the Vintage Motor Company Ltd, based in Doncaster. This purchase will allow Asquith to expand its range and confirm its position as the world’s most unique motor producer!
