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Berkeley SE328 - 2-seater Sports body - manufactured in 1958
In the surge towards mass motorization during the years of reconstruction after Second World War the microcar or bubble car enjoyed a short spell of popularity. Though these cars appeared in widely varied shapes and constructions they shared characteristics such as diminutive size, light weight and small (motorcycle) engines. They offered basic and affordable transport as a step up from motorcycles and scooters with added comforts such as the stability of 3 or 4 wheels and a cabin as shelter from the rain. Looking at the current situation on the European roads it seems hardly imaginable that vehicles like that were once, not that long ago, a viable option with their cramped interiors, low speed and total lack of safety. It's exactly that contrast which kindles the growing interest in these cars nowadays.
The heyday of the microcar started in the late 1940s and lasted about a decade. One of the more prominent countries in the production of microcars was Great Britain. Production numbers of microcars in the GB were lower then those in Western Germany for instance but there were plenty of interesting models on offer. Best known were probably the 3-wheelers from makes like Reliant and Bond, but there were lots of others around. A great example of that is Berkely, a manufacturer of caravans which also produced a line of tiny sportscars from 1956 till 1961.
Berkeley was not unique in offering sportscars in the microcar segment, there were others like the Frisky Sport from Henry Meadows or the Victoria Spatz from Germany, but they did the best job of capturing the essence of a sportscar in their models. The first Berkeley Sports model was designed by Lawrence Bond, who also made the successful Bond Minicar. It was an attractive little 2-seater roadster in the best British tradition but also unusually advanced as it was the first production car in the world with an unitary fibreglass construction. Other advanced aspects were the independent front and rear suspension by coil springs and the transverse engine with front wheel drive arrangement. The engine came from motorcycle manufacturer Anzani and was a 2-cylinder 2-stroke unit displacing 322 cc which drove the front wheels by chain.
This first model was introduced in 1956 and known as the B60, indicating its top speed of 60 mph (96 kph), or internally as the SA322 (Sports Anzani 322 cc). It measured only 311 x 130 x 110 cm (length x width x height) and weighed about 270 kg. From the outside it appeared as sort of a scale model of the AC Ace (or Cobra if you prefer) with faired-in headlights. On the inside it offered a dynamic ride with excellent roadholding and a throbbing 2-stroke sound from the engine. The hydraulic drum brakes provided ample stopping power so the complete performance of the car could be exploited in confidence. Unsurprisingly the car immediately caught the attention of sportscar enthusiasts.
At the start of 1957 the Anzani unit was replaced by a 328 cc Excelsior Talisman 2-stroke twin which performed better. Engine power increased from from 15 to 18 hp and top speed was now around 65 mph (105 kph). It was referred to as the SE328 (later as B65) and it became the most successful 4-wheeled Berkely model at 1422 units produced. Remarkably about half of the production was exported to the USA where this toy racer was especially liked. That was also the origin of the request for more power. Berkeley answered that with the introduction of the 3-cylinder SE492 (B90) model, also in 1957. Now some 30 hp was available, good for a respectable top speed of 80 mph (129 kph). Unfortunately with the increase in power also some shortcomings in the fibreglass monocoque appeared, resulting in lack of rigidity and cracks in the mounts of the front suspension.
In 1958 the Berkeley model line was expanded with the "Foursome", which was a SE328 enlarged to a very cramped 4-seater and fitted with the 492 cc 3-cylinder engine. This model was also available as a hardtop coupe but it didn't help to sell the car; only 22 of these Foursomes were made. Another disaster for Berkeley was the introduction of the Austin-Healey Sprite in 1958, which offered a larger, full metal bodied sportscar with a 4-cylinder 4-stroke engine for nearly the same price. This considerably reduced the interest in the SE328 and SE492 and effectively meant the end for these models.
Berkeley returned to the sportscar market in 1959 with a stroke of genius: a revised SE328 which was converted into a 3-wheeler. It was named the T60 and instead of 2 rear wheels it had only one placed in the middle under the rear of the car. Now the car was available to those who only had a license to drive a motorcycle, and owing to the fact that the car was still quick and sporty and was based on motorcycle technology it soon became very popular in that segment. About 1700 units of this model were made.
Alongside the 3-wheeler more powerful 4-wheeled models were also offered. Similar in looks to the original design these were powered by 2-cylinder 4-stroke engines made by Royal Enfield and named B95 and B105. The new engines offered 40 or 50 hp and propelled the little cars to top speeds of around 100 mph (160 kph) which made them very exciting to drive. Some 200 were produced. In 1960 these models were to be replaced by the so-called "Q" models which had the Royal Enfield engines in the larger body of the Foursome, but not much came of that. Ultimately a larger, more traditional sportscar was developed (designed by John Tojeiro of AC Ace fame) named the Bandit but after making two prototypes the Berkeley company went bankrupt in 1961 due to a recession in the caravan business.
During the short production period, and long after that, the Berkeley sportscars were used in all sorts of competitions, often surprising the more "mature" competition by their vigor and prowess. As far as minicars went you couldn't get anything more sporty than a Berkeley and this still attracts enthusiasts to these cars. Most of them are in Britain and the USA, but sometimes you'll find them in other countries. They're specialist's cars and not very valuable but great fun.
If you want to know more about these little racers you can visit Colin Pears' Berkeley Cars site by clicking the link.
© André Ritzinger, Amsterdam, Holland
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