Armstrong Siddeley in Advertising
John Siddeley's first task on joining the Deasy Motor Company was to asses the production procedures with a view to improving the product and to make the company profitable. You may recall that the Deasy Company was making every part of the car 'in house', which practice was proving very uneconomic, particularly in the coach building and engine departments. Just six months later in June 1909 John Siddeley was appointed to the board and made Managing Director.
In order to effect economies, engines, in some cases transmissions and even chassis were outsourced. White and Poppe engines were much respected and used by several car manufacturers at the time, Morris and Singer amongst them. Aster was another proprietary engine purchased, but it was the use of the smooth, quiet, Knight sleeve-valve engine which would lead to the Sphinx becoming the logo and mascot. Also the London depot was closed and Connaught of Long Acre, London WC appointed as agents. Production was now centred on Parkside Coventry.
At the Motor Show of 1911 the cars were also bearing John's name and marketed as the Siddeley-Deasy.
