Pictures from the Heritage Archives

Armstrong Siddeley in Advertising

At the Earls Court International Motor Show of October, 1959 the Armstrong Siddeley, Star Sapphire, Limousine was launched

The car in the picture has been fitted with the 'full air conditioning' option as indicated by the low grills each side of the radiator.

Compared with the stand of the previous year that of 1959 could be considered most ambitious. It featured a raised table on which sparkling like a jewel under the lights, and slowly revolving, was a pure white Star Sapphire saloon. The new Star Sapphire Limousine was at ground level and a second saloon completed the ensemble. Interestingly it was exactly forty years since in 1919 the first Armstrong Siddeley, the 30hp car, had graced the Motor Show which was then held at Olympia.

Thus it was that Armstrong Siddeley Motors were all set for the new decade.

However what no one knew that day was the changes which were soon to come about due to government pressure on the aero industry. The result of further amalgamations and the advice of pessimistic company accountants caused the closing down of the Armstrong Siddeley car division only eight months later in the following July.

With the end of production naturally came the end of advertising.

But this is not the end of our story and surprise, surprise, nor of car production at Parkside!