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Contents [hide]
1 Vanguard Phase I
1.1 Chassis and running gear
1.2 Engine
1.3 Transmission
1.4 Broadening the range of available bodies
1.5 Road test data
1.6 Commercial
1.7 Phase IA - 1952 facelift
2 Vanguard Phase II
3 Vanguard Phase III, Sportsman and Ensign
3.1 Vanguard Sportsman
3.2 Standard Ensign
4 Vanguard Vignale
5 Vanguard Six
6 Replacement and end of Standard
7 Vanguard Utility
8 Die-Cast models
9 Notes
10 References
11 External links
Vanguard Phase I[edit]
Standard Vanguard Phase I
Standard Vanguard Phase 1 Saloon.jpg
Standard Vanguard Phase I Saloon
Overview
Production 1947–1953
174,799 made
Designer Walter Belgrove
Body and chassis
Body style 4-door saloon
4-door estate car[12]
2-door coupe utility (Australia)
2-door van [13]
Powertrain
Engine 2,088 cc (127.4 cu in) Standard "four" I4
Transmission Three speed manual
Overdrive optional from 1950.
Dimensions
Wheelbase 94 in (2,388 mm)[14]
Length 166 in (4,216 mm)[14]
Width 69 in (1,753 mm)[14]
Height 64 in (1,626 mm)[14]
Chassis and running gear[edit]
The car used a conventional chassis on which was mounted the slab sided body. The chassis was later used by the Triumph 2000 roadster.[citation needed] Suspension was independent at the front with coil springs, and a live axle and leaf springs at the rear. Front and rear anti-roll bars were fitted. The brakes were hydraulic with 9-inch (228 mm) drums all round, and to make the most of the interior space a column gear change was used initially on the right of the steering wheel then later on the left.[citation needed]

Engine[edit]
The same wet liner engine was used throughout the range until the advent of the Six model in 1960, and was an overhead-valve unit of 85 mm (3.3 in) bore and 92 mm (3.6 in) stroke with single Solex downdraught carburettor. The compression ratio was 6.7:1. Wet cylinder liners were fitted. The engine was essentially the same as that made by Standard for the Ferguson tractor, with some changes for automobile use.

Transmission[edit]
At first, the transmission included a three-speed gearbox with synchromesh on all forward ratios, controlled using a column-mounted lever. The option of Laycock-de-Normanville overdrive was announced at the end of 1949 and became available in June 1950, priced for UK buyers at slightly under £45 including purchase tax.[15] Laycock overdrives were cable operated on top gear until 1954 when an electric solenoid was added.[citation needed]

Broadening the range of available bodies[edit]
An estate car joined the range in 1950 and, for Belgium only, some convertibles were made by the Impéria coach-building company.

Road test data[edit]
A car tested by The Motor magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 78.7 mph (126.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 21.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.9 miles per imperial gallon (12.3 L/100 km; 19.1 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £671 including taxes.[14]

Commercial[edit]
In line with the post-war British export drive, virtually the total output was exported for the first two years of production and only in 1950 did significant home market deliveries start. The Vanguard was intended to achieve export sales, with a particular focus on Australia. During the immediate post-war period, cars were in short supply, creating a "seller's market". Restricted availability of the Vanguard helped attract willing buyers.

Closer to home, in the slowly recovering West German market the Standard Vanguard recorded 405 sales in 1950, making it the country's third most popular imported automobile, in a list otherwise featuring much smaller cars from French and Italian manufacturers. In fact, the Vanguard sales in 1950 accounted for more than 70% of the British cars sold in West Germany that year, customers of other UK manufacturers having reportedly been caught out in the late 1940s by the lack of a dealer network and difficulties in obtaining replacement parts.[16]