Coventry - Motor City

The Jaguar gallery at Coventry Transport Museum

I've been near Coventry for a few years now and the automotive history of the place is fascinating. There was a time when more motor manufacturers were based in and around Coventry than Detroit!
A great place to visit to appreciate how vast Coventry's motor manufacturing industry used to be is the Coventry Transport Museum. Just re-opened after a £9m development and refurbishment, the museum offers a great insight into the city's motoring past, present and future. What's more, it's free!
You start off learning about the dawn of the industry with the emergence of bicycle manufacturing from 'penny farthings' to the 'safety bicycle', the blueprint of which can be seen on today's bikes. You also learn about notable pioneers including William Hillman whose company was the largest bicycle manufacturer in the late 1800's.
British manufacturing led into motorcycles and the motor car. One hall is set out as a motor fair of the early 1900's with a selection of bicycles, motorbikes and cars from companies including Siddeley-Deasy, Rover and Triumph.

An early 20's Swift Tourer is part of an impressive collection of locally built motor cars

Following the Great War, industry picked up again with a few art-deco style cars on display as well as queen Mary's Daimler. Moving through the Second World War where motor manufacturing made way for the war effort, you see how many early post war cars were exported around the world to assist in the rebuilding of the economy. British car ownership didn't get going fully until the 50's when prosperity became greater and people could start to consider a family car for those trips out.
A number of Triumphs, Humbers and Singers were on display leading to the 70's and 80's when a lack of investment, industrial disputes and strike action led to the downfall of local manufacturing, much of which can be learnt from studying the turbulent times of British Leyland.
The Rootes Group, the car company that included brands such as Hillman, Singer and Humber was another empire that was crumbling with increasingly mediocre offerings. The exhibition includes cars that led to its demise including the Hillman Imp, Avenger and even an Iranian Paykan, produced from a CKD kit of the Hunter saloon.

A smart Humber Imperial forms part of the 'commercial and working vehicles' collection

There are also a number of Peugeots present, production of which took place at Ryton, just outside Coventry until the mid noughties. Cheaper production abroad led to the closure of the plant; a facility that produced cars for decades.
Locally built commercial vehicles feature as does a section that looks forward to emerging technologies of the future including lightweight materials and construction methods as well as tomorrow's mobility needs. Included is the aluminium chassis of Jaguar's F-Type and Range Rover Sport; Jaguar Land Rover being the great local success story of the moment.
The exhibition ends with a look at land speed record attempt vehicles including Thrust 2, Thrust SSC and a mock-up of Bloodhound SSC, the 1,000mph record attempt vehicle that's scheduled to run in the next year or so.
I'd set a few hours aside to go through the museum - well worth a visit.

A Hillman Hunter on display at Coventry Motofest

Another up and coming event in Coventry's motoring calendar is Motofest where a large collection of historic vehicles are scattered around the city. Many current manufacturers are represented too.
The centre point was a stretch of the city's ring-road which was closed to traffic throughout the weekend. Spectators could enjoy watching many cars race along the stretch including a Japanese drift team and a rare chance to see the Rover-BRM gas turbine racer of the 60's whoosh by.
With government plans to temporarily allow local authorities to remove speed limits for racing events, could Coventry one day be home to a full scale street racing event? It would certainly put Coventry on the automotive map once more and tie in greatly with the city's motoring history...

Drift team wowing the crowds on Coventry's ring-road at Motofest