Classic crossword
Clues across: 7. UK auto conglomerate, prominent in the UK market as a car/truck builder from 1929 before fading in the ’60s and eventual takeover by Chrysler (6) 8. Mid-size range of four or six-cylinder models built by Triumph from 1933 to 1938 (6) 10. British racing and sports car builder, founded in 1958 by four brothers, and still building cars over 50 years later — with a hiatus every now and again (7) 11. Alfa Romeo sports coupé built from 2005 to 2010 (5)
12. NZ business combine, from the 1930s importer and assembler of vehicles from 7 across (4) 13. Lotus coupé, built from 1974 to 1982, types 76 and 84 in the model number series (5) 17. Cornelius Van ----was a US engineer, noted for work on the Frontenac engine, the Cord L-29 and V12 work for Packard (5)
18. Belgian automobile manufacturer, 1898 through to 1932, latterly making trucks — were its buyers smokers, one wonders? (4) 22. Successful Italian racing driver, a great rival to Nuvolari in pre-war years before drug problems ended his racing, though he raced again after the war for two more successful years before a fatal crash in 1948 (5) 23. US auto magnate (1871–1933), president of Studebaker before committing suicide as the firm foundered in the Depression years (7) 24. Small one-way valve used for application of grease (6) 25. Nissan’s model name (1960 onwards) for its executive-type larger model — apparently named after a character in Little Lord Fauntleroy (6)
Clues down: 1. Renault’s 1951–’60 rival to the Citröen Traction, DS and ID models (and later the Peugeot 403) in the French large car market (7) 2. 1958-64 UK kit/component car builder, with around 186 made before cash-flow problems caused the company to fold (7) 3. The booted version of the VW Golf, a successful car with around 10 million built in six generations since 1979 (5) 4. The longer-nose version of the Mini — nearly 600,000 built from 1969 to 1980 (7) 5. Lancia’s 1939–’53 small car, one of the first mass-production cars to use a five-speed gearbox, from 1948 (5) 6. Pioneer in aerodynamic research, initially in aviation but from 1927, in the automobile industry (5) 9. Armstrong Siddeley’s November 1945 onwards four-door saloon, built in 16 and 18hp versions from 1945 to 1952 (9) 14. Fiat’s 508 series small car, produced from 1932 onwards, with around 113,000-plus built until 1937/8 (7) 15. Buick model name for upmarket luxury cars, first used in 1949 but best remembered for eight series going through from 1963 to 1999 (7) 16. Daimler six-cylinder model built from 1951/2 to 1957, its name capitalising on the firm’s royal connection (7) 19. Audi’s model name for its estate car/station wagon (and occasionally hatchback) products (5)
20. Wolfgang Von ----- was a successful driver from 1955–’61 for Mercedes, Porsche and Ferrari, and was close to World Championship success before his 1961 fatal crash (5) 21. Hudson’s trend-setting small car nameplate, which from 1918 began a trend towards closed sedan cars rather than open tourers – it was the US third-best selling car in 1929 (5)