COMPANY

Frazer Nash are one of the earliest car manufacturers in British history, having been formed way back in 1922 by Archibald Frazer-Nash and Henry Godfrey. Previously, the two men had run the GN Cyclecar company together and had moved into car production by way of a natural progression.

In the years to come, Frazer-Nash and Godfrey became involved in a number of projects, including the production of some vital components in the aircraft of World War II, but it was their iconic car designs that have stood the test of time. The very first of these cars to officially bear the Frazer Nash name appeared in 1925 as the Fast Tourer.

However, the company had largely built cars to order during its early years and virtually any combination of chassis or engine could be used. As such, the tourer would have been preceded by any number of unique, one-off cars.

Like many of their contemporaries, the company produced a combination of cars that were either designed for the race track or for general road use. Many were, in fact, equally at home no matter what their surroundings. Production continued with great success in the 1930s and when the Second World War broke out, Frazer-Nash and Godfrey diversified into other areas, but when peace reigned once again, the car making arm of their portfolio, became stronger than ever. The bespoke, built-to- order cars became fewer as some of the more recognised marques began to appear. One of the most popular brands within the Frazer Nash Umbrella was the Le Mans replica range of cars, which began to appear in the second half of the 1940s.

One of the most prolific classic car collectors of all time is former Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and one of his most coveted acquisitions is a 1949 Frazer Nash le Mans replica. If you're extremely lucky, you could even find Nick displaying this superb and unique vehicle when the Goodwood revival comes around.

Throughout their long and fascinating history, the line between race car and road car production always seemed slightly blurred as far as Frazer Nash were concerned. In fact, they were so successful in providing vehicles for Motorsport purposes that in their time, Frazer Nash cars competed in four individual World Championship Grand Prix in the 1952 season, with their drivers, Tony Crook and Ken Wharton, securing a respectable three world championship points.

The company as a whole continued to diversify and as such, the brand of cars rather fizzled out as the owners looked to more lucrative forms of income. The car production industry was facing its first major crisis at the end of the 1950s, with costs continually rising. One of the last ever Frazer Nash models was the Continental which had a list price of £3751 in 1956, an astronomical figure at the time and one which few could afford. Among their other interests, Frazer Nash became the first importer of Porsche cars into the UK and this continued until 1965 when the German manufacturer set up its own British arm.

In the present day, Frazer Nash vehicles are rare and they fetch some of the highest prices for classic cars on the market. Many of the models are unique, so it is impossible to put a price on them, but suffice to say, this originality makes them truly stand out as one the great classic brands of all time.