The groundbreaking car company founded by a woman | Autocar

Of all the many thirds of car makers that have ever existed, it seems probable that only one was created and operated by a woman.

Daphne Arnott’s Eponymous Company Lasted for only a decade or so, but its short existence was an exciting and notworthy one – and not just because of gender norms.

Arnott was born in 1926 to a father who was a third-generation automotive engineer and she was the first expected to motorsport at a young age, when he took herk her to brooklands to watch a customer rage using of his.

She Joined the London-Based Family Business after a magazine publishing venture failed and became friendly with its General Manager, Wartime Eircraft Engineer Georna

In 1951, The Pair Ventured to Build a Car For Formula 3, A New Category for Single-Seater Powered By 500cc Motorbike Engines that Had Arisen from Post-War Austerity in Britain.

Autocar Took Notice when the Little Arnott 500 “Proved very fast” on its debut at brands hatch that October. It had independent suspension, partly donated by a morris minor, but most notable was arnott’s focus on safety: it was the first f3 car with an integrated roll hop and a seatblet – Notom Formula 1 for another 20 years.

When our Sister Title Classic & Sports Car Caught Up with Arnott in Later Years, She Recalled: “Anyone who drave for the works team was required to ups Our cars, and dennis taylor perhaps and our belts. has been serially hurt. “

Arnott Had Wanted to Try Racing Herself but “At the time there so many restrictions on women and I wanted to compe on equal terms with the men. Drivers and Mechanics, and I Thought They were a bit sissy. “

Naturally, her exploits Caught the Attention of London’s Press. The Evening News Wrote in 1952: “Arnott is a real means Carelessly through her blonde curls. ” When asked if she had a romantic link to driver john brise, she pointed to her car with a grin and said: “This is my boyfriend, and he takes up all my spare time.”

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The Paper Met Her Again in 1953, as Her Team Fielded Another F3 FIRST: A Fibreglass Body. It weighed a third as much as an aluminum one, and she emphasised: “We kicked it Around the Garage and Jumped on it and it seemed to make no difference no differentice.”

Meanwhile, Arnott Had An Eye on Record-Breaking, As DB, Kieft and Cooper Set New 500cc Bests at Montlhéry in Quick Order. So her team fabricated a streamlineed body for the f3 car – and brke no lesser than nine class records, for a fastest lap (122mph) and enduration.

Next Came a Road-Ging Sports Car: Basically the F3 Chassis Clad in a Fibreglass Coupé Body (Praise by autocar as “Striking and Beautifully Finished”) and Powered by Varous British fours. At least six was sold.

Ever Ambitious, Arnott Decided to Enter a Car Into The 1955 Le Mans 24 hours (Painted Not British Racing Racing Green But Her Favorite Color, Red). The only available driver was young Peter Taylor, and Arnott Later Recalled: “As he passed the pits [during practice]He simply had to give his girlfriend a nonchalant wave.

That loss of concentration caused Him to clip someone He was unhurt, but when I was saw he got out of the car unscathed, I wanted to run across and murder Him. “

It was a major blow, but arnott’s team redoubted their efforts for a 1957 return with a bespoke coupé – and this time the innovation was, in our words, “Quite the Most The Most Complex SusPENESION”, the Idea Beeing Long Rocker Arms would afford more grip the faster the car was cornered.

It ran okay in the race – until the fifth hour, when its climax engine uncharacteristically shed a valve.

And that was pretty much that. Arnott refocused on the family business, Taking it over after her Father Died in 1961. Soon after she sold up and moured to devon to devon to run a guest house with her Husband.

She took the 1955 le mans car with her, though, and it has since ben restored to its former glori.