The SS1 was a British sports car first built by the Swallow Sidecar Company

Swallow Sidecar Company

The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded on 4 September 1922 by two friends, William Walmsley and William Lyons . Both families lived in the same street in Blackpool, England. Walmsley had previously been making sidecars and bolting them onto reconditioned motorcycles...

 in Coventry

Coventry

Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...

, England. It was first presented at the 1931 London Motor Show  and was produced between 1932 and 1936. In 1933 the company changed its name to SS Cars Ltd

SS Cars Ltd

SS Cars Ltd was a British car maker. It grew out of the Swallow Sidecar Company and was first registered under the new name in 1934. Some conjecture to the origins of the SS name exist, It was John Black who when asked the meaning of SS said it has always stood for Standard Swallow...

 and in 1945 to Jaguar Cars Ltd.

The car used a six cylinder side valve Standard

Standard Motor Company

The Standard Motor Company was founded in Coventry, England in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay . The Standard name was last used in Britain in 1963, and in India in 1987.-1903–1914:...

 engine of 2054 cc 48 bhp or 2552 cc 62 bhp from 1932 until 1934 which was enlarged to 2143 cc 53 bhp or 2663 cc 68 bhp for the 1934 to 1936 models. The chassis was also made by Standard and changed to underslung suspension in 1933. The cars were remarkable for their styling and low cost rather than performance with 75 mi/h the top speed. In 1932 the basic coupe cost £310. Just over 4200 cars were made.

The car was initially only made in 4 seater coupé version. In 1933 a tourer was launched. For 1934 the chassis was modified to give a wider track and better front footwells. The gearbox also gained synchromesh. In 1934 a saloon version and in 1935 an Airline coupe and Drophead coupe were added to the range.

The car was 15 in 6 in (4.72 m) long and 5 foot wide (growing to 5 feet 5 inches in 1934) and weighed typically 2300 pounds (1043 kg).