Leyland

Leyland was manufactured by Lancashire Steam Motor Company founded in 1896 in Leyland, United Kingdom, by James Sumner and Henry Spurrier. The company specialized in bus building but soon its activities diversified into car construction. In 1907 the company took over Coulthards and changed its name to Leyland Motors. It was also in 1907 that the first passenger car was produced. In the 1920’s produced a range of vehicles to meet all the market segments. On the top, a luxury touring car, one of the most expensive at the time. James Sumner died in 1924 but the company kept successfully in business with three generations of Spurrier, being one of the few automobile builders that overcame the recessions following WWI and WWII. The last Spurrier heir retired in 1964 and four years later the company merged with British Motor Holdings and formed the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC).  The resulting company was a giant with so many makes that it became hard to manage and in 1974 British Leyland had to ask a guarantee from the British Government. British Leyland changed its name to Rover Group in 1986.