1910 Humber 16/20 HP Tourer
One of Britain’s oldest automotive names, Humber had accumulated more than four decades of manufacturing experience by the time the 16/20 HP entered production in 1909.
Founded as a bicycle maker in 1868, the company diversified into motorcycle manufacture in the 1890s and built its first prototype automobile as early as 1896, with production facilities eventually operating across Coventry, Beeston, and Wolverhampton.
By 1913, Humber was the second-largest manufacturer of cars in the United Kingdom.
Built at Humber’s Coventry works, the 16/20 HP occupied a substantial position in the pre-war British market, aimed at buyers wanting a well-constructed touring car from a proven domestic name.
Open tourer bodywork was the predominant configuration, presenting the tall, upright proportions and brass brightwork characteristic of the period. Humber’s established mechanical practice favored shaft drive rather than chain, and the 16/20 HP used a four-cylinder engine developing power in the 16 to 20 horsepower range.
The Coventry factory offered no fewer than ten body styles on its pre-war models, giving buyers a reasonable degree of choice over configuration and trim.
Pre-war Humbers of this type are uncommon survivors, representing the marque at a point of considerable growth just before the demands of World War I interrupted civilian production entirely.
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