1915 Lanchester Sporting Forty Torpedo Tourer
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George Lanchester’s first design for the company bearing his family’s name, the Sporting Forty of 1913 marked a sharp departure from the bluff-fronted Lanchesters that preceded it.
A 5½-liter (5,496cc) side-valve inline-six beneath a lengthy hood gave the car the appearance and performance to rival the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
Only a handful had been completed when World War I redirected Lanchester’s factory to munitions and aero engine production, limiting total output to six examples. One was retained by the factory as its publicity car.
The Sporting Forty was replaced after the war by a new 40 hp model of similar appearance, and today the factory’s retained example is believed to be the sole surviving original Sporting Forty. Curb weight was approximately 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg).
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