Montague Napier's Lambeth works was famed for precision engineering long before its association with motor cars. The prototype Napier, a 2471cc vertical-twin, successfully competed in the 1900 1000 Miles Trial; a 4942cc four appeared later that year, notable for. a one-piece aluminium cylinder block with pressed-in iron liners and three atmospheric inlet valves per cylinder. From the start Napiers were sold and promoted by the forceful S. F. Edge. Napier pursued an active racing policy, which won the 1902 Gordon Bennett Trophy for Britain, and Napier Green became the official British racing livery. In 1903, Napier launched the first series-production six-cylinder car, the 4942cc 18 hp: initially, periodic vibration caused crankshaft whip and even breakage, which Edge euphemized as power rattle, but the overall smoothness and flexibility of the six proved strong selling points, and by 1906 there was a range of two sixes of 40 hp (5001cc) and 60 hp (7753cc) and two fours-18 hp (3160cc) and 45 hp (5309cc). The next year a 9653cc 60 hp driven by Edge averaged 65.9 mph for 24 hours on the new Brooklands race track, a record which stood for 18 years. Biggest production Napier was the 90 hp introduced in 1907 which had a swept volume of 14,565cc. A complex range of two-, four-and six-cylinder models was replaced by only five models for 1912-a 15 hp four and sixes of 30, 40, 45, 65 and 90 hp. World War One saw Napier building aeroengines, including the famous broad-arrow Lion 12-cylinder designed by A. J. Rowledge, who was also responsible for the post-war Napier a light-alloy ohc 6227cc 40/50hp six. Only 187 were built out of a total of 4258 Napier private cars. A 1931 bid to acquire Bentley was thwarted by Rolls-Royce. ©VEA
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