Friday 15th April 1932

The first prototype of the Ford Model Y Popular, produced in Detroit (US), was first registered in the UK, as EV 5689, at a London address. It was described in the original registration book as a green saloon of 8 hp, and endorsed ‘Actual 7.96-4×2.23in.’, which referred to 4 cylinders each with a bore of 2.23 inches. The suspension was by the traditional Ford transverse leaf springs front and rear and the engine drove the rear wheels through a three-speed gearbox which, right from the start, featured synchromesh between the top two ratios. The maximum speed was just under 60 mph (95 km/h) and fuel consumption was 32 miles per imperial gallon (8.8 L/100 km; 27 mpg‑US).Even by the standards of the time, the UK-built Ford 8, like its major competitor the Austin 7, was found noteworthy for its “almost unbelievable lack of brakes.” In June 1935 a reduced specification two-door model was the only closed-body car ever to sell in Britain for just £100, a price it held until July 1937.