Burney Streamliner

Streamline Cars Ltd was the company responsible for making the Burney car designed by Sir Charles Dennistoun Burney. He rose to fame as an airship designer, best known for his work at Howden on the R100 for Vickers. With the ending of the airship programme he used some of his ideas to create a revolutionary car. Starting in 1927, thirteen cars were made at Maidenhead, one of which was sold to Edward, Prince of Wales. Each car was different, as they were intended as showcases for his patents rather than for serious production and were built to an aerodynamic design. They were developed using an Alvis front-wheel drive chassis and engine, the chassis being extensively modified. The FWD Alvis unit was mounted at the rear. To further aid streamlining the rear track was 13 inches (33 cm) narrower than the front. Burney took one car on a tour of US manufacturers in early 1932 to try to find an American licensee. The production cars were fitted with Armstrong-Siddeley or Beverley-Barnes engines and in 1930 cost 1500GB