The Tornado Cars Story 'Winds of Change'
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LONDON, 20 August: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Tornado Cars was one of Britain's leading specialist car companies. It rose to prominence thanks to the quality of its products and the drive and determination that was exhibited by its founders Bill Woodhouse and Anthony Bullen.
Tornado produced a number of exceptionally good cars that were extremely well engineered and could rival mass-produced mainstream products. Tornados offered style, lively performance, great road manners, and a degree of exclusivity.
Sadly, and despite the company's astute accounting and careful management, Tornado Cars was never sufficiently well financed. After several attempts to generate extra funding and/or source a business partner, the original business closed in 1963.
Successful businessman, and Jaguar racing driver, John Bekaert purchased the company in 1964. It was under his ownership that the Talisman -Daimler V8 and the fearsome Tornado-Fiats were produced.
Bert Wood purchased Tornado Cars from Beckaert in 1966. Although no new cars were built, the new company continued to supply Tornado owners with spares and assistance. New models were mooted, and relocation, but sadly Bert died in 1977 before his plans came to fruition. The Tornado name was sold by the liquidator in 1986.
Martyn Morgan Jones charts the story of the company in this limited-edition, hardbound, 224 pages tome.Price in UK is GBP 39.50
