Singer Nine Le Mans Speed Special

Singer Nine Le Mans Speed Special

The 1934 Singer Nine Le Mans Speed Special represents an often-overlooked chapter in British sports car history, a period when Singer was a serious competitor to MG in the small-capacity sports car market and was one of the few British manufacturers brave enough to campaign cars at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Le Mans Speed Special was directly derived from the cars that Singer entered at the French endurance classic, offering gentleman racers and sporting enthusiasts a road car with genuine competition provenance.

The heart of the Le Mans Speed Special was Singer's own 972 cc overhead-camshaft inline four-cylinder engine, a remarkably sophisticated unit for a car of its class and price. The overhead camshaft design provided better breathing than the pushrod engines used by most small-capacity rivals, and in Speed Special tune, the engine produced approximately 40 horsepower, a respectable figure for under one liter of displacement in the 1930s. The power was delivered through a four-speed manual gearbox with close ratios suited to spirited driving.

Singer's Le Mans connection was entirely genuine. The company had entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1933 onwards, achieving creditable results in the small-displacement classes. The 1935 Le Mans entry finished 13th overall, a remarkable achievement for a 972 cc car competing against machinery with vastly more power. The road-going Le Mans Speed Special capitalized on these racing exploits, offering buyers a direct connection to the cars that had circulated the Sarthe circuit.

The body was a traditional open two-seater in the style of the period, with cycle fenders, a folding windscreen, cutaway doors, and a slab fuel tank at the rear. Construction used an ash frame with aluminum panels, creating a lightweight structure that made the most of the engine's modest output. The car's weight of approximately 580 kg ensured that performance felt lively despite the small engine, and the light, direct steering provided an engaging driving experience on the narrow British roads of the period.

The chassis was a conventional ladder frame with semi-elliptic leaf springs at both axles, cable-operated drum brakes, and a rigid rear axle. While not technically advanced compared to the independent suspension systems being developed on the continent, the chassis provided predictable handling that rewarded skilled drivers. The Le Mans Speed Special's balance of power, weight, and grip made it a formidable competitor in the small-capacity racing classes that were popular in 1930s Britain.

Singer's subsequent financial difficulties and eventual absorption into the Rootes Group in 1956 have somewhat obscured the company's earlier accomplishments in the sports car field. The Le Mans Speed Special is now recognized by knowledgeable collectors as one of the most charming and historically significant small British sports cars of the prewar era. Examples are rare but not prohibitively expensive, offering entry into the world of vintage sports car motoring at a fraction of the cost of a comparable MG or Aston Martin. The car's Le Mans heritage adds a dimension of racing provenance that few cars in its price range can match.