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Phoenix

English manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and tricars

Phoenix was an English manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and tricars (motor tricycles) active from 1903–1926. It was founded by a Belgian, Joseph van Hooydonk, at his factory in Holloway Road, North London, and named after the Phoenix Cycle Club. The company moved from its London base to Letchworth, Hertfordshire, in 1911, but failed to survive the 1920s going into liquidation in 1924 but assembling a few more cars in the following two years.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

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Phoenix Motors Ltd 1920
Photo: Unbekannte Autoren und Grafiker; Scan vom EDHAC e.V., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Phoenix was an English manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and tricars (motor tricycles) active from 1903–1926. It was founded by a Belgian, Joseph van Hooydonk, at his factory in Holloway Road, North London, and named after the Phoenix Cycle Club.2

Products and brands

The first product was a motor tricycle called the Trimo with an engine imported from the Belgian Minerva company. This was followed in 1905 by a single seat four wheeler the Quadcar with 6/7hp twin cylinder Fafnir engine.

A proper four wheel car was introduced in 1908 as the 8/10 with 8hp engine and chain drive to a three speed transmission with further chain to the rear axle.

After the move to Letchworth a larger 11.9hp model with 1496 cc 4 cylinder engine, three speed transmission and worm final drive. It had the radiator behind the engine, Approximately seven cars a week were being made by a workforce of 150 at the outbreak of World War I.

The 11.9 was re-introduced in 1919 still with the scuttle radiator but changing to a more conventional front radiator in 1921. For 1922 the 11.9 was replaced by the 12/25 with Meadows 1795 cc and four speed transmission.

Read the full text

A small number of six cylinder cars were made in 1925.

From Wikipedia’s article on Phoenix (British automobile company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Sources

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