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"a very, very pleasant little car" - the Crossley Bugatti 


As well as their own cars Crossley also produced 25 [[Bugatti type 23|type 23 Brescia Bugattis]] under licence. Crossley Motors owned the London sales operation of Charles Jarrott & Letts Ltd and in 1913 they became the British Empire's sole agency for Bugatti. At the 1921 London Motor it was announced that Crossley would commence manufacture of a British Bugatti. Parts for 25 cars were ordered and 24 were made, the remaining parts being retained for spares. In 1925 the agreement was terminated with no further cars made after the initial batch. Four restored cars and parts of two others survive.


The Crossley Bugatti was manufactured between 1923 and 1925. Only 24 were made although there were plans for at least 500. Chassis numbers range from CM 1601 to 1625. 

The cars were assembled from components bought in from Bugatti and it is not certain how much of the car was made in Manchester. It is reported that Gorton cars had Crossley crosses on the axles and a contemporary test reports praises the gear box and back axle as much less noisy than those of the French made cars. 


The car was also available as chassis only at £575 for the Touring version or £750 for the Sports. The Sports with Two-Seated "Grand Prix" body cost £840.

The above illustrations all come from a contemporary Crossley brochure but probably represent cars of French manufacture that could be ordered through Charles Jarrott & Letts. It is not certain which bodies were fitted on the cars made at the Gorton factory but at least one four and one three seater were made.

The above prices are as quoted in the Crossley brochure. It is reported that the Manchester built cars sold for considerably less than the Molsheim ones and an article in "The Auto Motor Journal" dated December 6th, 1923 quotes a price of £350 for the chassis and £475 for the complete 3 seater.