Introduced in 1912, the Star 20.1 HP was one of the larger motor cars offered by the Star Engineering Company of Wolverhampton in the years immediately before the First World War. With its substantial four-cylinder engine, distinctive rounded radiator and touring bodywork, it represented the type of well-engineered British car for which Star had developed a strong reputation.

A Larger Star

The 20.1 HP was closely related to Star's successful 15.9 HP model. Both belonged to the same generation of cars, but the 20.1 used a larger-bore version of the four-cylinder engine, increasing capacity to 3,815 cc.

This gave customers a more powerful alternative while retaining many of the established features of the smaller model. The 20.1 HP was intended as a capable touring car, suited to carrying passengers over the often challenging roads of the period.

The Distinctive Bullnose

One of the most recognisable features of Stars from this era was their rounded "bullnose" radiator. The design first appeared on the 15.9 HP and proved sufficiently successful that it was adopted across other models in the Star range, including the 20.1 HP.

The shape gave these cars a distinctive appearance at a time when manufacturers were increasingly developing recognisable styling of their own. Combined with the long bonnet, upright windscreen and open touring body, it gives the 20.1 HP the characteristic proportions of a large pre-war motor car.

Built for Touring

The 3,815 cc four-cylinder engine was large by the standards of many cars of the period. Engines of this type were designed to provide useful pulling power at relatively low speeds rather than the high engine speeds associated with modern cars.

Touring in 1914 could be demanding. Many roads outside towns were unsealed, surfaces were uneven and long-distance travel required considerably more preparation than it does today. A large-engined touring car such as the Star offered its occupants a combination of strength, flexibility and comfort for longer journeys.

A Rare Model

Only around 100 examples of the Star 20.1 HP are believed to have been produced, making it considerably less common than some of the company's other models.

Its relatively small production run also makes surviving examples important reminders of a manufacturer that was once a significant name in the British motor industry. Star produced a wide variety of cars before the First World War, but comparatively few have survived into the present day.

Interrupted by War

The outbreak of the First World War dramatically changed motor manufacturing in Britain. Civilian car production was reduced as factories turned their attention to military requirements, and Star became involved in producing vehicles and other equipment for the war effort.

After the conflict, Star resumed car production in 1919. Rather than beginning with an entirely new range, the company initially returned to several of its established pre-war designs, including the 20.1 HP.

This Car

The example at Southward Car Museum dates from 1914, placing it among the cars produced immediately before wartime conditions transformed Britain's motor industry.

With its 3,815 cc four-cylinder engine and traditional open touring body, it represents an era when long-distance motoring was still an adventure. More than a century later, the Star 20.1 HP is a rare survivor from an important period in the development of the British motor car.