Coventry Sewing Machine Company

The Swift Motor Company made Swift Cars in Coventry, England from 1900 until 1931. It grew progressively from James Starley's Coventry Sewing Machine Company, via bicycle and motorised cycle manufacture. The cars ranged from a single-cylinder car in 1900 using an MMC engine, through a Swift-engined twin-cylinder 7-horsepower light car in 1904, and a 3-litre model in 1913. After WW1 a successful range was sold during the 1920s, but the Cadet of 1930 was their last vehicle as they could not compete economically with volume manufacturers such as Ford and Morris Motors.

The Coventry Sewing Machine Company was founded by James Starley in 1859. They started making bicycles in 1869 and changed the name to Coventry Machinists Company. In 1896 they became the Swift Cycle Company and started to make motorcycles in 1898, and experimenting with an early car in 1900. In 1902 a separate company was formed for motor vehicle production and registered as the Swift Motor Company.

After World War 1 ended, the Cycle Car company was merged with the main company as Swift of Coventry and the range was simplified.

In 1919, Harper Bean, who also made Bean Cars, bought 50% of Swift's ordinary shares, but got into severe financial difficulties later that year, seriously affecting the company's finances.

The final Swift car was the 1930 Cadet, but Swift was too small to compete with the likes of Ford and Morris, and closed in 1931 after its suppliers foreclosed on their debts. Coventry Climax were left with a number of engines from the Cadet model, which they used as the basis of their Second World War fire pump engine designated FSM, the SM standing for Swift Motors.

Production was originally in the Cheylesmore Works but in 1906 car assembly moved to a new factory, Quinton Works in Mile Lane. Some of the cars were equipped with engines manufactured in Saint-Denis Paris by Aster in single, twin or four cylinder configurations.

In 1869, 'Coventry Machinists' started making bicycles and in 1896 they became the 'Swift Cycle Company'. In 1898 it started making motorcycles.

Swift made their first single-cylinder car in 1900 using an MMC engine. It had an unusual transmission system involving an unsprung two ratio rear axle. The Swift voituerettes, described in the Automotor Journal of 1902, were modified in 1903 to include a reverse gear.

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