BSA Scout History

Launched in April 1935 at £149 10s, the BSA Scout was a small open two-seater front-wheel-drive sports car that transferred the mechanical package from the company's three-wheeler into a four-wheeled body. The engine and gearbox unit sat in the nose, driving through a short, stiff propeller shaft to a worm-and-spur differential at the very front of the car — differential first, engine behind — in a reverse of the usual order. The arrangement gave the Scout a low centre of gravity and front-drive traction that contemporary road testers described as 'remarkably stable taking corners in safety which would be impossible with a normal design.' The initial 1,075 cc four-cylinder produced around 9 hp (RAC rating) and was good for nearly 70 mph with 35–40 mpg fuel economy.

The Scout evolved rapidly through a succession of series. The Series 2 (October 1936) enlarged the engine to 1,203 cc (9.8 hp RAC); the Series 3 introduced a four-seater open tourer at £169 10s and a closed two-seater coupé by Mulliners at £185. Series 4 (August 1937) added all-round shock absorbers and improved front brakes, while Series 5 upgraded to 12-volt electrics and Bendix cable brakes. The Series 6 (October 1938) was the most thorough redesign: pressed steel wheels replaced wire wheels, the engine received improved water-jacketing, a three-bearing crankshaft, larger valves, and a downdraught carburettor, and front and rear tracks were unified. A drophead coupé was announced in August 1939 but only a handful were completed before World War II shut production down.