page_title: Standard Vanguard
section_title: Vanguard Phase II
hierarchical_section_title: Standard Vanguard / Vanguard Phase II
caption_attribution_description: English: Standard Vanguard Phase II
context_page_description: The Standard Vanguard is a car which was produced by the Standard Motor Company in Coventry, England, from 1947 to 1963.
  The car was announced in July 1947, was completely new, with no resemblance to the previous models, and, designed in 1945, it was Standard's first post-Second World War car and intended for export around the world. It was also the first model to carry the new Standard badge, which was a heavily stylised representation of the wings of a griffin.
  In the wake of the Second World War, many potential customers in the UK and in English-speaking export markets had recently experienced several years of military or naval service, and therefore a car name related to the British Navy carried a greater resonance than it would for later generations. The name of the Standard Vanguard recalled HMS Vanguard, the last of the British Navy's battleships, launched in 1944 amid much media attention; permission to use the name involved Standard in extensive negotiations with senior Royal Navy personnel.
  The styling of the car was intentionally modelled on American lines by Walter Belgrave. Early cars had deep doors that blended into the bottom of the sills.
context_section_description: The Swiss importer for the Vanguard was an energetic firm called AMAG, which later took on the Swiss Volkswagen franchise. AMAG themselves assembled the Swiss market Phase I Vanguards, and it was at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1953 that an extensive re-design was unveiled:  the Phase II Vanguard was of a contemporary Ponton three-box "notch-back" design. Boot/trunk capacity increased by 50% in comparison to that of the Phase I, and visibility was improved with a further enlarged rear window. A new, extended, grille now encompassed the parking lights.
  Mechanically there were few changes, but the clutch changed from cable to hydraulic operation and the engine compression ratio increased to 7.2:1. The previously fitted anti-roll bar was no longer used. Wider 6.00x16 tyres were fitted to improve road holding.
  A car that was tested by The Motor magazine, without the optional overdrive, had a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 19.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.5 miles per imperial gallon (12.0 L/100 km; 19.6 mpg‑US) was recorded.
  In February 1954 Standard became the first British car maker to offer a diesel engine as a factory fitted option. The chassis was stiffened to take the weight of the heavier engine and performance suffered with 65 mph (105 km/h) about the top speed. Like the petrol engines, the diesel was a Standard-built "20C" engine developed for the Ferguson tractor. The diesels fitted to the tractor were restricted to 2200 rpm and developed 25 horsepower (19 kW), but road-going engines in Vanguards had no limiter and so produced 60 horsepower (45 kW) at 3800 rpm. However, they retained the tractor's "Ki-Gass", de-compressor and over-fuelling systems, all of which had to be manually operated when starting the engine from cold. 1,973 diesel Vanguards were made.
  In 1954 The Motor magazine tested the diesel version and recorded a top speed of 66.2 mph (106.5 km/h) acceleration from 0–50 mph (80 km/h) in 31.6 seconds and a fuel consumption of 37.5 miles per imperial gallon (7.5 L/100 km; 31.2 mpg‑US). The test car, which had overdrive, cost £1099 including taxes.
  For 1955, the Australian-built coupé utility was given a re-styled tail which resulted in extra room in the cargo area. It also featured a new full-width rear window and improved cabin features. As the coupe utility variant of the Phase III style was not yet available, an updated Phase II utility was offered in 1956 with a mesh grille, two-tone paint and new interior trim.
caption: Standard Vanguard Phase II Saloon
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