Albion (automobile)
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The Albion was a Scottish automobile built from 1900 to 1913.
Albion Motors of Scotstoun, Glasgow is Scotland`s best known name in the motor industry.
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The passenger car manufacturing era
Albion Motor Car Company Ltd was founded by Thomas Murray and Norman Fulton (both of whom had previously been involved in Arrol-Johnston). This company had a relatively short period as an automobile manufacturer.
The fist models were rustic-looking dog-carts made of varnished wood; these were powered by a flat-twin 8hp engine with gear-change by "Patent Combination Clutches". In 1903 the company introduced a 16hp vertical-twin, followed in 1906 by a 24hp four. One of the specialties the company offered was solid-tired shooting-brakes. The last private Albions were powered by a 15hp monobloc four. Passenger car production ceased in 1913.
The commercial vehicle production era
Further on, the company concentrated on building commercial vehicles. In 1951, Leyland Motors took over. Trucks and buses (single and double deckers) were manufactured in the Scotstoun works. until 1972. The buses were exported to Asia, East Africa, Australia, India and South Africa. The motto of the cpmpany was "As sure as the sunrise". After the British Leyland Motor Corporation was founded in 1968, only two models, Albion Clydesdale and Albion Viking, were continued until 1972. It should be noted that almost each Albion bus was given a name beginning with "V", these models being the Victor, Valiant, Viking, Valkyrie, and Venturer (a double-decker) .
The automotive components production era
A complete change of profile went on in 1972. Since then, only automotive components have been produced. Leyland dropped the Albion name when the company name was changed to Leyland (Glasgow) and later to Leyland-DAF from 1987 when it became a subsidiary of that Dutch concern.
A management buy-out in 1993 brought Albion Automotive as it was thenceforth known back into Scottish ownership. The actual owners, the American Axle & Manufacturing Company (AAM)of Detroit, Michigan, took over in 1998.