Daimler New Fifteen
Encyclopedia
The Daimler New Fifteen, also called the DB17 was a large saloon/sedan car at the lower end of the manufacturer’s range, introduced towards the end of 1937 and offered for sale by Daimler
in 1938 and 1939. During this time it acquired a larger engine, and by 1939 it had been developed into the Daimler DB18, its successor.
at Earls Court
on the western edge of central London. The inaugural exhibition involved chocolate and confectionery: six weeks later the Motor Show opened on 14 October. For Daimler, the star of the first “Earls Court Motor Show” was the new Daimler Fifteen, described in their advertisements as “the most interesting car of the year”.
Although the word "Fifteen" in the model's name was notionally a reference to its fiscal horse-power
, strict application of the RAC formula used to compute fiscal horsepower gives a higher fiscal horse power category of 17hp even for the smaller engine with which the car was launched: by this time, like other mainstream UK manufacturers, Daimler were using a notional fiscal horse-power rating to define the class in which the car competed rather than to identify its actual tax classification.
Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a Fluid flywheel transmission system
that the company had introduced in larger cars at the beginning of the decade and which was by now a feature that extended across the range.
The chassis was essentially the same as that used on the previous "15" model but with wider track. The final drive used a worm reduction gear. An innovative feature of the New Fifteen was the fitting of “independent front wheels springing” in the form of coil springs at the front. The manufacturer’s advertising made much of the secure roadholding that resulted.
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
in 1938 and 1939. During this time it acquired a larger engine, and by 1939 it had been developed into the Daimler DB18, its successor.
Launch
1937 saw the opening, in September, of what was intended to be the world’s largest exhibition hallEarls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...
at Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
on the western edge of central London. The inaugural exhibition involved chocolate and confectionery: six weeks later the Motor Show opened on 14 October. For Daimler, the star of the first “Earls Court Motor Show” was the new Daimler Fifteen, described in their advertisements as “the most interesting car of the year”.
Engine and running gear
The car featured a 2,166cc ohv straight-six engine for which a maximum power output of 56 bhp at 3,600 rpm was claimed. By the time the car was replaced the engine had grown to a displacement of 2,522cc with 66 bhp, and in this form would power Daimler civilian and military vehicles until well into the 1950s.Although the word "Fifteen" in the model's name was notionally a reference to its fiscal horse-power
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
, strict application of the RAC formula used to compute fiscal horsepower gives a higher fiscal horse power category of 17hp even for the smaller engine with which the car was launched: by this time, like other mainstream UK manufacturers, Daimler were using a notional fiscal horse-power rating to define the class in which the car competed rather than to identify its actual tax classification.
Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a Fluid flywheel transmission system
Fluid coupling
A fluid coupling is a hydrodynamic device used to transmit rotating mechanical power. It has been used in automobile transmissions as an alternative to a mechanical clutch...
that the company had introduced in larger cars at the beginning of the decade and which was by now a feature that extended across the range.
The chassis was essentially the same as that used on the previous "15" model but with wider track. The final drive used a worm reduction gear. An innovative feature of the New Fifteen was the fitting of “independent front wheels springing” in the form of coil springs at the front. The manufacturer’s advertising made much of the secure roadholding that resulted.