Bond Equipe

The Bond Equipe is an English 2+2 sports car, manufactured by Bond Cars Ltd from 1963 to 1970. It was the first 4-wheeled vehicle from Bond Cars.

Bond Equipe
Bond Equipe 2-Litre Saloon
Overview
ManufacturerBond Cars Ltd
Production1963-1970
4,389 made[1]
AssemblyPreston, UK
Body and chassis
ClassSports car
Body style2-door saloon
2-door convertible
Powertrain
EngineTriumph 1147, 1296 or 1998 cc
Transmission4-speed manual
optional overdrive on 2 litre
Dimensions
Wheelbase93 in (2,362 mm)[2]
Length160 in (4,064 mm)[2]
Width60 in (1,524 mm)[2]

History

The original Equipe, the GT, was based on the Triumph Herald chassis with a fastback fibreglass body and also utilised further Triumph parts including the windscreen / scuttle assembly, and doors. The September 1964 GT4S model saw revisions to the body with twin headlights and an opening rear boot. It was powered by the same, mildly tuned (63 bhp, later increased to 67 bhp), 1147 cc Standard SC engine used in the Triumph Spitfire.

The engine was switched to the 75 bhp (56 kW) 1296 cc version in April 1967, just one month after the Spitfire itself had undergone the same upgrade,[3] the revised model being identified as the GT4S 1300.[4] An increase in claimed output of 12% resulted.[4] At the same time the front disc brakes were enlarged and the design of the rear suspension (one component not carried over unmodified from the Triumph Spitfire) received "attention".[4]

The GT4S was joined by the 2-litre GT with a larger smoother body directly before the London Motor Show in October 1967.[5] This model was based on the similar Triumph Vitesse chassis and used its 1998 cc 95 bhp (71 kW) six-cylinder engine. The 2-litre GT was available as a closed coupé and, later, as a convertible. The car was capable of 100 mph (161 km/h) with respectable acceleration. Horsepower and suspension improvements were made in line with Triumph's Mark 2 upgrade of the Vitesse in Autumn 1968, and the convertible was introduced at the same time.

Production
  • Bond Equipe GT 2+2: April 1963 - October 1964; 451 (including 7 known pre-production cars)
  • Bond Equipe GT 4S: September 1964 - January 1967; 1934
  • Bond Equipe GT 4S 1300: February 1967 - August 1970; 571
  • Bond Equipe 2-Litre Mark I Saloon (incl. the 2 litre convertible prototype): August 1967 - September 1968; 591 [6]
  • Bond Equipe 2-Litre Mark II Saloon and Convertible: September 1968 - October 1970; 841 [7]

Total Equipe Production = 4389 (including one known Mk.3 prototype made by Reliant Motor Co. at Tamworth)[8]

Production finished at the end of July 1970 when Reliant, which had acquired Bond in February 1969, closed the factory. The last remaining vehicles were finally completed by the end of October 1970 with chassis no. V/10/5431 being the last Equipe 2 Litre Mark II Saloon produced.

  • Bond Equipe GT
  • Bond Equipe GT 4S
  • Bond Equipe 2-Litre Saloon
  • Bond Equipe 2-Litre Convertible

References
  1. "Vehicle Modifications By Chassis Number". The Bond Owners Club. 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  2. Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
  3. "Bond Equipe GT 4S 1300". Autocar. Vol. 126 (nbr 3715). 27 April 1967. p. 76.
  4. "News and Views: Larger engined Bond Equipe". Autocar. Vol. 126 (nbr 3711). 30 March 1967. p. 56.
  5. "Cars stand-by-stand: Bond [stand] 154". Autocar. Vol. 127 (nbr 3740). 19 October 1967. p. 29.
  6. Sharp's Commercilas and Bond Cars Limited book by Paul Grogan, ISBN 978-0-9543265-7-9
  7. Sharp's Commercilas and Bond Cars Limited book by Paul Grogan, ISBN 978-0-9543265-7-9
  8. "Equipe - May 1963 to August 1970". Retrieved 13 April 2011.
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