For some years Sunbeam cars had been fitted with Loyal multi tube radiators but from 1906 Marston ‘honeycombe’ radiators made under Megevets patents were used and these would become one of the company’s major products and continue in production long after vehicle manufacture had ceased.

Though his 16/20 was proving a success and bringing some fame to the Wolverhampton firm Angus Shaw was hard at work on his next project, a six cylinder engine with the same cylinder dimensions as the four, with separately cast cylinders. The chassis was made of ash, reinforced with steel girder plates, having a wheelbase of 10' 4" and a track of 4' 4".

Listed at £750 for the chassis and £50 for a touring body, the Sunbeam appeared to be a bit expensive and did not prove to be a success, soon being withdrawn. Modifications were made to the 16/20 with the bore and stroke being increased to 105 x 130mm giving the engine more reserves of power for hill climbing, which was never a strong feature on the earlier Sunbeams. This model became known as the Twenty.

Shaw also designed a 120 x l40mm four cylinder 35h.p. car, priced at £675. There was still some resistance at this sort of price and few were sold. Some significant changes were about to take place at Sunbeam when a famous French engineer joined the company. That story we must leave until later.

About this time there was a decline in pedal cycle sales. Star were very large producers of these machines so for 1905 the Star Cycle Company run by Edward Lisle junior introduced the Starling, a cheap light car for sale through their cycle agents. It had a single cylinder De Dion like engine, two speed gear and chain drive, selling for a modest £110. The following year a twin cylinder model was brought out with three speeds and a shaft drive. Known as the ‘Stuart’ these cheaper Stars continued until 1908 when the Stuart name was dropped and all the Star Cycle Company cars became Starlings.

An advert from 1908.

During 1909 the Starlings and Royal Starlings were dropped and a new company, the Briton Motor Company was formed with Edward Lisle junior in charge. Their policy was to produce good quality light cars at a reasonable price.

The cheaper Star models would now be Britons and the 10h.p. twin cylinder car became popular and sold in good numbers, but a 4 cylinder 10h.p. model did not prove successful sales wise. At the A.G.M. of the Star Cycle Company held at the Star & Garter Hotel on 29th January, 1909 the name was changed to the Star Engineering Company.

Star Engineering also had a stand at the 1907 Cordingley Show and displayed their first six cylinder car, a 30hp model with cylinder dimensions of 4.25" x 5", cast in pairs. Other features included a special automatic carburettor, magneto ignition, and automatic oiling. The three speed gearbox had direct drive on top.

Also on show was the 7h.p. that had been updated, a honeycomb radiator now replaced the earlier gilled tube affair and the tubular front axle had given way to one of ‘H’ section stamped steel. Star also proudly displayed parts of a car they had supplied in February 1906 to the Royal Automobile Club for use in teaching members and their servants to drive. Over the following year the car ran l0,000 miles and something like 550 lessons were given. Quite an arduous life, yet the cost of repairs and replacements during that time were reported as nil.

The following month it was considered expedient to dismantle the car for inspection. Only very slight wear was found in the gears and only one big end needed attention. Chains and chain wheels were also seen to be in excellent shape and like the clutch good for many more miles.

All this a wonderful testimony to the fine workmanship and materials used in Star cars, and the company made extensive use of it in their advertisements. Much the centre of attraction on the Star stand was a T.T. type l8h.p. car with side entrance Phaeton bodywork. It was powered by a 4 cylinder engine with cylinders of 4.25" x 5" and included magneto ignition, and a four speed gearbox with direct drive on top.

This model was based on cars entered in that years RAC Tourist Trophy races, a race Star contested three times, unfortunately each time without success. It would perhaps now be opportune to consider some of Star's competition efforts. Edward Lisle had not at all been put off by the lack of success of his car built for the 1903 Gordon Bennett race and decided to try again in 1905. The 1904 race had been won by Richard Thery driving a French Richard Brasier. The best performance by a Briton had been Sidney Girling's 9th place on a Wolseley. Charles Jarrott on a similar car claiming 12th place.

Two Stars were prepared for the 1905 eliminating trials which were to be held in the Isle of Man and would take the form of a race of about 300 miles over the mountain circuit. Also taking part would be four Napiers, two Wolseleys a Siddley and a Wier Darraque.

An advert from 1909.

Star suffered an early misfortune when Joe Lisle had been involved in an accident on Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton whilst testing one of the race cars. He was heavily fined and disqualified from driving. Due to this the organising club would not permit him to drive in the trials. Edward Lisle then engaged two brothers H. and F. Goodwin. Both were Star cycle agents and whilst they were well known as first class cycle racers they were complete novices when it came to motor racing. It is said that one had to be taught to drive before he could enter the trials. The cars were very much like contemporary Mercedes with four cylinders cast in pairs and dimensions of 139.7 x 165.1mm. They developed 90b.h.p. and had a four speed gearbox with a Hele Shaw spiral spring clutch and final drive by side chains. In its report 'Autocar' said they were splendid machines, fine examples of engineering and with almost every part made in the Wolverhampton works.

In the eliminating trials Napiers were the cars to beat. Over the flying half-mile Arthur Macdonald recorded 88.2m.p.h. and F. Goodwin could only manage 50m.p.h. on his Star. Unfortunately his brother had a lot of problems with leaking water jackets on his car. In the eliminating race only two cars completed the 300 miles; Clifford Earp's Napier and the Wolseley driven by Cecil Bianchi. H. Goodwin had managed to complete five of the six laps and was up to 6th place when forced out with mechanical trouble. F. Goodwin had also been in 6th spot at one time but fell out after three laps, including the fastest lap by a Star at 38.6m.p.h. The fastest lap of the day had fallen to Cecil Edge on a Napier with a speed of 56m.p.h.

The team chosen to represent England in the 1905 Gordon Bennett race were Earp on a Napier, Rolls and Bianchi on Wolseleys, and Cecil Edge and John Hargreaves on Napiers. In the race Theray again won for France on his Richard Brasier. Rolls proved to be best of the British team bringing his Wolseley into 8th place with Earp next and Bianchi 11th. This would prove to be the last Gordon Bennett race for cars, the following year it would be for balloons and from 1909 for aeroplanes.

Harry Goodwin's 70h.p. Star racer from 1905.

Earlier reference was made to the RAC Tourist Trophy races. These were to become very famous events that were first held in 1905 in the Isle of Man. The course was very similar to the one used from 1911 to the present day for the Auto Cycle Unions Tourist Trophy motorcycle races. Although Wolverhampton cars would perform well in the former they would not enjoy the great successes of the Wolverhampton motor cycle factories in later years. Two modified Star touring cars were entered for the 1906 T.T. but both retired about 50 miles from the finish when they ran out of petrol. They had not been well placed during the race.
The race was won by Hon. Charles Rolls driving a Rolls Royce at an average speed of 39.43m.p.h. for the 161 miles. Despite this poor showing Star were back again for the 1906 race with two cars.