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Bond 875

Field	Value
image	Bond 875 Van 1970.jpg
name	Bond 875
caption	1970 Bond 875 Ranger van
manufacturer	Bond Cars Ltd
production	1965–1970
3,431 made
assembly	United Kingdom: Preston, England
class	Microcar
body_style	2-door saloon
2-door van
engine	Rootes Commer Imp van, 875 cc, 34 b.h.p.
transmission	4-speed manual
length	116 in
width	55 in
wheelbase	78 in
predecessor	Bond Minicar
successor	Bond Bug

3,431 made 2-door van

The Bond 875 is a small three-wheeled car partly designed by Lawrence "Lawrie" Bond and manufactured by Bond Cars Ltd in Preston, United Kingdom, from 1965 to 1970. There was also a van version from 1967, known as the Ranger.

The car was announced in August 1965, though volume production got under way only during summer 1966. The 875 used the lower-compression (8:1) four-cylinder 875 cc 34 b.h.p. four-stroke engine used in the Commer Imp Van from the Rootes Group. Crucially for the dynamics of the vehicle, this was rear-mounted, unlike in most other British three-wheelers of the era. It was the same basic layout as used in the Hillman Imp, installed as a complete package along with the Imps' transmission, rear suspension and rear wheels. However, because the 875 had a fibreglass body along with aluminium doors, and weighed less than 400 kg, the performance was good – better than the Imp. The low-compression engine meant it was able to run on "2-star" low-octane petrol, which was cheaper than varieties used by larger and more highly tuned engines.

The car's light weight enabled it to qualify for motorcycle road tax rates, and be driven on a motorcycle licence, but in order to keep the weight down, the interior trim and fittings were minimal.

Racing driver John Surtees drove the car at Brands Hatch in 1965, setting a fastest lap of 1:22 for the 1.24-mile circuit and attaining speeds over 100 mph. Bond played on the car's sporty reputation, track-testing a standard production version around the Silverstone Circuit in 1966, setting a lap time of 1:43.34 and reaching 76 mph through a timing trap along the Hanger Straight. Following the test, Bond refused to confirm or deny that they would be building a racing version of the car for 1967.

Development

A van version, the Ranger, was introduced in April 1967.

Styling changes, including rectangular headlamps, a new front grille, a larger bonnet opening, and revised seats, heralded the "Mark II", announced in April 1968. Other changes included the fitting of a heater as standard equipment.

Specification and performance

Capacity: 875 cc, 34 b.h.p.
Weight:
0-60 mph: 16 seconds
Top speed: 80 mph
Fuel economy: 50 mpgimp - 55 mpgimp
Tyres: Michelin X radial
Price new: £500

Road test

The British Autocar magazine tested a Bond 875 in September 1966. The car's superior power-to-weight ratio converted into superior performance outcomes. It had a top speed of 82.8 mph and accelerated from 0-60 mph in 22.5 seconds. An "overall" fuel consumption of 34.5 mpgimp was recorded. That put it usefully ahead of the contemporary 850 cc Morris Mini on maximum speed and acceleration, as well as on fuel economy. The manufacturer's recommended price of the Bond was £506, which was higher than the £478 price for the Mini, but less than the recommended retail price of £549 for the comparably sized Imp. The testers commended the Bond's performance and economy, but found the three-wheeler unstable at high speed. They thought the gear box and brakes good, but were disappointed by "poor seats and detail finish".

References

(2001). "Vehicle Modifications By Chassis Number". The Bond Owners Club.
Culshaw. (1974). "Complete Catalogue of British Cars". Macmillan.
(8 July 1967). "News and Views: Bond 875 in Production".
(Autumn 1965). "John Surtees tries a three-wheeler". Knightsbridge Publications.
"Brands Hatch 1960-75 Club Circuit". RacingCircuits.info.
Marshall, Tony. (1999). "Microcars". Sutton Publishing Ltd.
Main-Smith, Bruce. (24 December 1966). "Bond Bomb at Silverstone". Temple Press Ltd.
(11 April 1968). "News and Views: Bond 875 Mark II".
(9 September 1966). "Bond 875 Three-wheeler".

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

three-wheeled-motor-vehicles microcars bond-vehicles cars-introduced-in-1965

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