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The aim of this study is to explore the attempts by early twentieth century cyclecar manufacturers in the UK and USA to segment the personal transportation market and to position early cyclecars through the development of unique product attributes and advertising. More specifically, the authors speculate about early twentieth century British cyclecar marketing strategies that implicitly recognized a sports car segment and positioned cyclecar brands to meet the needs of that segment.

The primary source material for this research is a sample of 205 print ads and articles from the early twentieth century (1912-1921) specialty magazines devoted to cyclecars in the UK and USA. We combine the content analysis of the sample of ads with a critical reading and interpretation of a sub-sample of those same ads.

Between 1910 and 1921, a new form of personal transportation was developed that combined the technology of motorcycles with the utility of automobiles. Known as “cyclecars”, these vehicles were typically constructed from off-the-shelf motorcycle parts and assembled in small batches by a myriad of manufacturers. Current scholarship suggests that the cyclecar craze of the 1910s ended with the introduction of low cost “real” automobiles such as the Ford Model T, Austin 7 and Morris Oxford. We use the content analysis of cyclecar advertisements to construct a brand-positioning map of this emerging segment of the transportation market. We argue that while the core cyclecar positioning was in direct competition with small economically positioned cars such as the Ford Model T, a significant part of the market, primarily centered in the UK, could be considered as for sports cars. That segment of the cyclecar market, along with the development of cyclecars into urban delivery vehicles, continued over time and has re-emerged today in a range of three-wheeled sports cars, including the updating and continuation of the British Morgan 3 Wheeler model which was launched during the heyday of cyclecars.

The authors can only speculate about the impact of the Ford Model T in this study. Further research on that issue is needed.

This is the first historical study of cyclecar marketing. Most of what little has been published about cyclecars focuses on their design and technology.

Lubricants for four‐stroke motorcycles have traditionally been rebranded versions of those used for passenger car engine lubrication. Recent developments in passenger car engine oils with the intention of improving fuel utilisation efficiencies were not compatible with some of the specific requirements of four‐stroke motorcycle powertrain lubrication. The effect of using such lubricants on the various components of the motorcycle powertrain, including the engine, clutch, gearbox, starter system drive and back torque limiter is described. The subsequent development of a new specification specifically for use in four‐stroke motorcycles is described.

The interwar period was a time of technological and social change. This paper aims to understand how these changes impacted the marketing communication of mobility through the lenses of safety and of the changing place and role of women in society.

The research is based on a review of over 2,000 posters together with visual and textual material from the contemporary specialist press and company brochures, magazine advertisements and promotional film.

As women’s place in society developed during the interwar period, they became travellers and decision makers in their own right. Companies responded to and influenced these changes by encouraging women to take opportunities previously beyond their reach. However, even within this context, women were seen to retain a priority for safety linked to their more traditional societal roles. This message was set within the context of a wider safety communication dependant on the maturity of the mobility technology. Established modes of transport took a connotative approach whilst the new technologies (cars and airlines) were far more explicit in their claims.

The paper provides an approach to understanding the impact of advertisers’ technologies (new or established) on the style and content of their marketing. As such it can be used in other areas besides those discussed in this paper: for example, in a comparison between traditional car engine technologies and emergent “green” alternatives.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first cross-modal comparison of marketing communications by companies representing the majority of key mobilities. Further, whilst there is considerable discussion on topics such as gender and motoring, other sectors (for example, women airline passengers) have been given scant research attention.