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Ok... If you were searching for the origin of "Bling", your search is over my friends! Here it is!... The Granddaddy of it All... The Humber Sceptre MKIII, by Rootes. I really don't know what those Rootes executives were thinking, or smoking for that matter, back then when they decided to make a "Posh" version of Hillman Hunter. But they did think of some demographic buyers for the Sceptre MKIII. The Sceptre MKIII was never produced nor was available in Iran, I guess they thought that probably even the Iranians would laugh at it ;)
Humber Sceptre MKIII did carry the engine configuration from the Hunter GLS, and it also had an overdrive gear on the transmission. I found it really the odd child in the Hunter range, but nevertheless still quite fascinating, and collectible now.
You can read a bit more about Humber Sceptre MKIII in this article by Rod Grayon.
That's not bling!! Check out my Mk II Sceptre on my website at http://myhumbersceptre.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletePeter
Rootes had always liked to make the most of brand differentiation, and the large Humbers had gone, so it was quite natural to apply the Sceptre name once more in this manner, hardly odd at all. In fact, back in Britain this was becoming all the rage - executive Sport saloons opitomised by the Ford Cortina 1600E and a niche later occupied by BMW in their droves. This is a sector we Brits utterly adore, well appointed medium saloons with some get up and go. I guess it might be an odd concept for Iranians? But there we go. We're odd over here too ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe GLS had twin Webers whereas the Sceptre was on Strombergs of course. Merits are debated but the Sceptre was an easier day to day prospect.
It has been stated on this site that a Humber Sceptre variant was not available in Iran. However, in the Iranian film Frontier Blues two taxi drivers are used - the first used a standard Paykan but the second driver used a Sceptre - the same mock walnut dash, double headlight config, fabric roof and wheel trims.
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