The ‘Super Excellent’ Vauxhall 30-98 Tourer Sporting Car 

The 30-98 was manufactured by Vauxhall at Luton, Bedfordshire from 1913 to 1927. In its day, its best-known configuration was the Velox standard four-seater with an open tourer body. Veloxveloc – is Latin for swift or fleet, and it is the source of the English word velocity.

Vauxhall’s own description was the: “SuperExcellent 30-98hp Vauxhall-Velox Sporting Car.” The 30-98 is also known to enthusiasts by Vauxhall’s chassis code E (4.5-litre side-valve engine) or OE (4.25-litre overhead-valve unit). The 30-98 was the first car that was guaranteed by its manufacturer to be capable of attaining 100mph.

1920 Vauxhall 30-98 Tourer

This picture of the H-8455 is a three-owner-from-new 1920 30-98 E-type, and was taken by me at the Concours of Elegance 2020. It has a four-cylinder 4.5-litre side-valve powerplant, two-wheel brakes and a ‘short scuttle’ body. Car number E251, it was driven from Leicestershire to London ahead of the Concours 100 years to the day since it left the works.

Its first owner was an Argentinian horse breeder who purchased it from the South American agent for Vauxhall; Harrods of London in Buenos Aires. It was used by the family for many years, including local race events in its later life. Colin Crabbe repatriated it to the UK in 1994 and, after restoring it, won a Vintage Sports-Car Club (VSCC) concours before immediately setting off on a series of worldwide rallies across Russia (where it was driven by HRH Prince Michael of Kent), India and San Francisco.

The current owners purchased the maroon and black Vauxhall in 2006. Since then, they’ve used it for every motoring activity they can think of, including family holidays abroad and VSCC racing, sprints, rallying, hillclimbs and more. The car is featured in Colin Crabbe’s book Thrill of the Chase, as well. In short, they say they think it is a fabulous car – if somewhat ‘patinated’.

ENGINE

4.5-litre, four-cylinder, monobloc, side-valve, 90bhp, single carburettor

CONFIGURATION

Front-engine, four-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, separate chassis, semi-elliptic springs front and rear, drum brakes at rear only, plus transmission brake

Please follow and like us:

Read more on

Leave a Reply

Please write your reply below. We will not publish your email address.

By registering your comment you are signing up to our newsletter and T&Cs

One thought on "The ‘Super Excellent’ Vauxhall 30-98 Tourer Sporting Car "

  • Richard Currie says:

    I am facinated to see this car which is almost identical to a 30 98 number QE 168 which I have recently acquired. This car is the ony 30 98 in South Africa. There were 3 of these incredible cars in South Africa all of which came from Kenya. I can send photographs via Watts App if required. QE 303 was also in South Africa and belonged to Errol Penny whos sold it to Roy Lyons who exported it to Austyralia and then back to the UK where I see it is being offered for sale.

Have a Competition you’d like to advertise on My Car Heaven?

Get in touch and we can make that happen for you.

Find Out More

The Ultimate Guide To The Timeless Beauty Of The 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC

10 Unusual and Super-Special Cars at Salon Privé 2025

How to Understand the Legendary 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo and Why It Still Inspires

Get in touch with us

Looking to advertise on My Car Heaven?
Would you like to join our team, or have an enquiry for us?

Find out how

Receive My Car Heaven updates

Subscribe to the My Car Heaven Newsletter to be kept up to date with all the latest posts, competitions and happenings.

[mc4wp_form id="14609"]
Terms & Conditions