The original six-cylinder Wolseley Hornet range of two models (Coachbuilt & Fabric Saloons) was launched in April 1930 with much fanfare and surprise among sections of the motoring press. It was after all, the smallest and cheapest ‘six’ on the market and quickly gained a reputation for its nimbleness in traffic. Its achilles heal was it lack of interior space as both versions used an almost identical body to that fitted to the 1930 range of Morris Minors. Wolseley reacted quickly to this criticism by launching a further two saloon models (just five months later) in September 1931 with more spacious bodywork. The new bodies were wider and longer at the rear as can be seen in this rare snapshot photo of the model. Twelve months further on, an entirely new version of the Hornet Saloon was released, this one sitting on a new chassis in which the engine was mounted further forward than was possible in the Minor derived model. Surprisingly, both the original and extended body versions were sold alongside one another throughout the 1931 season.
