International GB

International (GB) 1898-1904
International Motor Car Co.(Ltd from 1900), London, England.

This company never built a car, although a few were assembled in their showrooms in Great Portland Street in London, and some work was undertaken at their service depot in Kilburn. However, a number of cars were sold under the International name, starting with the International-Benz, in fact a French-built Roger which was not selling well in its own country. International probably thought that less sophisticated English buyers would snap it up, although they did add a few improvements such as a reverse gear and locally made bodywork. Single and 2 cylinder variations on the Benz theme were made up to 1901, later cars being bought from Germany when Emile Roger's business closed down.
In 1899 International offered a "light 2 seater racing car" with wheel steering, a Benz based 12hp with wheel steering, pneumatic tyres and double phaeton coachwork at £800, and a 9hp "vibrationless" flat twin which was not of Benz origin. They became a limited liability company in 1900 when they approached two Coventry firms, Allard and Payne & Bates, to make designs for them. The Payne & Bates was unsatisfactory but the Allard-built International Charette, introduced in November 1900, sold in some numbers. It was a belt drive light car with front-mounted vertical engine of 823cc, of De Dion Boutron type, designed to run at only 1000rpm, a coal scuttle bonnet and rack & pinion steering. It sold for £165. Early cars were rated at 5hp, later increased to 6hp, and both 2 and 3 speed models were offered. All Charette chassis were driven from Coventry to London under their own power. The Charette was dropped after 1903, and apart from the Mountaineer motorcycle, the later cars sold by International were of French origin. The Armstrong of 1902 had an 1100cc single cylinder engine and Renault type shaft drive, while the Portland (1903-04)used Aster engines in a variety of sises from a 6hp single to a 24hp four. The smallest Portland was still available in 1904, but by this time International were maily cocerned with importing the Diamant. By 1905 they were no longer in business.