Scotsman Alexander Govan served his apprenticeship in the cycle industry in Redditch, near Birmingham, taking careful note in the very infant days of the motor car of his employer's move towards importing the new-fangled motor car for re-sale.

Govan returned to Scotland in 1899, obtained financial backing from Warren Smith of the National Telegraph Company and set up business in the Hozier Street premises in Bridgeton of the defunct Scottish Cycle Company.

Govan established the Hozier Engineering Co.

and designed and built his first voiturette before the turn of the century.

Early Argyll cars used De Dion and MMC engines.

Govan's cars were immediately successful, although it is thought that this cannot be attributed entirely to his own genius as the new cars bore an uncanny resemblance in design to the contemporary Renault models.

A vertical, single-cylinder engine was forward mounted, driving through a three-speed gearbox with shaft drive to a live rear axle.

A distinctive wrap...