Prior to 1925, when Vauxhall was taken over by General Motors, the firm was renowned for producing handsome, finely engineered cars that put it on a par with Bentley or Sunbeam.

Introduced in 1922, the 23-60 was a development of the 4.0-litre, four-cylinder, sidevalve-engined D-Type Vauxhall of 1913, which had been designed by the firm's famous Chief Engineer, Laurence Pomeroy.

Production of the original D-Type was maintained during WWI when the model was widely used as an army staff car.

Manufacture continued after the cessation of hostilities, though Pomeroy departed and his place was taken by Charles Evelyn King, who designed a new overhead-valve detachable cylinder head for both the D-Type and its legendary sporting stablemate, the 30-98.

Updated with King's OHV 'head in mid-1922, the model was known thereafter as the 23-60 or OD and was built until 1926, by which time the Luton firm had become part of the General Motors conglomerate.

The OD 23-60 Vauxhall was a popular overs...