The pre-war racers of a landmark English constructor celebrating 90 years

For 90 years, the voiturette racing cars produced by English Racing Automobiles in the 1930s have engendered passion and national pride. Motor racing in the 1930s was dominated by German and Italian marques, but in 1933 three British enthusiasts decided to get their country into the spotlight.

ERA was the brainchild of designer Peter Berthon, racer Raymond Mays and financier Humphrey Cook.Rather than try to go head-to-head with Maserati, Bugatti and the fast-emerging German teams, ERA aimed at the second-tier voiturette racing, loosely the Formula 2 of the time. Built in Bourne in Lincolnshire with engines based on the six-cylinder Riley unit, the first car was unveiled at Brooklands in May 1934.