BMC Group Ltd started out as the Bramhall Motor Corporation in 1950 as the creation of John and David Parsons, a pair of engineering graduates from the University of Manchester. They had sought investment from an oil tycoon who had a vested interest in the automotive industry, which they used to begin development of their first factory & car. Construction began in 1947 and by 21st August 1951 the company officially opened their doors. Their design office opened up whilst the factory was still being finished, allowing time for the design of the first vehicle to be finalised from the brothers original ideas. Machines and Tooling were also designed during this time, allowing for fitting and installation as soon as they arrived.
Due to some issues with their suppliers of steel and leather, their first car didn’t leave the factory until 15th January 1952, though sales were reasonable once dealers recieved their stock. This allowed the company to gain a foothold in the british automobile market and begin its expansion into one of the largest automobile groups in the world.
Growth and the Creation of BMC Group
By the late 1970’s, the Bramhall Motor Corporation had established itself as a huge rival in the world of automotive manufacturing, and in 1981 merged with known sports anduxury car manufacturer Brooklands. This merger would begin a long period of significant growth for Bramhall, leading to it owning a significant number of brands under its Umbrella.
In 1995, after purchasing struggling American manufacturer MAPCO, Bramhall Motor Corporation would rebrand as BMC Group, now with 5 active brands and 28 different models being produced across Europe and the USA. This would lead to a strong period of growth for the company in the early 2000’s off the back of significant investment in a brand new “Unified Type Engine Concept” (Shortened to UTEC), which began with the re-introduction of their L20A 4 cylinder in 2003. By 2014, the last non-UTEC engine was discontinued; the brooklands designed T63X V12. Only a short run of a redesigned K24A i4 reach out beyond this, but even this engine used technology derived from the UTEC research. To this day, BMC Group remains one of the strongest companies in a very competitive field.
Cars - Model Groups
Bramhall Victor
Years Produced - 1951 to 1972
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - C
Top Trim - 3.2 GTE (1966)
Replaced by - Bramhall Advanta
Bramhall Brookwood
Years Produced - 1935 to 1968
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - B
Top Trim - 2.4 GTE (1964)
Replaced By - Bramhall Venta
Bramhall Mica
Years Produced - 1964 to 1994
Generations - 4
Euro Segment - B
Top Trim - Excella (1980)
Replaced By - Bramhall Mara
Bramhall Brentham
Years Produced - 1969 to 1987
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - E
Top Trim - LSE (1982)
Replaced By - Bramhall Vulture
Bramhall Venta
Years Produced - 1969 to 1977
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - B
Top Trim - 2.4 GTE (1972)
Replaced By - Bramhall Vixen
Bramhall Firebrand
Years Produced - 1972 to 1988
Generations - 4
Euro Segment - S
Top Trim - GT Turbo (1992)
Replaced By - Bramhall Blackburn
Bramhall Advanta
Years Produced - 1973 to 1986
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - C
Top Trim - 3.2 GTE (1980)
Replaced By - Bramhall Excella
Bramhall Vixen
Years Produced - 1978 to Present
Generations - 8
Euro Segment - B
Top Trim - VSi (1984)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Match
Years Produced - 1985 to 1997
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - A
Top Trim - Si (1992)
Replaced By - Bramhall Mantis
Bramhall Spada
Years Produced - 1987 to 2002, 2008 to present
Generations - 6
Euro Segment - S
Top Trim - VSi (2019)
Replaced By - Bramhall SS-X
Bramhall Excella
Years Produced - 1987 to Present
Generations - 7
Euro Segment - C
Top Trim - VSi (2018)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Vulture
Years Produced - 1987 to Present
Generations - 6
Euro Segment - E
Top Trim - SS-L (1999)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Ventora
Years Produced - 1989 to 2007
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - D
Top Trim - SS (2001)
Replaced By - Bramhall Midas
Bramhall Rhodium
Years Produced - 1991 to 2003
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - J
Top Trim - Si (1998)
Replaced By - Bramhall Sahara
Bramhall Grandura
Years Produced - 1992 to 2010
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - M
Top Trim - SE (2005)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Mara
Years Produced - 1995 to Present
Generations - 5
Euro Segment - B
Top Trim - Si (2019)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Mantis
Years Produced - 1998 to present
Generations - 4
Euro Segment - A
Top Trim - VSi (2018)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall SS-X
Years Produced - 2003 to 2008
Generations - 1
Euro Segment - S
Top Trim - VSi (2003)
Replaced By - Bramhall Spada
Bramhall Sahara
Years Produced - 2004 to Present
Generations - 3
Euro Segment - J
Top Trim - VSi
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Midas
Years Produced - 2008 to Present
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - D
Top Trim - SE (2014)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Acropolis
Years Produced - 2010 to Present
Generations - 2
Euro Segment - J
Top Trim - Si (2017)
Replaced By - n/a
Bramhall Management
Bramhalls management has been a key cornerstone to the success of the company in a very competitive industry. The company has had a rigid structure with promotion from within its primary focus. This allows designers, engineers and managers to remain committed to their cause within the company, knowing they are likely to be promoted should they perform well. This assurance in the companies policy allowed its designers to take more risks and push the boundaries without the same risk to their careers, resulting in very technologically adept and well-balanced company. Below are some of the key people responsible for Bramhalls huge success.
Founders
John Parsons, David Parsons
CEO
John Parsons (1950-1979), Adam Benson (1979-1994), Michael McDowell (1994-2012), Bradley Lawrence (2012-Present)
CDO (Chief Design Officer)
David Parsons (1950-1979), Andrea Parrino (1979-2001), Derek Simmons (2001-2016), Jean-Dennis Duchart (2016-Present)
CTO (Chief Technical Officer)
Warren Scott-Davies (1950-1962), Christian West (1962-1977), Kieron West (1977-1982), Michael McDowell (1982-1994), Kevin Ryde (1994-2007), Karel de Lange (2007-Present)
Bramhall Motorsport Division
Within a business structured like that of the gargantuan Bramhall Motor Corporation it is not uncommon to see factory-run motorsport programmes. As the company has such a strong position within the automotive industry, Bramhall not only has factory-supported programmes, but an entire division based out of the Brooklands Automotive complex. This facility was opened during Brooklands time in F1 and was designated as the home faculty for all international competitions and customer vehicle production. The company has a long list of championships within which it has competed, with a hand in almost all kinds of racing throughout the world.
Much along the lines of the parent company, the management of Bramhalls’ Motorsport Division has been one of its strongest assets, and list below are some of the key staff who have continued to bring success to Bramhall’s motorsport ambitions.
Motorsport Director
Johnathan Vickers (1974-1981, Brooklands), Jason Fellowes (1981-1989), Christian Brook (1989-2003), Petter Fredderiksen (2003-2012), Michael McDowell (2012-Present)
Technical Director
Lucien Jabuille (1974-1979, Brooklands), Joshua Rohrer (1979-1992), Dennis Hailwood (1992-2005), Adrian Rossi-Aguilar (2005-Present)
Head of Aerodynamics
Thomas Knight (1974-1984, Brooklands), Nathan Jones (1984-1989), Derrek Simmons (1989-2001), Harrison Lee (2001-2007), Kevin Ryde (2007-2012), Lukas Mueller (2012-Present)
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