The two companies that Eventually Merged to Form The Phoenix-Trident Motor Corporation in 1952, The Phoenix Auto Group and Trident Motors Both Date from 1920 and 1912 Respectively.
Before 1939 Trident had been a relatively successful engine manufacturer and automotive design consultancy company and was often contracted to design and produce engines and designs for small, specialist manufacturers who could then focus their talents on other aspects of automotive design. In the depression torn 1930’s they produced a small economy car called the Trident Dalton which, while rather dull, did sell a modest amount of units.
Phoenix however were an upmarket and exclusive brand who took on the ultra luxury brands. Phoenix first worked with Trident in 1931 with an engine project that resulted in talks of merging the two companies which, if not interrupted, would have resulted in the two companies merging some time in late 1942.
During the war howver, the merger talks were put on hold and both Phoenix and Trident’s factories produced war material. It was due to this war production and the subsequent economy-first policy of the 1945 government that secured funding to assist with the merger which was complete by 1949.
The new corporation, The Phoenix-Trident Motor Corporation, then started developing their new models for the 1950s and as such decided to replace their pre-war engine line up with a new range of engines from 1 liters to around 7 liters to be released en-masse in 1952. PTMC also allowed the designs for these engines to be licenced to other manufacturers and would form a subsidiary to operate their external design and engineering projects in 1953 called ‘PTMC Automotive Design and Engineering’
More History and Timeline W.I.P
Their Corporate Plan would be rather straight forward and simple :
Trident would aim to cover the more mass produced end of the market, covering sectors usually from 1 liters to around or above 4.5 liters. This would be done via a range of premium specified and branded cars, aiming to earn higher profits and to produce better trimmed and better quality cars than others who tended to make cars that were dull, basic and sparsely equipped. The image Trident wished to build for themselves was a maker of safe, sensible, well appointed, often quirky or sporty cars that had an air of quality and solidity about them.
On the other hand, Phoenix would produce lavishly appointed, hand built, expensive cars for the rich that were built to order and would act as a ‘Halo’ Brand for the corporation. AMong their range would be Luxury saloons, Coupes and limosines whilst making very sucessful supercars and other such models