1945 - 1952 PMI Calliope Mk.I
Let us turn our eyes towards PMI in war-torn Europe now. Although, that has to be nuanced, as the Calliopes were manufactures in the UK, where the infrastructure was intact. Nonetheless, the first passenger car of PMI in Europe was a simple affair relying heavily on recycling World War II technology.
The chassis used was that of a light army truck, with coils in the front but leaf springs for the rear suspension. The engine was equally a PMI light army logistics truck powerplant. The highly undersquare OHV-4 cylinder engine (73,0x106,0mm) produced high torque but a measly 52 horsepower. Officially referred to as the 184 (here the 18 refers to 1800cc and the 4 to the number of cylinders) weighed a metric ton and was by no means fast. Top speed was somewhere between 120-130km/h (80-85mph) and acceleration with the 3-speed manual gearbox was a creeping 26 seconds from 0-100 (0-61).
In late 1948, a new version, the 226, became available, outfitted with a new 2,2 litre OHV straight six PMI engine (also highly undersquared at 68,3x100,0mm). The power unit produced 75 horsepower and made for a remarkable smooth ride. Next to the engine and gearbox ratio, the 226 had larger drums in the rear than the 184 and featured a padded dashbord as safety feature, but was for the rest identical. Top speed was increased to 145km/h (90mph) and acceleration from a standing start dropped below 18 seconds.
The truck chassis underneath made the Mk.I very utilitarian and allowed to carry almost up to a metric ton of cargo. Coupled to this was the interior, one of the few areas were no expense was saved. The Mk.I offered plush and comfortable seats front and rear, allowing 6 adults to take place in the car. This is the reason the Mk.I stayed in production until 1952, downpriced the last 2 years, seeing continued sales to farmers and artisans as family car that could double as a hauler.
