Alta Car Logo and Alta history

Alta Car and Engineering Company history

Alta was a British pharmacy building racing cars, founded by Geoffrey Taylor. Alta entered Formula 1 in 1950 and has competed in 5 Grand Prix World Championship until 1952. Alta has also developed race engines used by many private stables as British Connaught Emeryson, HWM or Cooper.

Geoffrey Taylor based his dispensary racing in the late 1920s and began designing its own cars in 1937. If Alta does not dispute that still racing cars, the long-term commitment remains the Grand Prix Formula 1. The first Alta Formula 1, the GP model was designed in 1948 and is driven by a motor home, Alta 1.5 L4C (four cylinders in line 1 500 cm3).

In the early days of World Championship Formula 1 in 1950 at Silverstone, Alta provides two models for GP Joseph Kelly and Geoffrey Crossley running privately. The car has a tubular chassis and independent suspension very advanced. Pilots call back of the grid and does not shine for their home Grand Prix since Crossley abandons the 43rd round on a transmission problem while Kelly finished with 13 laps behind the winner Giuseppe Farina. At the Belgian Grand Prix, his commitment Crossley Alta and ends in a respectable 9th place after qualifying 12th. The Alta took the start only three times in Grand Prix in 1950.

The following year, again privately, Joseph Kelly is again the start of his home Grand Prix at the wheel of the Alta GP, but as in 1950, it will not be classified because it ends too far behind the winner. This is the last race in world championship GP model.


In 1952, Alta's new car designs, the F2, lighter than its predecessor and still driven by a motor home (4 cylinder, 1970 cm3 for 150 hp). The F2, which responds to the new model regulation Formula 2 (engine capacity of more than 2 000 cm3) was initiated privately by Peter Whitehead and George to Grand Prix of France and Great Britain. Peter managed a good qualifying (13th) but must leave in France while his half-brother to qualify in 12th position and will not progress at his home Grand Prix (he finished 12th, his starting position). These two are the only departures from the previous season and Alta, who leaves the world championship, almost bloodless after trying to produce a new car to accommodate a customer engine.

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