A-Z Of Marques: Leyland

The marque: Lancashire lorry-maker which sealed the fate of the UK car industry.

The history: Henry Spurrier set up shop in Leyland, Lancashire, to build lorries. In 1920 his company brought out its first car, the grandiose Leyland Eight.

Just 18 were made before Leyland returned to trucks, acquiring AEC, Albion, Crossley, Maudslay and Thorneycroft, and in 1961 Standard-Triumph. Rover-Alvis was added in 1966, and in 1968 the Labour government encouraged a merger with BMC-Jaguar to create British Leyland.

But BL did not rationalise model ranges and factories enough, nor reduce overmanning. Its first post-merger car was the Marina, and Leyland culture dominated as individual marque identities got lost

Heading for bankruptcy, BL was nationalised in 1975. But Jaguar broke away and old names died off. BL became Austin Rover and later Rover, while Leyland trucks found a new owner in Dutch company DAF.

Defining model: Austin Allegro, worse in nearly every way than the car it replaced.

They said: We're motoring.

We say: Into oblivion.