Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
The Standard Vanguard Vignale Estate is a mid-sized station wagon produced by the Standard Motor Company between 1958 and 1961. The model represented the…
The Standard Vanguard Vignale Estate is a mid-sized station wagon produced by the Standard Motor Company between 1958 and 1961. The model represented the estate variant of the Vanguard Phase III saloon, and incorporated stylistic revisions executed by the Italian coachbuilding firm Vignale, under the direction of designer Giovanni Michelotti. These changes were commissioned by Standard-Triumph as part of a broader strategy to modernize the aesthetic identity of its post-war model range while retaining mechanical continuity. The vehicle retained the Phase III’s monocoque construction and front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration. Power was supplied by a 2088 cc inline-four engine producing approximately 68 brake horsepower, coupled with a three-speed manual transmission as standard. A four-speed gearbox, available with an optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive unit, was later introduced. From 1960, a revised engine of 1998 cc displacement and six cylinders was made available, offering increased power output and smoother operation. Suspension comprised independent front coils and a rear live axle with leaf springs. Braking was by hydraulic drums on all four wheels. The estate body was notable for its horizontally split tailgate, permitting independent opening of the glass upper section and the lower panel. This configuration facilitated access to the rear load space, which could be expanded via folding rear seat backs. Interior accommodations provided for five occupants. Vignale’s revisions to the exterior included a new front grille, deeper windscreen, modified rear window treatments, and alterations to brightwork and body-side detailing. These changes differentiated the estate from its saloon counterpart while preserving structural commonality. Production figures for the Vignale Estate were modest, and the model was manufactured concurrently with the Vanguard saloon until its discontinuation in 1961. The vehicle was ultimately superseded by the Vanguard Six and related Ensign derivatives, which adopted more contemporary mechanical and stylistic features. The Standard Vanguard Vignale Estate exemplifies a mid-century collaboration between British automotive engineering and Italian stylistic intervention. It occupies a transitional position within the history of the Standard marque, illustrating both a reliance on existing mechanical architectures and an increasing openness to external design influences in the context of the international post-war automotive market.
The story of Carrozzeria Vignale represents one of the many somewhat forgotten success stories born against the backdrop of an Italy that was torn apart by the Second World War and which, starting from the end of the 1950s, was able to recover enough to know a real miracle. economical just a few years later.
