The Big Six had no ignition key ritual — just press the accelerator and the starter motor kicked in, then disengaged itself once the engine caught. Vauxhall called it "Pedomatic."
Median 60 hp across 102 similar cars
Lead trim: Big Six BX 20 hp 2.4 six (52 bhp at 3,900 rpm)
Vauxhall Big Six BX/BY/BXLBIG-SIX-BX · 1934–1937
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Vauxhall Big Six BX/BY/BXL yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Big Six had no ignition key ritual — just press the accelerator and the starter motor kicked in, then disengaged itself once the engine caught. Vauxhall called it "Pedomatic."
The Vauxhall Big 6 series (1934 to 1940, rolling chassis also bodied in Australia by Holden) began with the BX/BY: a lengthened 111 in Cadet with a conventional chassis, semi-elliptic springs all round, Vauxhall-Lovejoy hydraulic dampers, wire wheels, the engine mounted further forward, and the BXL long-wheelbase (130 in) version for coach-built bodies. The smaller 20 HP BX had a 2393 cc six (73 mm bore) producing 52 bhp at 3900 rpm; the 27 HP BY had a 3180 cc six (81 mm bore, 95 mm stroke, based on the VY Cadet with an improved head and 5.6:1 compression). The 4-speed gearbox had "silent third" and synchromesh on 3rd and 4th, with twelve-volt electrics and the unique "Pedomatic" starting system (depress the accelerator to start; manifold vacuum disengages the starter). Styled like the 1934 Chevrolet Master, the standard six-light saloon cost £325 and the long-wheelbase limousine £550, with a 7-seat Newmarket saloon added in 1934 and coachbuilt bodies from Grosvenor and Martin Walker; 1935 brought a body-colour grille, a covered wing-mounted spare and new front seats. The Motor's BY reached 72 mph and 0–60 mph in 28 seconds (1934), and Autocar's BX 0–60 in 36.5 seconds (1936), exceeding 70 mph (the 36.5 s is beyond the catalogue's 0–60 field, so it is stated here only). 3,788 BY/BX and 796 BXL were built. Wheelbase 111 in (130 in BXL), length 170 in (184 in).
Collectors Spotted in the Vauxhall Big Six Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Vauxhall Big Six yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Six BX 20 hp 2.4 six (52 bhp at 3,900 rpm) | 1934–1937 | 2.4 L Inline-6 | 52 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Big Six BY 27 hp 3.2 six | 1934–1937 | 3.2 L Inline-6 | — | — | 28.0 s | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This Big Six carries a quiet distinction — it was the last chassis Vauxhall ever designed in-house before the marque's engineering independence faded.
The Big Six had no ignition key ritual — just press the accelerator and the starter motor kicked in, then disengaged itself once the engine caught. Vauxhall called it "Pedomatic."
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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