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David Ogle (1922-1962) was a very charismatic designer with a great personality. In 1940 he joined the Fleet Air Arm. He flew the Supermarine Seafire in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and France's south. He rose to the rank of Lt Commander and was awarded the DSC and the MBE. He was educated at Rugby School and briefly studied Law at the University of Oxford.
After the war, he attended the Central School of Art and Design in London, studying industrial design. After working as an industrial designer at Murphy Radios, David Ogle founded his own industrial design company in 1954. Designing the very successful Bush radio TR-82 in 1959 was starting a new era. In 1960 David decided to branch out into car design and manufacturing, with the four-seater coupé based on Riley 1.5 mechanicals. Only eight Ogle 1.5 were made. The stunning and revolutionary Ogle SX 1000 coupé was produced more successfully from 1962 to 1964. The curvaceous GRP body was based on Mini parts.
Ogle also designed the beautiful SX250 body based on Daimler SP250. This was shown at the 1962 London Motor Show and impressed British specialist company Reliant so much that this was modified to become the Reliant Scimitar GT Coupé. Ogle then took the Scimitar and created the Triplex GTS estate special made with Triplex heat-absorbing glass. This car, with the registration number 66OGLE, became the property of HRH Prince Philip for a time.
Tragically, in 1962 David Ogle died in a car accident on his way to Brands Hatch race circuit with an Ogle SX 1000. This also ended the company´s car manufacturing life.
Source: www.oglenoor.com
Images: leroux.andre.free.fr; www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au; www.sussexsportscars.co.uk; www.shorey.net
