Rare Derbyshire-made Paramount sports car goes on display at museum

The vehicle was the fifth Paramount car ever made, according to the Great British Car Journey museum

A rare sports car built in the early 1950s has gone on display after it was bought at an auction.

The vehicle - said to be the fifth Paramount car ever made - was discovered at a classic car auction.

The car has undergone a huge restoration after being purchased for £4,000 by the Great British Car Journey museum in Ambergate, Derbyshire.

Richard Usher, the founder and director of the museum, said bosses had no idea the car existed until the sale.

It was the fifth car ever made by Paramount Cars at its factory in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

The firm later moved to Melbourne, also in the county, and then to Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire before production ceased in 1956.

Only 16 Paramounts were produced in Derbyshire, with 76 made in total.

Mr Usher thought it was "highly unlikely" any other Derbyshire-made Paramount cars existed

Mr Usher said: "The car is beautifully made.

"It is testament to the skills of the craftsmen who made her, as the bodywork is full of complex curves."

Mr Usher said the museum nearly missed out on the rare vehicle.

"I got an email from one of our Facebook followers to say 'there's a very rare Derbyshire car going under the hammer tomorrow'," he said.

"We consider ourselves experts in British classic cars, but even the Paramount was a mystery to the team here. We had no idea this car even existed.

"The Paramount really is a forgotten piece of Derbyshire's motoring heritage."

Mr Usher said he would like to trace another Paramount car made in Swadlincote, but he thought it was "highly unlikely" any still existed.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].