1 . 5 - lit re ▁class ▁- ▁the ▁E - Type ▁Wy vern ▁was ▁a ▁significantly ▁larger ▁car ▁than ▁its ▁direct ▁compet itors . ▁The ▁new ▁car ▁would ▁be ▁launched ▁for ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁alongside ▁new ▁Vel ox / Cr esta ▁models ▁which ▁could , ▁corresponding ly , ▁be ▁slightly ▁en larg ed ▁since ▁their ▁body ▁no ▁longer ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁shared ▁with ▁a ▁model ▁in ▁the ▁class ▁below . ▁ ▁The ▁small ▁model , ▁named ▁the ▁F - Type ▁Victor ▁was ▁announced ▁first ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁Although ▁its ▁engineering ▁followed ▁familiar ▁V aux hall ▁lines ▁- ▁a ▁unit ary ▁structure , ▁independent ▁front ▁susp ension ▁with ▁co il ▁spr ings , ▁a ▁leaf - spr ung ▁live ▁rear ▁ax le ▁and ▁a ▁ 1 . 5 - lit re ▁four - cy l inder ▁overhead ▁val ve ▁engine ▁with ▁a ▁three - speed ▁manual ▁transmission ▁with ▁column - mount ed ▁change ▁- ▁it ▁was , ▁by ▁necessity , ▁virt ually ▁all ▁brand ▁new . ▁The ▁driv et rain ▁was ▁largely ▁lifted ▁from ▁the ▁out going ▁E - Type ▁Wy vern , ▁but ▁the ▁engine ▁received ▁a ▁higher ▁compression ▁ratio ▁and ▁updated ▁car b uration ▁to ▁account ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁w ides p read ▁avail ability ▁of ▁high ▁oct ane ▁fuel ▁and ▁so ▁made ▁more ▁power . ▁St y list ically ▁the ▁Victor ▁followed ▁the ▁familiar ▁V aux hall ▁tr end ▁of ▁following ▁American ▁sty ling ▁tr ends , ▁although ▁the ▁Victor ▁took ▁this ▁to