Austin Motor Co. Ltd. Longbridge, Birmingham, UK 1906 - 1970

Austin-Morris Div.of BLMC Corp. Ltd., Birmingham 1970 - 1975

British Leyland UK Ltd. Longbridge, Birmingham, UK 1975 - 1978

BL Cars Ltd. Longbridge, Birmingham, UK 1978 - 1982

Austin-Rover Group, Longbridge, Birmingham, UK 1982 - 1989

The company was formed by Herbert Austin as a result of his being refused permission to build a vertical engine whilst he was at Wolseley where he had started with their sheep shearing company in Australia before returning to the UK to set up a factory for them. This move was brought about by his desire to improve the quality of their product by bringing the manufacture of components "in house". The move into motors would have been a natural progression for any young and aspiring engineer of that time.

The first Austin was large by today's standards with a 4 cylinder engine of 5,182cc, side valves on either side of the engine in T formation and chain drive to the rear axle. Known as the 24/30hp this was a very conventional design but would have been very reliable. It was replaced in1907 by the smaller 18/24 with an engine of 4,396cc and shaft drive. Other models built during this period were the 40hp four and the 60hp six with an engine capacities of 5,838cc and 8,757cc respectively. Three sixes were enlarged to 9,657cc for the 1908 Grand Prix race and these 100hp racers were the only British entries apart from Napier. Although they were not competitive against the more developed continental racing cars they did at least finish in 18^th and 19^th place. One was driven by Lord Brabazon of Tara and it survives today in the Heritage Museum at Gaydon. Car production reached about 200 a year by 1910.

From 1910 Austin built the first 7hp, a single cylinder (Swift design) and the Gladiator was also built under licence from the French company and car production rose to about 1100 a year by 1912.

By 1914 the company was offering a range of 4 cylinder cars. The "Ten" a 10hp of 1,616cc, the "Twenty" a 20hp of 3,168cc and the "Thirty" with an engine capacity of 5,883cc and electric starting and lighting.

The wartime period was given over to munitions and the workforce rose from about 2,600 to over 22,000 and Austin, impressed by American production methods, decided on a "one model" policy for peacetime and mass production to take advantage of this capacity. The new model was based on the pre-war Twenty enlarged to 3,620cc and with many detailed improvements. Unfortunately the production of about 12,500 a year was too ambitious for the period and the company reduced this down to 4,000 by 1922. This, in turn, was too low a figure for the company to remain profitable and so it went into receivership in 1921.

The company was restructured with Herbert Austin and Harvey du Cros charge. Their policy was to introduce a smaller version of the "Twenty" with an engine capacity of 1,661cc and designed the "Twelve" which lowered the RAC horsepower related road tax and the purchase price to £450 for the basic tourer model.

The advertising slogan was "You buy a car, but invest in an Austin" and many owner were still running a "Twelve" thirty years later. Production peaked at about 14,000 in 1927, but it is interesting to compare this figure with Chrysler who commenced production in 1924 with 120,000 units!

In the early post war, austerity, years Austin was convinced there was a market for a "baby" car along the lines of the Peugeot Quadrilette. The managers put in by the company's creditors the Midland Bank and Eagle Star did not agree (nothing much changes!) and so he retired to Lickey Grange, his country home, where he worked on what was to become the Austin 7. He was assisted by an 18 year old draughtsman named Stanley Edge who convinced him that the "baby" Austin should have a water cooled 4 cylinder engine and four wheel brakes. The car that resulted from this intensive exercise sold over 375,000 in all it's forms by the time production ceased in 1939. It also made a whole generation of racing drivers famous and was the starting point for the 750 Motor Club from which many of the present racing car designers apprenticed.

The car was so influential in British motoring circles that it is featured as a separate entry.

With the popularity of the new "Twenty" and "Seven" the fortunes of the Austin Motor Company began to improve and the three model policy was gradually expanded to include a "Ten" from May 1932, a "Light Twelve Four" in 1933 and a "Light Twelve Six" in 1934. The larger models all fitted six cylinder engines and the "Twenty" which had replaced the earlier model of the same name in 1927 had a capacity of 3,400cc, the "Sixteen" 2249cc and the "Eighteen" 2,511cc. There were numerous body styles available on all models and interestingly the "Light Twelve Six" had German sports saloon coachwork by Ambi-Budd which was also used by Adler.

The last few years before the Second World War saw a gradual change in body styles and construction techniques, but little advance in engine and chassis design. The only new models were the "Big Seven" which was a heavier and stronger "Seven" with a cast iron engine of 900cc introduced in 1938 and the "Eight" which used the same engine. The "Big Seven" was nothing special, but it did achieve sales of 23,514 before war stopped production.

The "Eight" remained in production in open top form as a military vehicle during the war.

Once again Austin had a "good war" and the factories turned out all manner of armaments and even complete aircraft (Fairey Battle, Avro Lancaster, Hawker Hurricane, and Hadley Page Stirling). Naturally they also produced cars, utilities and trucks for military use.

The post war model range was announced in September 1944, even before the Armistice was signed, and the cars were based on the same body pressings from 1939. There was one notable exception which was the new "Sixteen" fitted with the first "overhead valve" Austin engine of 2,199cc in the body of the "Twelve". It was particularly popular in the export markets which was essential for the company's continued survival as steel was rationed on the basis of export sales. It was, for the time, quite a good car with leather upholstery, sliding sunshine roof, wood trim and an opening windscreen (for hot climates). It was capable of a respectable 75 mph and remained in production until 1949. The old "Ten Four" remained in production until 1947 as did the "Eight" and "Twelve".

The first all new post war models were the large "Sheerline" with "razor edge" styling similar to the just pre-war Rolls Royce and the "Princess" which was bodied by Vanden Plas. They used the 3,993cc overhead camshaft engine from the Austin 5 ton truck and the early versions had cable brakes which required the driver to have powers of perception normally associated with driving the early "Seven". Very reliable cars, excellent for funereal duties.

The end of 1947 saw the introduction of the A40, Devon 4 door and Dorset 2 door saloons. These replace all models up to and including the "Twelve" and with a lively 1,200cc overhead valve engine sold well with over half of the production of 354,000 being exported. It was revised in 1952 as the Somerset and finally in 1955 as the Cambridge. There were large numbers exported to the Colonies and as recently as 1995 it was possible to ride in one as a Taxi in Jamaica, watching the road rush by through the holes in the floor was however rather disconcerting!

Two further new models were unveiled at the 1948 Motor Show, the A70 Hampshire replacing the "Sixteen" and the altogether more modern A90 Atlantic convertible which was unashamedly aimed at the American export market. It featured a large, by UK standards, 4 cylinder 2,660cc ohv engine all enveloping body and a waterfall chrome front radiator grill. Unfortunately the Americans did not take to it as it was not big enough (4 cylinders were not enough by half) and too expensive. This was in spite of strenuous promotion and record attempts organised by Alan Hess and a stalwart team of drivers. A two door saloon version was introduced in 1950 but was even less successful and only about 8,000 were built. The engine was very sound and was the foundation for the much more successful Austin Healey sports cars.

Since the Austin "Seven" ceased production in 1939 there was a gap in the model range for a small Austin. In 1951 they announced the A30 with an ohv 803cc four cylinder engine initially called the Austin Seven in an attempt to "cash in" on the popularity of the pre-war model, but public opinion could never accept this so it always remained the A30. It broke new ground, being the first small car to have unitary body/chassis construction which employed the body outer skin as a stressed member and a hypoid rear axle. In 1957 the engine of the A30 was increased to 948cc and it became the A35 and was outwardly distinguishable by the larger rear window in the saloon model. There were also van, small estate and even a very few pickups available. In saloon form it was tuned by Don Moore and raced successfully by, amongst others, the Cambridge Racing Team whose drivers included Gerry Boxall, Chris Threlfall and John Aley. This team also took a number of endurance records. The A series engine was also fitted in the Austin Healy Sprite.

The merger with Morris in 1952 did not immediately result in a spate of new models. The A35 was replaced by the hatchback A40, designed by Pininfarina, and a trendsetter at the time. The Cambridge became the A50 and then the A55 in 1957. It became a "badge engineered" Morris in 1959 as did the A90 which became the A110.

By 1960 Austin had all but ceased as a car marque. However the result of the merger with Morris was that in future all chassis were inspired by Alec Issigonis, but the Austin designed engines lived on under the bonnets. The Austin name was retained merely as a badge until it was finally phased out in 1989.

There are several clubs catering for Austin models other than the "Seven" which has it's own section.

The Austin 10 Driver Club:

The Austin Cambridge Westminster Car Club : Secretary, Mr J. Curtis, 4 Russell Close, East Budleigh Salterton, Devon, EX9 7EH

The Vintage Sports Car Club: Secretary, Stuart Pringle, The Old Post Office West Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5EL

Bibliography :

Lord Austin, The Man: Zoe E Lambert & R. J. Wyatt : Publisher: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1968

The Austin, 1905 - 1952: R. J. Wyatt : Publisher David & Charles, 1981

Complete Catalogue of Austin cars since 1945 : Anders Clauager : Publisher :

Bay View Books, 1992