Austin Model History

United Kingdom · founded 1905

British mass-market marque founded by Herbert Austin at Longbridge in 1905 — maker of the Austin 7 and the original Mini, later folded into BMC and British Leyland and retired in 1987.

Models

Austin 7

The car that motorized Britain — a cheap, light 1920s–30s economy car whose design seeded BMW, Jaguar, Nissan and Lotus.

Economy car · 1922–1939
Austin A30 / A35

Austin's first monocoque car and the debut of the legendary BMC A-Series engine — launched as the 'New Austin Seven'.

Economy car · 1951–1959
Austin A40 Farina

A Pininfarina-styled small Austin whose crisp 'two-box' shape and split-tailgate Countryman foreshadowed the hatchback.

Small car · 1958–1967
Mini

Alec Issigonis's space-saving icon — launched as the Austin Seven in 1959, it pioneered the transverse-engine front-drive layout used by most small cars since.

City car · 1959–2000
Austin Cambridge

Austin's mainstream family saloon of the 1950s–60s — from the rounded A40/A50 to the Pininfarina-styled 'Farina' A55 Mk II and A60.

Mid-size car · 1954–1969
Austin 1100 / 1300

Britain's best-selling car for much of the 1960s — the Issigonis/Pininfarina ADO16 with front-wheel drive and Hydrolastic suspension.

Compact car · 1963–1974
Austin Maxi

One of the first true five-door hatchbacks — the last car Issigonis designed and the last BMC design, with a rare five-speed gearbox.

Family car · 1969–1981
Austin-Healey 100 / 3000

The 'big Healey' — a muscular British roadster from the Austin/Donald Healey joint venture, a rally and sports-car icon.

Sports car · 1953–1967
Austin-Healey Sprite

The cheeky, affordable little roadster — the first-series 'Frogeye' (Bugeye in the US) with its pop-eyed headlamps is a cult classic.

Sports car · 1958–1971
Austin Allegro

British Leyland's notorious small family car — remembered for its 'quartic' square steering wheel and as a byword for 1970s BL quality woes.

Small family car · 1973–1982
Austin Metro

British Leyland's make-or-break supermini of 1980 — 'a British car to beat the world', later the basis of the MG Metro hot hatch.

Supermini · 1980–1990
Austin Maestro

Austin Rover's Escort/Golf-class five-door hatchback — home of the quick MG Maestro and a famous talking dashboard.

Small family car · 1983–1987
Austin Montego

Austin Rover's Sierra/Cavalier-class saloon and estate — the last all-new car to wear the Austin badge before it was retired.

Mid-size car · 1984–1988

Other makes