United Kingdom · founded 1905

Austin Model History

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.

13 models

The complete catalog

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

Models

Austin 7

Austin A30 / A35

Austin A40 Farina

Mini

Austin Cambridge

Austin 1100 / 1300

Austin Maxi

Austin-Healey 100 / 3000

Austin-Healey Sprite

Austin Allegro

Austin Metro

Austin Maestro

Austin Montego