Austin Cambridge History
Austin's mainstream family saloon of the 1950s–60s — from the rounded A40/A50 to the Pininfarina-styled 'Farina' A55 Mk II and A60.
Photo: “1954 Austin A50 Cambridge Saloon (15297858720).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
The Cambridge name covered Austin's volume family saloon for fifteen years. The first cars — the A40 Cambridge and the more powerful A50 (both from 1954) and the A55 Mark I (1957) — were rounded, traditional designs.
From 1959 the A55 Cambridge Mark II introduced the crisp, fin-tailed Pininfarina styling shared across BMC's 'Farina' saloons, carried on by the 1.6-litre A60 Cambridge of 1961–1969. The A60 alone accounted for 276,534 cars, and Cambridge-based vans and pickups continued into the early 1970s.
Generations
A40 / A50 Cambridge · Pre-Farina
Photo: “1954 Austin A50 Cambridge Saloon (15297858720).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Rounded post-war styling; A40 (30,666 built) and the more powerful A50 (114,867 built).
1954 Photo: “1954 Austin A50 Cambridge Saloon (15297858720).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A55 Cambridge Mark I · A55 Mk I
Photo: “Austin A55 Cambridge (1957) (48852203801).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Larger-bodied development of the A50, still in the pre-Farina idiom; about 154,000 built.
1957 Photo: “Austin A55 Cambridge (1957) (48852203801).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A55 Cambridge Mark II · Farina
Photo: “Austin A55 Cambridge Farina (1960) (32876264822).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
First of the fin-tailed Pininfarina 'Farina' BMC saloons; 149,994 built.
1960 Photo: “Austin A55 Cambridge Farina (1960) (32876264822).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A60 Cambridge · Farina A60
Photo: “Austin A60 Cambridge (1964) (36374460286).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1.6-litre development of the Farina saloon with toned-down fins; 276,534 built — the best-selling Cambridge.
1964 Photo: “Austin A60 Cambridge (1964) (36374460286).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1966 Photo: “Austin A60 Cambridge (1966) (51176491471).jpg” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- 4-door saloon
- Estate
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Austin Cambridge
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