Austin-Healey Sprite History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
Start with a make and model. Add a year where a detailed guide is available.
Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
Browse this model's history and yearsHistory
Introduced in 1958, the Sprite was the small, cheap Austin-Healey, built to put open-top sports-car fun within reach using humble A-Series running gear. The original Mark I is beloved for its raised, pop-up-looking headlamps, earning the nicknames 'Frogeye' in Britain and 'Bugeye' in the US.
Later Sprites (Mark II onward, from 1961) adopted more conventional styling and were sold alongside the near-identical badge-engineered MG Midget. The Sprite name ran until 1971.
Body styles
- Roadster
Notable special editions & performance variants
Sprite Mark I 'Frogeye' / 'Bugeye'
The original Sprite with fixed pop-eyed headlamps and a one-piece front-hinged bonnet; a cult classic.
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Austin-Healey Sprite
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.