Hillman Imp History

Launched in 1963, the Imp was a complete departure for Hillman: a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive small car powered by a 875 cc water-cooled overhead-cam aluminium-alloy four derived from a Coventry Climax racing design. It was the first British mass-produced car to have both the engine block and cylinder head cast in aluminium.

Built at a brand-new, government-encouraged factory at Linwood in Renfrewshire, Scotland, the Imp was Rootes' answer to the BMC Mini. Early cars suffered reliability problems — partly from a rushed launch and an inexperienced workforce — that dented its reputation, but the design was genuinely clever and the little car excelled in motorsport, notably in rallying and saloon-car racing.

Around 440,000 Imps were built over thirteen years across several body styles and badge-engineered siblings (the Singer Chamois, Sunbeam Imp Sport, and Sunbeam Stiletto among them). Production continued to 1976, when the Linwood-built car was discontinued alongside the retirement of the Hillman marque.