Shortly after the introduction of the MGB, work began apace on a potential replacement – little did the crew at Abingdon realize that it would soldier on through the end of the next decade – and it was decided that the rear suspension of the next car should have a more modern design (a decision…
There is a Laura Branigan song here for those of a certain age and for others this may remind you of a Christmas carol. Following the success of the Super Seven and the Southern Cross, Triumph launched the Gloria range in 1933. Built using various proprietary parts and clothed in coachwork designed by its own…
The Austin A40 Sports evolved from a series of joint venture projects between Austin and Jensen Motors. Inspired by the Jensen Interceptor, Austin’s Chairman Leonard Lord wanted to sell a Jensen bodied touring car using A40 mechanicals that would serve as a “halo” car for the entire A40 model range. The car was designed by…
If you have owned a British car and most of you that visit this page have owned several, then the term MOWOG has likely been a part of your life for years. What does it mean, however, and how did the word find its way onto countless cars from Austin, Morris, Wolseley, MG and Healey?…
As an automotive designer, Freeman Thomas has styled some of the most iconic designs of the past several decades. The guiding hand behind the original Audi TT, the striking Volkswagen New Beetle, the imposing visage of the Chrysler 300C and the resurrection of the Ford Mustang, Thomas honed his skills at Porsche, Audi, VW and…
Produced from 1953 to 1958, the MG Magnette ZA and ZB made its debut at the 1953 London Motor Show at Earls Court. Designed by Jerry Palmer – who had earlier designed the Jowett Jupiter – the MG saloon marked the first appearance of the near legendary B-Series four-cylinder engine and was the first monocoque…
The Austin Gipsy was announced in 1958 as a replacement for the Champ which had been produced for the Royal Army. The small utility vehicle was intended as a commercial rival to the increasingly popular Land Rover and was hoped to sell to both civilian and military customers. The first vehicle produced with an independent…
More so than any other individual, Sir John Black had the greatest influence on Triumph in the postwar era. Born in 1895 in Surrey, his nascent legal career was derailed by World War I during which he first served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve before transferring to the Royal Tank Regiment serving as a…
When BMC discontinued A90 engine in favor of a larger Morris designed engine for its larger Austin, Morris and Wolseley sedans, Donald Healey was forced to abandon plans to adopt the 100S competition engine for production use and find a way to install the corporate C-series six-cylinder engine into its small roadster. Despite seeming to…
The first captive import to be sold in the United States, the Nash Metropolitan was also one of the first subcompact cars to enter production in the American marketplace. Designed in the United States by William Flajole, the small car was intended to serve as cheap transportation for the increasing number of multi-car families and…
