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Austin Cars
Herbert Austin returned from Australia to manage in Birmingham the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company in 1893. Wolseley also built bicycles and Austin designed a small car which was marketed by Wolseley from 1900. Wolseley Tool and Motor Company was bought by Vickers in 1901, and Herbert Austin left this company to set up on his own in Birmingham in 1905. Although the Austin car business did well, after the First World War the market was different and Austin cars relied on the 20hp car which was too big. Receivership caused the 'Baby Austin' (Austin Seven) to be launched in 1922 backed up by the Twelve from 1922. Lord Austin died in 1941, and Leonard Lord who had joined Austin in 1938 became chairman in 1946. Leonard Lord took Austin into a merger with the Nuffield Organisation (Morris) in 1952 to form the British Motor Corporation and Lord saw that Austin dominated this joint venture. During the 1960s BMC cars were very innovative but not profitable, and further mergers saw Austin become part of British Leyland in 1970, and virtually nationalised by 1975. The 'Austin' brand was finished by 1987 and the products continued in production until bought by Chinese businesses.
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British Cars | Simon Cars | ||||
Austin Memories website | Austin Rover online |