Sometimes called the 'Austin Metropolitan' or the 'Nash Metropolitan', the Metropolitan started as the Nash NXI concept in 1950 designed by William Flajole, and was contracted out to Austin Motors because it would be cheaper than building it in USA. Austin used their own 1,200cc engine from the Austin A40 Somerset, and later the 1,498cc (1955) version of the Austin Cambridge B-series engine. For the 1956 model year the Metropolitan was revised gaining a new simpler grille, zig-zag chrome trim on duotone models and the 1500 engine to create the Metropolitan 1500. In 1959 the Metropolitan was given a bootlid for the Series IV, About 95,000 Metropolitans were sold As Nash or austins in North America, but some Series III and Series IV cars were sold as Austin Metropolitans or simply 'Metropolitan' in Britain and Europe. The Name 'Metro' was later given to the Austin MiniMetro in 1980.