Austin | Classic-car-images

A collection of images of classic Austin cars, and cars that are likely to become classics, taken at numerous visits to car shows, motoring museums, motoring events and on the road when the opportunity arises.

The Austin Motor Company Limited was a British manufacturer of motor vehicles, founded in 1905 by Herbert Austin in Longbridge. In the First World War Austin made aircraft for the Army and Navy, it was this work which led to the rapid expansion of the company; following the war the company stopped making aircraft. In 1952 it was merged with Morris Motors Limited in the new holding company British Motor Corporation (BMC) Limited, keeping its separate identity. The marque Austin was used until 1987 by BMC's successors British Leyland and Rover Group. The trademark is currently owned by the Chinese firm SAIC Motor, after being transferred from bankrupt subsidiary Nanjing Automotive which had acquired it with MG Rover Group in July 2005.

1900

1907 Austin 30hp Tourer, OA 6030

Image taken at British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire, on 10th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 1st December 1907.
5278cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
The oldest surviving Austin car.
This 30hp car is the oldest known surviving Austin. Although the company was founded in 1905 and drawings for the proposed 'Austin' were displayed at the 1905 Motor Show, it was not until April 1906 that Herbert Austin drove the first completed car out of his new Longbridge factory in the suburbs of Birmingham.
While Austin's previous car designs, executed for the Wolseley company, had been characterised by transverse engines with horizontal cylinders, the Longbridge cars had vertical in-line engines and shaft drive to a live rear axle soon became standard.
The original model was the 25/30hp which embodied a number of features to be used on the majority of Austin cars until 1914, notable an engine with separately cast cylinders and side valves, forming a T-head where inlet and exhaust valves were on opposite sides of the cylinder.
It is thought that this car was originally the station bus for Birmingham Parks and was converted to an ambulance (possibly during World War One) and for many years served as the Longbridge works ambulance. It then languished for a long time before being finally re-built with this Edwardian-style touring body.
Engine: 4cyl. 5187cc. Top speed: 40mph (64km/h). Power 29 RAC hp. Coachwork: tourer. Price new: £650. Registration mark: OA 6030.

1907 Austin 30hp Tourer, OA 6030

Image taken at British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire, on 10th November 2024.
Vehicle first registered on 1st December 1907.
5278cc petrol engine.

The notice displayed with the vehicle states:
The oldest surviving Austin car.
This 30hp car is the oldest known surviving Austin. Although the company was founded in 1905 and drawings for the proposed 'Austin' were displayed at the 1905 Motor Show, it was not until April 1906 that Herbert Austin drove the first completed car out of his new Longbridge factory in the suburbs of Birmingham.
While Austin's previous car designs, executed for the Wolseley company, had been characterised by transverse engines with horizontal cylinders, the Longbridge cars had vertical in-line engines and shaft drive to a live rear axle soon became standard.
The original model was the 25/30hp which embodied a number of features to be used on the majority of Austin cars until 1914, notable an engine with separately cast cylinders and side valves, forming a T-head where inlet and exhaust valves were on opposite sides of the cylinder.
It is thought that this car was originally the station bus for Birmingham Parks and was converted to an ambulance (possibly during World War One) and for many years served as the Longbridge works ambulance. It then languished for a long time before being finally re-built with this Edwardian-style touring body.
Engine: 4cyl. 5187cc. Top speed: 40mph (64km/h). Power 29 RAC hp. Coachwork: tourer. Price new: £650. Registration mark: OA 6030.

1900

1920

1930