Iconic Cars

ADO16. Better known as Austin / Morris 1100 / 1300 but was sold under several other marques as well, brought Mini technology to the family car but with a lot more refinement. The best selling car in Britain for years even when newer models came along.

In 1962 this was space-age technology. Front wheel drive, hydrolastic interlinked fluid suspension, synchromesh gearbox. Fantastic and timeless styling by Pininfarina as well. One of the best looking cars ever made. Over 2 million sold.

Early Mk.I:

Late Mk.III:

Meanwhile your Ford equivalent had a crash gearbox, rear wheel drive and cart springs. And was still flogging a grossly outdated chassis in the Sierra 25 years later.

BL replaced it with the Austin Allegro which was inferior in every single respect.

xxx FZO = late spring 1981 Dublin reg.

Maybe in the US. Certainly not "affordable for the masses" on this side of the Atlantic.

Wing mirrors.

Most cars in the 70s had 'em but you had to pay for all sorts of things as 'extras' then. Even seat belts which were legally required were extra.

They'd give that sort of job to the apprentice at the car dealer. So apprentice drills hole in wing, doesn't put primer or rust proofer on hole, installs mirror or radio aerial (remember the ones you had to pull up?). 2 years later you have a big rusty hole in your wing where the wing mirror or aerial used to be 🤣