We're showing the Austin 1800, this time in the outfit of the Morris 1800, which however, would only be available somewhat later. The technology inside however, is absolutely identical, as it also is in the respective Wolseley model, the 18/85. The car was the logical follow-up to the range which started with the 1959 Mini and the 1962 1100. Perhaps in this model, the advantages of the transverse mounted engine and the front-wheel drive, will become even more obvious.



The amount of space is not as conspicuous on the front-seating or in the luggage compartment, but on the rear seat-bench. This is supported by having numerous storage possibilities (see above picture) found under the later, wood panelling which housed the dials and switches. The conservative bodywork design was orientated on the lines of the 1100 and one notices the participation of Pininfarina. Only in 1969 did the Maxi appear, a real, somewhat shorter saloon, with roughly the same technology.



The car was way ahead of its time, there was only one other comparable front-wheel drive car, the Citroën DS, its design however, could not depict the modernity. With the 1100, Pininfarina was obviously given much more creative freedom than with this project. This car was too much like the 1100 for his liking. Technically seen, the car turned out to be very heavy, because Issigonis insisted on doing without the subframes that the Mini and the 1100 had.

The advantage that the car had of having a very torsion resistant body were cancelled out by the heavy steering, which was typical in front-wheel drive vehicles. Thus the steering remained ponderous and sluggish. At the same time, the car became too expensive and alone, through its appearance and its price, the car never reached the boundaries of profitability. If only it had at least, had a good reputation.

It wasn't only the wobbly dip-stick, which obliged the customers to put in too much oil. The English Wikipedia-page is full of reported breakdowns, indeed, improvements followed almost every month, always then of course, after many of the defects had been widely discussed in the press. Have a listen to the rapidly increasing import-figures leading up to the 1973 London Motor-Show in the last video on this page. 03/15