The long-tail Westminster — and the twin-carburettor A105, tuned exactly like the Austin-Healey 100-Six.
The A95 arrived in the autumn of 1956. The wheelbase was stretched two inches over the A90 by redesigning the rear springs and moving the axle, and with it came a lengthened tail, a wrap-around rear window, a lower boot sill and a new grille, plus the Countryman four-door estate with its horizontally split rear door and a new Borg-Warner automatic option. 28,065 were built. The A105 actually came first, in May 1956, as the performance version: twin SU carburettors, 102bhp at 4,600rpm and 141lb ft at 2,600 — the same tune as the Austin-Healey 100-Six — with Borg-Warner overdrive standard and the car sitting an inch lower than the A95. Only 6,770 were made, which makes it the rarest of the pre-Farina Westminsters.
The A105 has two distinct bodies, and that is the thing to establish before ordering. Cars built between May and October 1956 use the original short-boot A90 shell and are very rare indeed; from October 1956 the A105 uses the longer A95 body. From the spring of 1958 both cars could be had with a centre floor gearchange. “Westminster” was quietly dropped from A95 sales literature. A Vanden Plas A105 with a special interior and Princess badging followed a request in 1957. In Australia the A95 was sold as the Morris Marshal — 1,341 sedans, 54 Traveller wagons and 30 panel vans.
Austin A95 & A105 Westminster — specification & changes within the model
- A95
- Autumn 1956 – 1959, 28,065 built. 2,639cc C-series six, around 92bhp. Saloon and Countryman estate.
- A105
- May 1956 – 1959, 6,770 built. Same 2,639cc C-series with twin SU carburettors, 102bhp @ 4600rpm, 141lb ft @ 2600rpm — the Austin-Healey 100-Six tune.
- Two A105 bodies
- May to October 1956 cars use the original short-boot A90 shell and are very rare. From October 1956 the A105 uses the longer A95 body and sits an inch lower.
- A90 vs A95
- Wheelbase 8ft 7¾in → 8ft 9¾in, achieved by redesigning the rear springs and moving the axle. Lengthened tail, wrap-around rear window, lower boot sill, new grille.
- Gearbox
- Four-speed, column change. Borg-Warner overdrive optional on the A95 and standard on the A105. Borg-Warner automatic newly available from autumn 1956. Centre floor change optional from spring 1958.
- Brakes
- Girling hydraulic, 11in drums, two leading shoes at the front.
- Bodies
- Four-door saloon. Countryman four-door estate from the A95, with a horizontally split rear door.
- Vanden Plas
- An A105 with a special interior and Princess badging followed a 1957 request.
- Australia
- The A95 was sold there as the Morris Marshal, 1957–1960, built at Victoria Park NSW and Brisbane — 1,341 sedans, 54 Traveller wagons, 30 panel vans.
