Designed in Detroit, built in Birmingham by Austin, and sold here in right-hand drive as the Austin Metropolitan.
Conceived by Nash-Kelvinator in America and styled by William Flajole, the Metropolitan is the odd one in any Austin list: an American design built entirely at Longbridge, with bodies by Fisher & Ludlow — a firm Austin bought outright in September 1953, immediately before production started. It sold as a Nash, then as a Hudson after the two merged, then from September 1957 simply as a Metropolitan through Rambler dealers. Right-hand-drive production began in December 1956 and British sales opened on 2 April 1957, with New Zealand among the right-hand-drive markets. Around 9,391 cars were built for the UK and overseas, out of roughly 95,000 in all.
Watch the name and the series. The cars carry only “Metropolitan” badges — there is no Austin badge anywhere on the body — but the chassis plate is an Austin plate, and the factory, the trade and the public all called it the Austin Metropolitan. Series I used the 1200cc Austin A40 engine with a mechanical clutch; Series II from August 1954 moved to the 1200cc B-series and a hydraulic clutch; Series III from November 1955 brought the 1,489cc B-series, two-tone paint and a new grille. The opening boot lid arrived with Series IV in January 1959 — but right-hand-drive buyers could not get a Series IV until the second British run began in August 1960, so a 1959 or early 1960 right-hand-drive car still loads through the rear seat.
Austin Metropolitan — specification & changes within the model
- Built
- October 1953 – 19 April 1961, all at Longbridge. About 95,000 in all; 9,391 for the UK and overseas markets.
- Series I
- From October 1953. 1200cc Austin A40 engine, 42hp, 7.2:1. Mechanical clutch.
- Series II
- From August 1954. 1200cc BMC B-series (65.5 × 89mm). Hydraulic clutch.
- Series III
- From November 1955. 1,489cc B-series (73 × 89mm), two-tone paint, revised grille and bonnet, “Metropolitan 1500” designation. 52bhp, raised to 55bhp with the 8.3:1 compression change of October 1957.
- Series IV
- From January 1959 — and this is the one with the external boot lid. Earlier cars load through the rear seat back.
- Right-hand drive
- RHD production from December 1956, UK sales from 2 April 1957. UK Series III to January 1959; Series IV not available here until the second run from August 1960, to February 1961.
- Gearbox
- Three-speed manual, column change, synchromesh on second and top only. Borg & Beck clutch.
- Brakes & suspension
- Girling hydraulic drums all round, two leading shoes at the front. Independent wishbone and coil front derived from the A30; live axle on semi-elliptic leaves at the rear. Cam-and-peg steering.
- Electrics
- 12 volt.
- Bodies
- Two-door hardtop and two-door convertible, throughout. Unitised steel body with a vestigial chassis frame.
- The badge question
- No Austin badge on the body — only “Metropolitan” — but an Austin chassis plate, and Austin built the whole car. Everyone calls it an Austin Metropolitan.
