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1949 Austin A90 Atlantic 
Class: Cars, Convertible — Model origin: 
![[*]](/res/star.png){kind=small}
Minor action vehicle or used in only a short scene
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◊ 2007-02-16 17:19
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This is a 1950 Austin A90 Atlantic drophead coupe, finished in Seafoam Green. Although the model was launched at the 1948 Motorshow at Earls Court, no production cars were actually built until the spring of 1949, shortly after the record breaking attempt at Indianapolis by Alan Hess, Charles Goodacre and Dennis Buckley in April of that year. This particular car is very well known within Austin circles and is unique in having modified rear wheel spats very similar to those of the contemporary Jaguar XK120. This modification was carried out very early in the life of this car at the behest of its first owner. So distinctive was the result that when the car was restored in the late 1980's and early 90's this feature was retained, although the owner has a restored original rear end to be grafted back onto the car when it is repainted in the near future... Built with the lucrative post war American market firmly in mind, the Atlantic was not a success stateside, with barely 350 cars exported, despite best efforts by the Austin Motor Company and a number of forward looking features, such as curved windscreen, hydraulically operated windows and hood, central fog light and 90+MPH performance, despite interesting handling characteristics! It was however, more successful on the home market and indeed down under where there is a thriving club to cater for and preserve expamples of this brave vision of the future. Of 7981 cars produced, there remain perhaps less than 300 worldwide, with just 30 or so on the road in Britain. Dropped by Austin in 1952 with the announcement of BMC, the engine and gearbox of the Atlantic found a more successful home in the Austin Healey 100 BN1. The Atlantic was much misunderstood in its day and time has been a little more kind and surviving examples are now highly prized by their passionate (and usually slightly eccentric ) owners. I can say that, as I own one! -- Last edit: 2007-02-16 17:21:42 |
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