Austin Motor Company facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Austin Motor Company

Industry	Automotive
Founded	1905, merged as lead partner with Morris 1952
Headquarters	Longbridge, Birmingham, England, UK
Key people	Herbert Austin, founder
Products	Automobiles
Parent	(British Motor Company, British Leyland, Austin Rover, Rover Group) Now Nanjing Motor Corporation

Austin was a famous British company that made cars. It started making cars in 1905. Later, in 1952, Austin joined with another big car company called Morris. They formed a new company called British Motor Corporation. Over the years, this company changed names to British Leyland and then Rover Group.

Austin stopped using its brand name on cars in 1987. By 1989, no new cars from the Rover Group had the Austin name. Today, a company called Nanjing Motor Corporation owns the Austin name. They have said they might bring the Austin brand back in the future.

The Story of Austin Cars

Austin's Early Years (1905-1952)

Austin Motors showroom in London, around 1910

A 1926 Austin Seven, a very popular small car

A 1954 Austin A30

A 1963 Austin Mini, a true icon!

A 1974 Austin Princess

A 1983 Austin Metro

The Austin Maestro

The Austin Montego

The Austin company was started in 1905 by a man named Herbert Austin. At first, they made cars in Rotherham, Yorkshire. Soon after, they moved their factory to Longbridge, which is near Birmingham.

During the First World War, Austin helped by making aircraft for the Army and Navy. This work helped the company grow very quickly. After the war, Austin stopped making planes and focused only on cars. The company became the biggest car maker in Britain.

Joining Forces: British Motor Corporation (1952-1968)

In 1952, Austin joined with its main competitor, Morris. Morris was founded by William Morris. Austin became the main partner in this new company, which was called the British Motor Corporation (BMC).

After joining Morris, Austin's car models changed a lot. The most famous car from this time was the Austin Mini. This car was also sold as a Morris Mini. It was made until the year 2000, though it stopped being an Austin after 1987. Austin was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s.

Challenges with British Leyland (1968-1986)

In 1968, BMC joined with another company called Leyland. This new, much larger company was named British Leyland. Even though Leyland was smaller, it became a very big group.

The years with British Leyland were quite difficult. In 1975, the British government took over British Leyland. Austin's share of the car market went down. Other car brands within the company also struggled. This led to the Morris name being stopped in 1981.

There were many worker strikes at British Leyland's factories. This made the company less productive compared to car makers from Japan and Europe, like Volkswagen. Many of the cars from this time did not sell well. Some were seen as old-fashioned, and others were thought to be unreliable. Cars like the Austin Princess and Austin Allegro were newer designs. However, the company mostly made saloon cars. The Austin Maxi was the only hatchback, but it was not very popular.

The Rover Group Era (1986-1987)

In 1986, British Leyland changed its name to the Rover Group. Even though the Austin Metro, launched in 1980, was a huge success, the company still faced problems. In the 1980s, Austin sold the most cars within the British Leyland group.

However, when the company became Rover Group, they started to focus more on the Rover name. Rover was seen as a more fancy or "upmarket" brand. In 1987, the company started to slowly remove the Austin name. By 1989, the Austin name was no longer used on any of their cars.

Will Austin Return?

Today, the Austin name is owned by Nanjing Motor Corporation. This company has said it is interested in bringing the Austin brand back. They currently make cars under the MG brand. The MG brand used to make sports cars. Nanjing Motor Corporation might use the Austin name for its regular, everyday cars in the future.

Famous Austin Car Models

Austin made many popular cars over the years. Some of their most famous models include:

• The Austin Seven (1922-1939)
• The Austin A30 (1951-1956)
• The Austin A35 (1956-1959)
• The Austin A55 Cambridge (1954-1971)
• The Austin Mini (1959-2000, but only as an Austin until 1969)
• The Austin 1800 (1964-1975)
• The Austin 1300 (1967-1974)
• The Austin Maxi (1969-1981)
• The Austin Allegro (1973-1983)
• The Austin Princess/Ambassador (1975-1984)
• The Austin Metro (1980-1998, but only as an Austin until 1987)
• The Austin Maestro (1983-1994)
• The Austin Montego (1984-1994)

Images for kids

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  Herbert Austin in 1905, starting his new car company.

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  A 1907 Austin 30hp car.

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  A 1908 Austin 100hp Grand Prix Race Car.

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  A 1920 Austin Twenty 3.6-litre allweather coupé.

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  Bantam's first prototype, the BRC Pilot model ("Old Number One").

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  A Datsun model 16, also known as the Ruby Seven.

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  An Austin Seven Ruby from 1938.

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  The "winged-A" badge on the bonnet of new Austin models from 1947 to 1956.

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  An A40 Sports from around 1951.

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  A 1979 Maxi.

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  An Montego, first launched in 1984.

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  Austin's factory in Longbridge.

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  A 1935 Light 12/6 with an Ascot body.

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  A 1946 Austin 12 (1465cc).

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  A Sixteen Westminster saloon from 1932.

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  A Sixteen Carlton 7-seater from 1934.

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  A Twenty Mayfair from 1936.

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  An Eighteen Norfolk from 1938.

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  A Princess IV from 1956.

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  A 1937 low-loader taxi.

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  An Austin LWB truck from 1954.

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  An Austin A200FT truck from 1962.

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  An Austin light van from around 1964.

See also

In Spanish: Austin Motor Company para niños