1930

This is arguably the most important British car ever built. On its introduction in 1922 it effectively wiped all the other affordable light and cycle cars on the British market. It really did bring motoring to the masses, well those who could afford £149 which meant the comfortably off lower middle classes. Unlike so many budget cars of the period the Seven was an example of scaled down motoring rather than scaled up motorcycling. The Austin Company had a well-deserved reputation for quality, so the small car actually had a big car feel. Top speed was a useful 50mph, but even more importantly it also returned 50 miles to a gallon of petrol. Tough, reliable and easy to drive it was more than a car effectively becoming a four-wheeled friend. No wonder the name ‘Chummy’ stuck.