AUSTIN A40 FARINA STILL SPRIGHTLY AND STYLISH AT 60

Arguably the most eagerly awaited British small car since the Morris Minor, the Austin A40’s major influence is often underestimated today. The car deserves a better 60th birthday than this, so read on… and learn!

The A40 was far more than just a sweet and neat package in which to house basically a load of bits that also went into its predecessor, the Austin A35. Not only did the newcomer represent the first flowering of BMC’s soon to be extremely intimate relationship with the Italian design house we now know and love as Pininfarina, but its two-box, twodoor style was nigh-on revolutionary at the time.

As the world struggled to cope with such innovation in 1959, BMC delivered a true blinder. The A40 had a fixed rear window and opening tailgate, but then came the A40 Countryman, on which the rear window and its panel could open upwards. Operate this and the tailgate, and you had unhindered access to the luggage area – in other words a hatchback – years before the Renault 5 and Volkswagen Polo. Another first for the UK!

A panel was also provided so that you had a flat floor, an innovation of such greatness that several countries (possibly) abandoned their space programmes because they felt that their technology just couldn’t match ours.

Look at an A40 MkI today and the clean lines and pure practicality still shine through. The interior isn’t exactly a luxury pile but what there is, is extremely well-finished, neat and sensible.

And while there are many A35 bits in here – not least the steering wheel, speedometer and instrument panel – it all seems to form a coherent whole. It looks terrific.

The car drives nicely, too. Although the A40 MkI had only 948cc to play with, it feels quite lively, with well-spaced gear ratios (note non-synchromesh on first and love the stubby gearchange), a light clutch (requiring slightly firm pressure) and drum brakes that inspire confidence.

Handling is better than many contemporaries, the car benefitting from a front anti-roll bar, and set up properly, the cam and peg steering isn’t bad at all, either.

All-in-all a friendly, happy, deeply stylish little car with well proven and effective mechanical bits, all in a 12ft long package. Magic.

Both are practical family classics, but the Austin has the edge in style terms.

948cc ‘four’ won’t set the road alight, but good handling, steering and brakes impress.

Plenty of A35 bits and pieces in here, but it’s still charming, spacious and practical.

Charmingly minimal instrumentation is stylish and easy to read. The pedals are comfortably spaced, too.