Austin Westminster
Encyclopedia
The Westminster series were large saloon and estate cars sold by the British Austin Motor Company
from 1954, replacing the A70 Hereford
. The Westminster line was produced as the A90, A95, A99, A105, and A110 until 1968 when the new Austin 3-Litre
took its place. Essentially badge-engineered versions of the Farina Westminsters were also produced using the premium Wolseley
and Vanden Plas
marques.
The Westminster name was previously used by the Austin Motor Company in the 1930s for a four light version of the 16/6
and the Heavy 12/4
.
Cambridge saloon range. It used the new BMC C-Series
straight-6
engine with single Zenith carburettor which, at 2.6 L (2639 cc), produced 85 hp (63 kW). The suspension is independent at the front using coil springs and wishbones and leaf spring and anti-roll bar on the live axle at the rear. The four speed transmission has Synchromesh on the top three ratios and from 1955 an overdrive unit could be specified.
The interior, with leather trim on the de luxe version and PVC on the standard model, has a split bench front seat arrangement, although individually adjustable, which if necessary could seat three people abreast. When only two are carried there are, on the de luxe model, fold down centre armrests at the side of each seat. The de luxe model also has a central fold down armrest in the rear. The handbrake control is under the dash on the right hand side of the steering column which also carries the gear change lever. A heater is fitted as standard on the de luxe model but optional on the standard version. The Austin Motor Company also produced a brochure for an A90 Six Westminster Police Car which featured a floor gearchange.
The British Motor
magazine tested a Westminster de luxe saloon in 1955 recording a top speed of 85.7 mph (137.9 km/h) and acceleration from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 18.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 20.2 mpgimp. The test car cost £834 including taxes.
The A90 designation had previously been carried by the 1948–1952 Austin Atlantic
.
The A90 was updated for autumn 1956 as the A95. Along with more power, the A95 was longer and now offered an estate model. Overdrive
and an automatic transmission
were new as well, something of a novelty in British cars of the time.
Both the A95 and A105 were produced together until 1959.
The Westminster name was dropped from the sales literature for the A95 and the A105
although, oddly, the drivers' handbooks still used the name Westminster to title the illustration of the saloon. The estate version was titled Countryman. Nevertheless, most enthusiasts still refer to them as Westminsters.
A badge-engineered version of the A95 with different grille, trim, and badges and a bench front seat was assembled and sold in Australia as the Morris Marshal
from 1957 until 1960.
An A105 saloon with overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956 had a top speed of 96.3 mph (155 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 15.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1109 including taxes.
, following the success of the large A135 Austin Princess
limousine. This was done after a personal request from Leonard Lord
in 1957. Changes included significant new interior fittings, and a grey stripe bearing the "Princess" crown on the side of the body; most bodies were in sombre colours such as black or maroon.
-designed bodywork. Pininfarina had also re-styled Austin's compact A40
and mid-sized A60 Cambridge
ranges the year before. Under the bonnet was the 2.9 L (2912 cc) C-Series straight-6 engine with twin SU carburettors from the Austin-Healey 3000
. This engine produced 103 hp (77 kW) in Westminster tune. A three-speed all-synchromesh manual
gearbox with a Borg-Warner overdrive unit was fitted as standard, or a Borg-Warner automatic transmission
as an option. Power-assisted Lockheed brakes with 10.75 in (273 mm) discs
on the front wheels were also new.
An A99 saloon with automatic transmission was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1960 and they recorded a top speed of 98.1 mph (157.9 km/h), acceleration from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 23 mpgimp. The test car cost £1219 including taxes. The manual car cost £1148.
A specially trimmed A99 was sold as the Princess 3-Litre
, (note, not an "Austin" Princess – Austin was removed from Princess badging during the time of the previous Princess IV, in August 1957) and later under the Vanden Plas marque as the Vanden Plas Princess. A Wolseley version, the 6/99
, was also produced. Production ended in 1961 with the introduction of the larger A110.
with the C-Series engine, now uprated to 120 hp. The same basic body was also used for a Rolls Royce
-engined Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
, and the body even formed part of a prototype Bentley
.
The Westminster range was finally replaced by the Austin 3-Litre
in 1968.
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
from 1954, replacing the A70 Hereford
Austin A70
The Austin A70 Hampshire and later Austin A70 Hereford are large cars which were produced by the Austin Motor Company of Britain from 1948 until 1954...
. The Westminster line was produced as the A90, A95, A99, A105, and A110 until 1968 when the new Austin 3-Litre
Austin 3-Litre
The Austin 3-Litre was a British saloon car introduced by British Leyland at the London Motor Show in 1967. However, it subsequently became apparent that BMC were not geared up to producing the car: few or none seem to have been sold that year, but by July 1968 it was reported that the cars had...
took its place. Essentially badge-engineered versions of the Farina Westminsters were also produced using the premium Wolseley
Wolseley Motor Company
The Wolseley Motor Company was a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1901. After 1935 it was incorporated into larger companies but the Wolseley name remained as an upmarket marque until 1975.-History:...
and Vanden Plas
Vanden Plas
Vanden Plas is the name of a company of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from various subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group.-Belgium:It originated in Belgium in...
marques.
The Westminster name was previously used by the Austin Motor Company in the 1930s for a four light version of the 16/6
Austin 16
The Austin 16 was a British car made by the Austin Motor Company between 1927 and 1936. The "16" name was re-used in the post war Austin 16 hp....
and the Heavy 12/4
Austin 12 hp
The Austin 12/4 was introduced by the Austin Motor Company in 1921. It was the second of Herbert Austin's post World War I models and was in many ways a scaled-down version of the 20/4, introduced in 1919...
.
A90
The A90 Six Westminster was introduced at the 1954 London Motor Show at the same time as the small A40/A50Austin A40
A number of different automobiles were marketed under the Austin A40 name by the Austin Motor Company between 1947 and 1967.Austin's naming scheme at that time derived from the approximate engine output, in horsepower...
Cambridge saloon range. It used the new BMC C-Series
BMC C-Series engine
The BMC C-Series was a straight-6 automobile engine produced from 1956 to 1971. Unlike the Austin designed A and B-series engines, it came from the Morris engines drawing office in Coventry...
straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine with single Zenith carburettor which, at 2.6 L (2639 cc), produced 85 hp (63 kW). The suspension is independent at the front using coil springs and wishbones and leaf spring and anti-roll bar on the live axle at the rear. The four speed transmission has Synchromesh on the top three ratios and from 1955 an overdrive unit could be specified.
The interior, with leather trim on the de luxe version and PVC on the standard model, has a split bench front seat arrangement, although individually adjustable, which if necessary could seat three people abreast. When only two are carried there are, on the de luxe model, fold down centre armrests at the side of each seat. The de luxe model also has a central fold down armrest in the rear. The handbrake control is under the dash on the right hand side of the steering column which also carries the gear change lever. A heater is fitted as standard on the de luxe model but optional on the standard version. The Austin Motor Company also produced a brochure for an A90 Six Westminster Police Car which featured a floor gearchange.
The British Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine tested a Westminster de luxe saloon in 1955 recording a top speed of 85.7 mph (137.9 km/h) and acceleration from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 18.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 20.2 mpgimp. The test car cost £834 including taxes.
The A90 designation had previously been carried by the 1948–1952 Austin Atlantic
Austin Atlantic
The Austin A90 Atlantic was a British car produced by the Austin Motor Company, launched initially as a sporting four seat convertible. It made its début at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show in London, with production models built between spring 1949 and late 1950...
.
A95/A105
In May 1956 and for a brief period only, a derivative of the A90 Six Westminster was announced which was a short boot version of the A105 and had the twin SU carburettor/102 hp version of the 2.6 litre C series engine with overdrive as standard. In October 1956 the A105 received the longer wheelbase with overdrive as standard and automatic transmission as an option. Twin fog lights heater and wheeltrims were standard although a radio was still an option. Twotone paint and white-wall tyres were introduced for visual effect. Very few short boot versions of the A105 were produced and they are now quite rare.The A90 was updated for autumn 1956 as the A95. Along with more power, the A95 was longer and now offered an estate model. Overdrive
Overdrive (mechanics)
Overdrive is a term used to describe a mechanism that allows an automobile to cruise at sustained speed with reduced engine RPM, leading to better fuel economy, lower noise and lower wear...
and an automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
were new as well, something of a novelty in British cars of the time.
Both the A95 and A105 were produced together until 1959.
The Westminster name was dropped from the sales literature for the A95 and the A105
although, oddly, the drivers' handbooks still used the name Westminster to title the illustration of the saloon. The estate version was titled Countryman. Nevertheless, most enthusiasts still refer to them as Westminsters.
A badge-engineered version of the A95 with different grille, trim, and badges and a bench front seat was assembled and sold in Australia as the Morris Marshal
Morris Marshal
The Morris Marshal is a large six cylinder vehicle which was produced by the British Motor Corporation between 1957 and 1960. The car was a Morris branded version of the Austin Westminster which was marketed by BMC Australia's Austin dealers as the Austin A95 Westminster...
from 1957 until 1960.
An A105 saloon with overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956 had a top speed of 96.3 mph (155 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 15.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1109 including taxes.
Austin A105 Vanden-Plas
The A105 was the first mass-produced Austin family car to be specially upgraded by coachbuilder Vanden PlasVanden Plas
Vanden Plas is the name of a company of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from various subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group.-Belgium:It originated in Belgium in...
, following the success of the large A135 Austin Princess
Austin Princess
The Princess was a distinctive series of large luxury cars made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968. However:The Princess name was later also used as follows:...
limousine. This was done after a personal request from Leonard Lord
Leonard Lord
Leonard Percy Lord, 1st Baron Lambury KBE was a captain of the British motor industry.-Background and education:...
in 1957. Changes included significant new interior fittings, and a grey stripe bearing the "Princess" crown on the side of the body; most bodies were in sombre colours such as black or maroon.
A99
The A99 Westminster appeared in 1959 with new PininfarinaPininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
-designed bodywork. Pininfarina had also re-styled Austin's compact A40
Austin A40 Farina
The Austin A40 Farina was a compact car introduced by the British Motor Corporation in 1958, replacing the earlier A40 Devon.It combines many of the virtues of a saloon and estate car in one body. There is more headroom for the rear passengers because of the angular instead of curved lines of the...
and mid-sized A60 Cambridge
Austin Cambridge
The Austin Cambridge is a motor car range sold by the Austin Motor Company in several generations from September 1954 through to 1969 as cars and 1971 as light commercials. It replaced the A40 Somerset but was entirely new with modern unibody construction...
ranges the year before. Under the bonnet was the 2.9 L (2912 cc) C-Series straight-6 engine with twin SU carburettors from the Austin-Healey 3000
Austin-Healey 3000
The Austin-Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 to 1967, and is the best known of the "big" Healey models. The car's bodywork was made by Jensen Motors, and the vehicles were assembled at the BMC Abingdon works....
. This engine produced 103 hp (77 kW) in Westminster tune. A three-speed all-synchromesh manual
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
gearbox with a Borg-Warner overdrive unit was fitted as standard, or a Borg-Warner automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
as an option. Power-assisted Lockheed brakes with 10.75 in (273 mm) discs
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
on the front wheels were also new.
An A99 saloon with automatic transmission was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1960 and they recorded a top speed of 98.1 mph (157.9 km/h), acceleration from 0–60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 17.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 23 mpgimp. The test car cost £1219 including taxes. The manual car cost £1148.
A specially trimmed A99 was sold as the Princess 3-Litre
Austin Princess
The Princess was a distinctive series of large luxury cars made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968. However:The Princess name was later also used as follows:...
, (note, not an "Austin" Princess – Austin was removed from Princess badging during the time of the previous Princess IV, in August 1957) and later under the Vanden Plas marque as the Vanden Plas Princess. A Wolseley version, the 6/99
Wolseley 6/99
The Wolseley 6/99 was the final large Wolseley car. Styled by Pinin Farina with additions by BMC staff sylists, the basic vehicle was also sold under two of BMC's other marques as the Austin A99 Westminster and Vanden Plas Princess 3-Litre. Production began in 1959 and the cars were updated and...
, was also produced. Production ended in 1961 with the introduction of the larger A110.
A110
The final major update arrived in 1961 with the A110 Westminster. This version had an extended (by 2 in/51 mm) wheelbase, which allowed more space in the rear compartment as well as improving the roadholding, a floor-mounted gear lever. 13 in wheels were substituted in 1964's Mark II models. Wolseley produced a 6/110 version, and there was a Vanden Plas Princess Mark IIAustin Princess
The Princess was a distinctive series of large luxury cars made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968. However:The Princess name was later also used as follows:...
with the C-Series engine, now uprated to 120 hp. The same basic body was also used for a Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
-engined Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
Austin Princess
The Princess was a distinctive series of large luxury cars made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968. However:The Princess name was later also used as follows:...
, and the body even formed part of a prototype Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
.
The Westminster range was finally replaced by the Austin 3-Litre
Austin 3-Litre
The Austin 3-Litre was a British saloon car introduced by British Leyland at the London Motor Show in 1967. However, it subsequently became apparent that BMC were not geared up to producing the car: few or none seem to have been sold that year, but by July 1968 it was reported that the cars had...
in 1968.
External links
- Austin Memories – History of Austin and Longbridge
- Cambridge-Oxford Owners Club – including advice for preservation of this vehicle