Austin

At the March 1947 Geneva Motor Show the Austin Sheerline was introduced. It was a luxurious car in the style of the contemporary Rolls-Royce or Bentley but at a much lower price. Design began in 1942 during WW2 when Austin Motors Chairman, Sir Leonard Lord, decided that Austin needed a large and traditionally styled car to compete in the luxury car market. Argentinian-Italian stylist Ricardo Burzi designed the Austin Sheerline based on Leonard Lord's sketches, alongside the Austin A40. The day Italy entered the war, Burzi was interned on the Isle of Man due to being an 'Italian resident alien' and only released after Leonard Lord pulled some strings and personally vouched for his character. Upon release he was allowed to work on condition that he worked in an isolated area and reported daily to the police. Volume production did not begin until 1947 because of Austin Motors commitment to war production. In 1949 a limousine model was produced on a stretched chassis.