Austin

In 1948 the Austin A70 Hampshire was introduced as a replacement for the outdated Austin Sixteen, with a similar styling to the smaller A40 Devon and Somerset. It was a four-door saloon fitted with the 2,199 cc engine used in the Austin Sixteen. Countryman and pick-up versions were also available. With its steering column gear change, three people were easily accommodated on the front bench seat, but there was not much room for the rear passengers. It was not that popular and after a short production run of nearly three years, it was replaced by the A70 Hereford in 1950.

The A70 Hereford replaced the Hampshire in 1950 and was wider and slightly longer with an extra 3 inches (76 mm) in the wheelbase. A new addition to the range in 1951 was the A70 coupé, which is actually a 2-door convertible. A notable mechanical change was the use of fully hydraulic brakes. The smaller A40 Somerset had similar styling and shared the same doors and rear wings. Performance was adequate by the standards of the time, but the car was rather noisy. Sales were slow, with 50,421 having been produced when the A90 Westminster replaced it in 1954.