Britain’s recession-busting people’s car celebrates its centenary this year, and it’s still a great buy
WORDS MALCOLM MCKAY PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MANN
Bringing motoring to the masses as the Model T did in the USA, the Austin Seven had a huge impact in Britain and beyond – and kick-started the UKʼs dominant post-WW2 motorsport industry.
Keen to make driving more affordable, manufacturers were turning out often precarious, sometimes downright dangerous cyclecars after WW1. Sir Herbert Austinʼs great achievement was to make a ʻreal car in miniatureʼ. With steel and aluminium construction, a proper body with space for four, reasonable weather equipment, four braked wheels, a four-cylinder engine, supple suspension all round and electric lighting, the Seven was a revelation. The downside, especially today, is that this was achieved by making the car tiny. People really were smaller 100 years ago, and were used to being huddled together when necessary, so the Sevenʼs small size was no obstacle to sales. When buying today, itʼs vital to be sure that you and your family will fit, and be comfortable.
The Seven sold in unprecedented numbers, and was to form the genesis of huge motor manufacturers: both BMW and Nissan started with Seven-derived cars. Sevens were also built in France by Rosengart and the USA by Bantam. Special-bodied versions formed the foundation of Swallow, the company that became Jaguar.
The Seven was the first mass-market car with what we now consider to be conventional controls – a central gearlever, and clutch/brake/throttle pedals left-to-right. That at least makes it easier for todayʼs owner to acclimatise, though the sharp clutch, crash gearbox and limited braking take a lot of practice to master. If you relish the challenge, great – but if you dread it, go for as late a car as possible, because later cars are significantly easier to drive.
A wide range of bodies was developed: four-seat tourer, two-seat sports, two/four-seat cabriolet, four-seat saloon, two-seat coupé, van and more. Because of the simple construction, multiple detail changes were made each year: if you care about originality (most owners over the past century have not), then Original Austin Seven by Rinsey Mills is compulsory reading before inspecting a prospective purchase. Many owners have built Specials from decrepit Sevens – they can be fun, but check c
