When the original Austin-Healey Sprite made its bow on 20th May 1958, it was the world’s first unitary-bodied mass-produced sports car. That original Frogeye was the ideal vehicle for motorists who wished to graduate from a home-built kit car or a secondhand pre-war Austin Seven Nippy. Equally importantly, no similar vehicles were offered by Ford, the Rootes Group, Standard-Triumph or Vauxhall. Triumph did get in on the act soon enough, but the Sprite commenced a 21 year tradition of compact openseaters from Abingdon.
It had all begun in 1956 when Leonard Lord, Chairman of the British Motor Corporation, met with Donald Healey to discuss building a lightweight sports car in the spirit of the 1930s MG M-Type Midget. It would use as many BMC components as possible and be accessible to motorists in a Morris Minor income bracket. It would also have to appeal to well-heeled young Americans.
Healey’s designer Gerry Coker later noted: ‘My proposal was to have no boot lid, thus deleting a lot of structural weight and cost, with a lift-up front end for the do-it-yourselfer and weekend racer.’ He further considered fitting pop-up headlamps, but financial restrictions led to the fixed lights, lending the Sprite a rather startled appearance and its Frogeye nickname. BMC intended to build it at Longbridge, but production issues meant the new Austin-Healey would be made in the MG factory at Abingdon.
Power was from the familiar 848cc A-series engine in twin 1 ⁄8in SU carburettor form.the price tag of £678 18s – or only £109 more than the humble Austin A35.
