TECH SPEC
Austin A30/A35 Saloon
PRODUCED: 1951-1959
ENGINE: 803cc/948cc, 4-cyl
POWER: 28bhp/34bhp
TOP SPEED: 63mph/72mph
0-60mph: 39.0 secs/30.0 secs
ECONOMY: 40-45mpg
TRANSMISSION: 4-spd, man
BUY ONE FOR: £3000-£10,000
If you’re in the market for a compact classic and you’ve a penchant for British metal of the 1950s, it’s almost inevitable that the Austin A30 and its larger-engined successor, the A35, will be on your motoring radar. But what is this diminutive duo like to live with, more than 70 years after the original’s launch? Time to find out… but first, a little history.
Following the Second World War, Austin was still trading off the historical success of its iconic Seven, while at the time producing much larger saloons. A failed attempt to merge Austin with Morris in 1949 led to a realisation: Austin needed a new small car, one that could take on the Morris Minor and win. Enter the Austin A30.
