So, what was happening in 1954? Well, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile and rationing in the UK finally came to an end, but we’re more interested in the cars. It might have been less than a decade since World War Two but car makers around the world had certainly been busy, and there was plenty to pique the interest of enthusiasts.
Those after sensible family transport were well catered for, but for the more well-heeled who wanted a bit of automotive excitement, there were some tempting options there too. Seven decades on we think the cars we have here are still just as deserving of attention. Stand by, then for the class of 1954…
AUSTIN CAMBRIDGE AND WESTMINSTER
Austin’s ‘County’ cars had done good business for the marque, with more than 170,000 examples of the A40 Somerset sold. So when it was due for replacement, the company was keen to maintain that popularity, and the model they chose was the A40 Cambridge. A conventional four-door saloon, it was a usefully roomy and comfortable family car, as well as being more modern thanks to unitary construction. It was somewhat lacking in the performance department, though, thanks to a 1.2-litre engine making just 42bhp.
Around 30,000 were made before production ended in 1957, but those wanting a bit more go might have preferred the A50 Cambridge launched at the same time. Under the bonnet was a 1.5-litre version of the B-Series engine with a healthier 50bhp, and not only was there more performance but additional choices in the transmission department. Overdrive was optional, and in 1957 buyers were offered the ‘Manumatic’ semi-automatic gearbox, although it didn’t
