Austin cars

[Richard29]

Take a look at the new Austin motor car.

https://www.austinmotorcompany.com/the-austin-arrow/

 

[Pond]

A 1930s EV with a name synonymous with cheap runabouts from the bad old days of British car production.
Now there's a recipe for disaster if ever I saw one. They are touting for investors too....good luck.

Who the hell would want a 1930s looking battery-powered car with a tiny motor and no range? Worst of all worlds, surely?
The market in pre-war cars has tanked, as all the fans are either dead or just about. I can't see where their market could possibly be. Sounds like another 'plucky British Rupert' with a trust fund and a degree trying to be a success in a world that doesn't exist.

The only thing I would be interested in is who holds the rights to the Austin name in 2024? Would it be possibly BMW, or the Chinese owners of the MG name? Or maybe JLR? Or just on a shelf somewhere, available for a quid?

 

[hard top]

i quite like it.

But this made me chuckle :- "The Mudguards, Aero Screen and Luggage Bag will be optional extras"

 

[Pond]

But this made me chuckle :- "The Mudguards, Aero Screen and Luggage Bag will be optional extras"

What made me chuckle was the 'quote' from someone who died 83 years ago.

In fact the whole thing must be a joke, hopefully, or someone is going to lose their shirt big time.

 

[bronty]

It look very nice and I can see the appeal of a 1930s car you can actually drive
It would be nice to see some lost classics recreated that are affordable and usable

 

[Jam03]

I’m also struggling think of a target market. Imagine being stuck in the rain at an out of order charging point because you dared venture out more than 50 miles from home.

 

[Pond]

It look very nice and I can see the appeal of a 1930s car you can actually drive
It would be nice to see some lost classics recreated that are affordable and usable

They are looking for investors....here's your golden opportunity.
I will absolutely guarantee it won't be affordable if it ever gets to market. £100k plus for a single seat white elephant with 20bhp and a range of 5 miles (in realistic terms). This is the UK in 2024. Hundreds of thousands have been spent already and it will be a tiny market (if any). They are not going to have a business plan stretching decades. In fact their website hasn't been updated since 2022 and they lost another £100,000 in 2023 without making a thing. Looks like gullible investors are paying the boss's living expenses.

I keep thinking of Dragon's Den and if that was presented to them. "I'm out"

 

[AleNod]

I'm conflicted, I'm a big fan of anything thats not just a modern box. But everyone is making very valid points . . .

I thought why is there only a roll bar for the driver, wait, there is no passenger, this is a single seater. And please tell me those aren't cross ply tyres and drum brakes all round . . .

I think this is an advert to guage interest, I'd be amazed if this ever made it to production . . .

 

[Pond]

And please tell me those aren't cross ply tyres and drum brakes all round . . .

It's got 20 BHP and will weigh nearly a tonne. It could have a piece of wood and a rubber block on one wheel and it would stop fine.

 

[Althulas]

I used to have a pedal car in the 70’s of similar style , very found memories of peddling hell for leather from the top of my street to outside our house and locking my legs in the styrups and giving full lock to spin out, used to drive my mother nuts.

 

[t-tony]

Sounds like our Gary when he was 6 or 7 years old in his pedal Go-kart. He was a bloody maniac. Glad he doesn't drive the same.

Tony.

 

[elevensies]

electric vehicles are not for me, not at all. I refuse to even consider a charging point in my house, i do quite like the old vintage stuff, but only the original ones... and then again, i wouldnt ever want to own one.
i think they are trying to follow on the BSA mark, with the new indian investment companies funding the bsa goldstar, which isnt anything but a cheap copy

 

[Richard29]

A 1930s EV with a name synonymous with cheap runabouts from the bad old days of British car production.
Now there's a recipe for disaster if ever I saw one. They are touting for investors too....good luck.

Who the hell would want a 1930s looking battery-powered car with a tiny motor and no range? Worst of all worlds, surely?
The market in pre-war cars has tanked, as all the fans are either dead or just about. I can't see where their market could possibly be. Sounds like another 'plucky British Rupert' with a trust fund and a degree trying to be a success in a world that doesn't exist.

The only thing I would be interested in is who holds the rights to the Austin name in 2024? Would it be possibly BMW, or the Chinese owners of the MG name? Or maybe JLR? Or just on a shelf somewhere, available for a quid?

This company holds the rights to Austin. I assumed it went with MG etc or Rover.

 

[D R Oldfield]

I think i will stick with my 1961 proper Austin A40 Farina

 

[bronty]

They are looking for investors....here's your golden opportunity.

I give it a miss
One thing I really dislike about electric car is the lack of noise
I like a lie in now I am retired after getting up at 4:15 for the last ten years
Next door have 2 foster kids who go to school in St Helens so they have a taxi each morning to take them to School
I used to hear the diesel the taxi coming down the street and prepared for the beep of the horn
Now he's gone to an electric taxi when he beep I nearly have a hart attack.
Same with the post office van even the dog can't here it

 

[Nodzed]

Well it's not for me, I'm waiting until the Morris Marina ev is launched complete with period rust stains.

 

[Mint]

Well it's not for me, I'm waiting until the Morris Marina ev is launched complete with period rust stains.

Nah, I'll wait for the Maxi version, but with the manual gearbox where you cant get 1st if you're at a standstill

 

[bronty]

Well it's not for me, I'm waiting until the Morris Marina ev is launched complete with period rust stains.

My dad bought a brand new hideous orange Morris Marina estate on the way home from the dealer the back wheel fell off

 

[Nodzed]

My dad bought a brand new hideous orange Morris Marina estate on the way home from the dealer the back wheel fell off

Probably an optional extra?

 

[Grumps]

You can keep it, looks great, sh*** power plant.