From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Austin Motor Company was founded in Birmingham by Herbert Austin, the former manager of the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company in 1905.
Around the 1920s the company produced the Austin 7, an inexpensive, small and simple car and one of the earliest to be directed at a mass market. At one point it was being built under licence by the fledgeling BMW.
A largely independent United States subsidiary operated under the name American Austin Car Company from 1929 - 1934; it was revived under the name "American Bantam" from 1937 - 1941.
In 1952 Austin merged with the Nuffield Organisation (parent company of Morris) to form the British Motor Corporation. The name continued in use, as in the following examples:
- Austin versions of the Mini
- Austin 1300
- Austin Allegro
- Austin Princess.
The last Austin was built in 1987.
