The Austin Cambridge (sold as A40, A50, A55, and A60) is a motor car range produced by the Austin Motor Company, in several generations, from September 1954 through to 1971 as cars and to 1973 as light commercials. It replaced the A40 Somerset and was entirely new, with modern unibody construction. The range had two basic body styles with the A40, A50, and early A55 using a traditional rounded shape and later A55 Mark IIs and A60s using Pininfarina styling.
The A40 number was re-used on a smaller car (the Austin A40 Farina) from 1958 to 1968, and the Cambridge name had previously been used to designate one of the available body styles on the pre-war 10 hp range.
The Austin Cambridge was initially offered only with a four-passenger, four-door saloon body, although a few pre-production two-door models were also made. It had a modern body design with integrated wings and a full-width grille. Independent suspension was provided at the front by coil springs and wishbones while a live axle with anti-roll bar was retained at the rear.
A van derivative introduced in November 1956 and a coupé utility (pick up) introduced in May 1957 and remained available until 1974, some three years after the demise of the cars on which they had been based.
A 1.2-litre straight-four pushrod engine B-Series engine based on the one used in the previous Austin Somerset (although sharing no parts) powered the new Austin Cambridge. A maximum power output of 42 bhp (31 kW) was claimed: power was transmitted to the wheels by means of a four-speed gear box controlled with a column-mounted lever.
The A40 Cambridge was intended to be available in both two-door saloon and four-door saloon variants; however, the two-door body style did not reach production.
Only 30,666 A40 Cambridge models were produced. After the A40 Cambridge was dropped early in 1957, the A40 name was re-used on the smaller A40 Farina, though that car, the 'Countryman' version of which was an early example of a hatchback, was neither a replacement nor much related to the A40 Cambridge.
Also introduced in September 1954, and with a body identical to that of the A40 Cambridge, was the A50 Cambridge which used a new 1.5-litre (1,489 cc) B-Series four-cylinder engine with single Zenith carburettor which was good for 50 hp (37 kW). It sold better and remained in production through to 1957 with 114,867 A50s being produced
The deluxe version had a heater, leather seat facings, carpets replacing the standard rubber matting, armrests on the doors, twin-tone horns, a passenger sun visor, and some extra chrome, including overriders.
Technical advances in the A50 Cambridge included an optional Borg-Warner overdrive unit for the top three (of four) gears. A semi-automatic transmission (branded "manumatic" and providing pedal-free clutch operation) was also offered, but it was unpopular with buyers.
A number of modifications were introduced in October 1956, including smaller 13 in (330 mm) wheels and an increased compression ratio (8.3:1).
A deluxe version tested by The Motor magazine in 1955, had a top speed of 73.6 mph (118.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 28.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 28.0 miles per imperial gallon (10.1 L/100 km; 23.3 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £720 including taxes.
A radio and a clock were optional extras.
As with its predecessor the A40 Somerset, the A50 Cambridge was built under licence by Nissan in Japan; the arrangement ended in 1959. In total, 20,855 licensed Austin vehicles were produced by Nissan in Japan.
In January 1957, the A55 Cambridge was introduced to replace the A50 model. It used the same 1.5-litre B-Series engine as its predecessor, though with a higher compression ratio. It was rated at 51 hp (38 kW) at 4,250 rpm.
The Cambridge had been restyled somewhat and now had a larger boot and much larger rear window. The car was also lowered by fitting 13 in (330 mm) road wheels which were smaller than those on the A50 but the overall gearing remained the same by changing the rear axle ratio. Two-tone paint was an option.
Some 154,000 were produced before it was replaced by a new Pininfarina-designed A55 Cambridge for 1959.
A deluxe A55 with manumatic transmission was tested by The Motor magazine in 1957 had a top speed of 77.1 mph (124.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 27.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 31.6 miles per imperial gallon (8.9 L/100 km; 26.3 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £870 including taxes of £291.
Half-ton commercial models based on the A55 were introduced in 1957. The van was released in February and was followed in May by pick-up, chassis and cab and chassis and scuttle models. Contemporary sales literature used the term "Austin ½ ton van and pick-up".
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