Road Tests 1951 to 1953

Road testers were eager to get the new car in their hands, so quickly a number of road tests and driving impressions reports appeared in the press. Here's a try of a summary:
 

 

  • 'The Austin A40 Sports'. The Motor: May 16, 1951, pp. 466-468.

 

  • Lawrence Pomeroy. 'A Month from the Country. Some Impressions from France, Italy and Germany. Part 1. The Motor: May 23th, 1951, pp. 499-502.

 

  • Lawrence Pomeroy. 'A Month from the Country. Some Impressions from France, Italy and Germany. Part 2. The Motor:  May 30th, 1951, pp. 529-532.

 

  • Kay Petre. 'Here is Elegant Speed'. Daily Graphic: June 6th, 1951.

 

  • 'The Autocar Road Tests No. 1432: Austin A40 Sports Convertible'. The Autocar (UK): June 8, 1951, pp. 665-667.

 

  • J. Eason Scott. 'New Cars Described: The Austin A40 Sports'. Country Life (UK): June 29th, 1951, p. 2054.

 

  • Courtenay Edwards. 'Car that Is a Joy to Drive'. Daily Mail: July 20, 1951.

 

  • 'Motoring the Latest Models: The Austin A40 Soprts'. The Light Car (UK): August 1951, pp. 376-377.

 

  • 'Busman's Holiday [Including driving impressions of the new Austin A40 Sports]'. Motor Sport Incorporating Speed (UK): No. 9, September 1951, pp. 437-440.

 

  • 'Road and Track Road Test F-9-51: Austin A40 Sports'. Road and Track  (USA): November 1951, p. 9.

 

  • 'Across the States. T.H. Kaye describes an east to west trans-American tour in an Austin A40 Sports, in the course of which he traversed sixteen states in fifteen days.' The Austin Magazine & Advocate, Vol. 25, No. 9, June, 1952, pp. 558-561.

 

  • 'The Austin A40 Sports. A Lively Convertible with an 80 m.p.h. Maximum and High Average Speed Potentialities'. Autosport (UK): July 18, 1952, pp. 70-72.

 

  • C.H.Wood. ''In a Strong Carriage with Springs Well Corded.' A 2000 mile trip into the highlands in a tuned Austin A40 Sports'. The Motor, July 30, 1952, pp. 863-865.

 

  • 'On the Road in 1951'. Motor Sport Incorporating Speed: No. 3, March 1952, pp. 123-125.

 

  • '1952 Cars on Test: Austin A40 Sports'. Motor Industry (UK), September 1952, pp. 92-93.

 

  • Bill Pollack. 'Austin A40 Sports. A Happy Wedding of Sports and Utility'. Auto Sport and Speed (USA): October 1952, pp. 30-32.

 

  • 'We Put a Tough Car Through a Tough N.Z. Test - Christchurch to Glaciers'. Modern Motoring (New Zealand): January 1953, pp. 9-11.

 

  • Joe Wherry. 'Austin A40 'Somerset' and 'Sports''. Auto Age (USA): April 1953, 32-33; 54-55.

 

  • W.A. McKenzie. 'The Austin A40 Sports' & '3,000 Miles - 3,000 Minutes'. Measham Magazine (UK): July 1953, pp. 22-27.

 

For these tests Austin used four different works demonstrators

 

  • LOF 549  [GD2]:  The Motor: May, 1951.  The Autocar: June, 1951. Country Life: June, 1951 and Motor Sport Incorporating Speed: 1951.

 

  • LOE 986 [GD2 with slotted wheels!]: The Light Car: 1951. Motor Industry: September 1952

 

  • LOV 222 [GD3]: 2nd series of Press Shots. Reg Harris vs. Geoff Duke Trial at Silverstone April 19th, 1952

 

  • MOE 174 [GD2/3?]: Autosport: July 18, 1952. Reg Harris vs. Geoff Duke Trial at Silverstone April 19th, 1952

 

  • a fifth works car: LOE 990 was used for the "Round the World in 21 Days" publicity stunt

 

The pictures below are from my personal collection of newspaper clips: