BMC ADO16
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ADO16 was the codename for the development of what became the Morris 1100, a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and, later, British Leyland.
The vehicle was in production from August 15, 1962 to June 1974. The range was expanded to include several rebadged versions, including the twin-carburetted MG 1100, the Vanden Plas Princess (from October 1962), the Austin 1100 (August 1963), and finally the Wolseley 1100 and Riley Kestrel. Throughout the 1960s, the ADO16 was consistently the UK's best-selling car.
In 1964 the 1100 was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year.
The estate version followed in 1966, called Countryman in the Austin version and Traveller in the Morris one, continuing the established naming scheme.
Design and development
The ADO16 (Austin Drawing Office project number 16) was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis. Following his success with the Mini, Issigonis set out to design a more sophisticated car which incorporated even more advanced features and innovations. In common with the Mini, the ADO16 was designed around the BMC A-Series engine, mounted transversely and driving the front wheels. As well as disc brakes at the front, which were not common on mass produced cars in the early 1960s, the suspension system used was the Hydrolastic interconnected fluid system designed by Alex Moulton. Pininfarina, the Italian styling studio which had worked with BMC before on the Austin A40 Farina, were asked to do the styling.Mark I
The original Mk I models were distinctive for their use of a Hydrolastic suspension.Engine
- 1962–1974 - 1098 cc A-Series I4
Mark II
In 1967, a 1275 cc engine was available on MG, Riley, Vanden Plas and Wolseley models. The Mark II versions of the Austin and Morris models were announced, with the larger engine making it into these two makes' ranges in October 1967 (as the Austin 1300 and Morris 1300). An automatic transmission was added to the upmarket brands.Mark II versions of the MG, Riley, Vanden Plas and Wolseley were introduced in October 1968, at which time Riley abandoned the Kestrel name. The Riley 1300 Mk II was cancelled in July 1969, and was the last Riley.
Engine
- 1967–1971 - 1275 cc A-Series I4
Mark III
The Mark III models were introduced in September 1971. The range was gradually reduced, with the MG 1300 dropped in 1971 and the Wolseley 1300 in 1973. The final British ADO16, a Vanden Plas Princess 1300, left the factory on June 19, 1974. The ADO16 was replaced by the Austin Allegro and its Vanden Plas 1500 counterpart. By this time, its original rival, the Ford Cortina, had already grown larger, putting ADO16 into the small, rather than medium-sized class.Engine
- 1971–1974 - 1275 cc A-Series I4
ADO16 overseas
The car was sold with various names in different markets. In Denmark, it bore the Morris Marina name. The MG models were sold as the MG Sports Sedan there, as it was in North America from 1962, and was available with a two-door bodyshell that would not be available in the UK until 1968. The Vanden Plas Princess was briefly the MG Princess 1100 in North America, while that market also saw an unusual two-door Austin 1100 (with a hybrid of Mk I and Mk II components).The Austin America was sold in the US, Canada and Switzerland between 1968 and 1972 and featured a 60 bhp 1275 cc engine.
The ADO16 also formed the basis of the Australian Morris 1500 and Morris 1500 Nomad four-door station wagon, the Italian Innocenti Morris IM3 and Austin I4 and I5, the more powerful South African Austin, Morris and Wolseley 11/55 and Austin Apache and the Spanish Austin Victoria and the Austin de Luxe of 1974 to 1977, which had a 998 cc engine.
The Austin Apache was produced until 1977, the last of the ADO16 line.
References
External links
- [The UNOFFICIAL Austin-Rover Web Resource: BMC 1100/1300 index]
- [Morris 1100 in Australia]
- [Austin America Register]
- [JustBritish - British Car News and Discussion Forums - Active ADO16 Community]
| Automobiles made by BMC, BL and Rover Group companies | ||
| Austin | Austin-Healey | British Leyland | Jaguar | MG | Morris | Riley | Rover | MG Rover | Triumph | Vanden Plas | Wolseley
| ||
| Austin models: A40 | Cambridge | Westminster | A35 | Mini | Mini Moke | 1100/1300 | 1800 | Allegro | Maxi | 3-Litre | Mini Metro | Maestro | Montego | ||
| Austin-Healey models: 100 | 3000 | Sprite | ||
| British Leyland models: Princess | P76 (Australia only) | ||
| Jaguar models: XJ6 | XJ12 | XJS | ||
| Morris models: Minor | Oxford | Cowley | Mini | 1100/1300 | 1800 | Marina/Ital | ||
| MG models: MG A | Magnette | Midget | Montego | MG B | MG C | 1100/1300 | MG RV8 | MG F/TF | MG ZT | MG ZR | MG ZS | MG SV | ||
| Riley models: Pathfinder | 2.6 | 1.5 | 4/68 | Elf | Kestrel | ||
| Rover models: P4 | P5 | P6 | SD1 | 25 | 75 | 45 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 800 | 600 | CityRover | Estoura | ||
| Triumph models: Herald | Spitfire | Vitesse | GT6 | Stag | TR7 | Toledo | 1300 |1500 | 2000 | 2.5 & 2500 |Dolomite | Acclaim | ||
| Vanden Plas models: Princess | 3-Litre | 1100/1300 | ||
| Wolseley models: 4/44 | 6/90 | 15/50 | 1500 | 16/60 | 6/99 | 6/110 | Hornet | 1100/1300 | 18/85 | ||
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