Best-Selling British Cars of the 1950s

Written by John O'Cean.

Here are some of the Best-Selling British cars of the 1950's 

Morris Minor

Austin A30/35

Ford Anglia

MGA

• The Morris Minor was an iconic compact car that was produced by the Morris Motor Company from 1948 to 1971. It gained immense popularity in the 1950s and became one of the best-selling British cars of all time.
• The Austin A30 and its successor, the A35, were small family cars manufactured by Austin Motor Company from 1951 to 1962. These cars were affordable, reliable, and achieved considerable sales during the 1950s.
• The Ford Anglia, produced by Ford UK from 1939 to 1967, saw a significant surge in popularity in the 1950s. It was a compact car with distinctive styling and became a familiar sight on British roads.
• The MGA, produced by MG from 1955 to 1962, was a sports car that enjoyed commercial success. Its sleek design and sporty performance appealed to many car enthusiasts of the time.

Triumph TR2

Standard Vanguard Phase 1

Rover P4

Vaxhall Cresta

• The Triumph TR2, manufactured by the Triumph Motor Company from 1953 to 1955, was another popular sports car of the 1950s. It was known for its affordability and performance, making it a favorite among sports car enthusiasts.
• The Standard Vanguard was a large family car produced by the Standard Motor Company from 1947 to 1963. The Vanguard was spacious and reliable, making it a popular choice for families in the 1950s.
• The Rover P4 series is a group of mid-size luxury saloon cars designed by Gordon Bashford and produced by the Rover Company from 1949 until 1964. These cars are very much part of British culture and became known as the 'Auntie' Rovers. They were driven by royalty including Grace Kelly and King Hussein of Jordan whose first ever car was a 1952 75. The P4 series was supplemented in September 1958 by a new conservatively shaped Rover 3-litre P5 but the P4 series stayed in production until 1964 and their replacement by the Rover 2000.
• The Vauxhall Velox had been introduced in 1948, with a new version in 1951. The Cresta E version, launched in 1954, had the same 2262 cc six-cylinder engine in the same state of tune but scored over the Velox in having a choice of leather or fabric upholstery, optional two-tone paintwork, a heater as standard, a small electric fascia mounted clock, a cigar lighter, a lamp automatically illuminating the boot when opened and a vanity mirror on the inside of the front passenger's sun visor along with a special ornamental badge above the V (for Vauxhall) badge on the nose of the car. A radio was optional.

Humber Super Snipe

Hillman Minx

Morris Oxford Series 2

Standard 8/10/Pennant

• Humber Super Snipe; the Mark II announced in mid-September 1948 was mostly redesigned in chassis and body. Now a full six-seater with a bench-type front seat it was given a wider track and a variable ratio steering unit. The gear lever was now mounted on the steering column. Like Humber's Pullman the headlights were fitted into the wings.
• ​Hillman Minx; having existed since 1931, the Minx nameplate prevailed well into the 60s. Like Vauxhall, Hillman’s immediate post-war Minxes were little more than hasty rehashes; it would take until 1948 for the model’s outward appearance to match contemporary expectations. As the Minx MkIII went toe to toe with the Wyvern L Series, Rootes offered buyers more body styles than Luton towards the end of that year with saloon, estate and convertible options made available. By 1951, the Minx V offered glitz equal to that of the Wyvern E; power, from a 1.3-litre bored out sidevalve engine, broadly matched that of the Vauxhall.
• Morris Oxford; the fully redesigned Oxford Series 2 was announced in May 1954, and following the formation of BMC, notably received the Austin-designed B-Series OHV straight-4. This modern 1.5 L (1489 cc/90 in3) engine produced a respectable 50 hp (37 kW) and allowed the Oxford to reach 74 mph (119 km/h). Hydraulic drum brakes all round were still used but increased to 9-inch (230 mm) diameter. Steering was still of the beautifully light and precise rack and pinion type.
• Standard 8/10/Pennant; Standard Triumph had considerable success with its range of small four door cars in the 1950s and many felt they beat all rivals. Today these cars are largely forgotten, thus affordable. The very basic early 8 model came with no boot lid, access being via the rear seat. The 803cc Eight was joined by the 948cc 10, which came with its own bootlid.