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Cars that were perfect first time - Austin in the Shed - 08-03-2019
The Autocar,as read via MSN has done an article on cars they consider to be perfect at first design.These include the Mini , E type Model T , Beetle and of course the Austin Seven.
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - bob46320 - 08-03-2019
Was there ever a doubt ?
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - Bob Culver - 08-03-2019
The journalists are relatively young and rely on what they read. They can barely imagine old time motoring. The early Beetle as assessed by the Brit motor industry was much more primitive than the models we generally consider as first, and I vaguely recall those had mechanical brakes and possibly no synchro.
The Seven expert here who rebuilt the Nurse Maude car and had run 1920s models as everyday transport considered the very early models frail.
I suppose the intent was to consider only innovative cars. Nevertheless the claim can be made for very many; Citroen Avant, Morris Minor, Renault 750 etc etc
The most perfect aspect of many was the price.
The original Morris Minor had an excellent reputation; except devoured front wheel bearings when the roadholding fully exploited.
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - Hugh Barnes - 08-03-2019
In saying that, I knew people who drove early Beetles who would put a couple of paving slabs in the front end so they would go round corners!
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - James Anderson - 08-03-2019
I would've added the Ford Mustang and Rover P6, attractive and innovative and sold in a surprisingly awful range of colours (BRG, Maroon and Blue being exceptions)!
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - Michael D - 08-03-2019
My dad stopped taking driving lessons in the. 60's because the learner driver car was a Beetle and dad managed to give it so much boot he hung the tail out in just about every corner so he decided he'd be too dangerous a driver.... Mum dit get her license so she did al the driving in the family cars....never a Beetle
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - Reckless Rat - 08-03-2019
The P6 V8 was a nice car but when our Transport department decided that an auto box was far too soft for hairy arsed coppers to drive they were specified with a manual box that came from the 2000 model, and it just wasn't up to the job. The co-pilots job was to hold the gear lever in reverse if we had to do a rapid reverse up the motorway hard shoulder as the driver was far too busy trying to prevent an almighty tank slapper when going backwards. OK for two burly front seat passengers but sod all room in the back. Even our cases had to go on the seat not the footwell. Nice old bus all the same. I still preferred the Consul GT though despite its propensity to self destruct when the fibre cam gears gave up the ghost, usually when flat out.
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - Chris KC - 08-03-2019
'Perfect' is a brave word...
I assume they are talking about first version sold to the public, as any decent car goes through several iterations before that! That's how they get to be 'perfect'.
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - JonE - 08-03-2019
Well, the Austin 7 was ugly and underpowered at first design, surely?
What about the Fiat 500 and Peugeot 205.
RE: Cars that were perfect first time - AustinWood - 08-03-2019
Not in the context of 1922 Jon.