Austin Healey Sprite – A Brief History

All through the 1950s, manufacturer-new sports vehicles have been the toys of the loaded and rich but the arrival of the Austin Healey Sprite in 1958 would carry pleasure and an abundance of fresh air to a new technology of sporting activities auto supporters. It had a lot going for it and was the least expensive two-seater designed by a vehicle company, and the truth it bought nearly 50,000 in a few decades says it all. You also had the identify of Britain’s “Mister Athletics Motor vehicle” himself: Donald Healey obviously joined with the automobile.

Donald Healey started racing cars in the 1930’s and would go on to function for Triumph wherever he designed these types of versions as the Gloria and Dolomite. Healey had a wonderful capability to recognise what persons required from sports cars and trucks.

The close of Planet War 2 observed Healey go solo and by the conclusion of 1946 the Healey Westland was the swiftest British four seat auto of the time remaining capable of 105mph. An arrangement with the British Motor Company to produce the Austin-Healey 100, and later on the 100/6 and 3000 styles intended he could do the job on much more thrilling and sexier suggestions although leaving the wearisome manufacturing aspect to Austin.

The increasing prosperity of 1950’s Britain was turning into a market of fantastic prospective as much as the BMC chairman, Sir Leonard Lord, was anxious. He was on the lookout for a smaller sized sports activities automobile that he could use to tap into the steadily inflammation prosperity. His thinking was on the ball as the most affordable sporting activities automobiles from main producers charge in excess of £1,000 (about £20,000 now) and numerous hard-up fans experienced minimal alternative but to operate pre-war two-seaters or establish their individual kit automobiles, applying previous or scrapped Fords as a foundation.

Sir Leonard Lord approached Healey with his notion in 1956, on the other hand Healey and his chief designer, Gerry Coker, experienced currently arrive up with a design and style for a small sports car or truck that suited Sir Leonard Lords necessities exactly. The vehicle was based mostly on the Austin A35 and Coker, Healey and Healey’s son, Geoffrey modified the initially options and the new automobile turned the Austin-Healey.

The develop of the new Austin Healey was way ahead of its time with a stiff central unitary construction, identical to the Jaguar D-Variety. It experienced outriggers front and back again to assistance the generate teach and suspension. A proposal to make the entrance and rear bodywork similar did not arrive to fruition however all panels were being stored as easy as doable with the internal body construction made entirely of flat steel. A large a single piece bonnet and wing segment opened up to let fantastic entry to the motor. The facet home windows were being very little far more than aspect screens, external doorway handles have been dispensed with, no boot lid was offered and any luggage experienced to be squeezed in guiding the two seats.

The headlamps have had their share of grumblings with their bizarre set up. The Sprite was going to have pop-up headlights but because of to expense restraints these had been quashed, so Healey just caught them on the bonnet, near with each other and hunting like a bug! This go promptly made the Sprite a person of the most easily recognised cars and trucks on the street. The “Frogeye” nickname before long caught and has under no circumstances been misplaced.

The Sprite appeared and drove like a correct Sportster and it identified quite a few admirers in the US due to its compact shape, good entertaining to travel and without having any serious rival right up until the arrival of the Triumph Spitfire some four a long time afterwards.

In an try to retain prices realistic Austin taken off any product deemed not absolutely crucial to the optional extra listing, this involved the entrance bumper and heater! With a top pace of 83mph the Sprite could rarely be ranked as a tricky confronted general performance automobile but the lower weight authorized it to out deal with several regular sports activities salons of the working day, until the Mini Cooper arrived on the scene.

The first basic specification, inadequate luggage obtain and bug-eye glimpse led to the Sprite MK II, introduced in 1961, with new front and rear bodywork, a boot lid and a more substantial 1098cc motor. The character and charm of the unique was missing with this about engineered model.

Sprites had been produced until eventually 1971 with the final handful of off the assembly strains badged basically as Austin somewhat than Austin-Healey due to a row over royalty payments between Donald Healey and BMC successor British Leyland.

The Austin-Healey Sprite (Healey himself selected the title) was a brave move into uncharted internet marketing territory – its rivals becoming, principally, awful, self-establish, plastic package cars and trucks. Austin introduced the new sporting activities vehicle in 1958, at £660 including purchase tax. At that cost, the Sprite only experienced no rivals with the price of an MGA at £995 and a Triumph TR3 at £1,050. The Sprite bought admirably with 21,500 offered in 1959.

The Frogeye Sprite still receives accolades. Suzuki freely admitted its inspiration driving the Cappuccino when it launched in 1991. And of all the “Spridgets” that have been constructed about 21 several years, the Frogeye Sprite stays the most fascinating.