ADO16 in North America
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MG Sports Sedan / MG Princess

Within a month or so of the model's UK launch, the MG1100 was being exported to the US to be sold as the MG Sports Sedan (perhaps providing inspiration to the Rootes Group, who later lauched the Hillman Imp in America as the Sunbeam Imp Sportsedan). Launched in the autumn (perhaps we should say fall) of 1962, the MG Sports Sedan initially used the 2-door bodyshell that would not become available in the UK until 1968; four-door models were also available, but in rather lesser numbers. The launch came at a time when BMC had decided to rationalise its US range, and the 1100 was intended to provide the dealers with a car to compete with the ever-popular VW Beetle. However, with sales of less than 35,000 over its five-year life, the MG Sports Sedan was never really up to this challenge.

In 1964, the Sports Sedan briefly shared its showroom space with the MG Princess, basically a Vanden Plas Princess 1100 with some rather incongruous MG badges added to its grille, hubcaps and bootlid; only 154 of these models were built before BMC decided to concentrate efforts on the Sports Sedan.

The MG Sports Sedan was phased out in summer of 1967, when production of the Mk1 bodystyle ended. The model was showing its age by this time, and moreover, it would not have been able to meet the new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which were looming on the horizon. BMC has also decided to reserve the MG marque in America for use on sports cars, but the US dealers, still keen to steal sales from the Beetle, started lobbying for a replacement for the Sports Sedan. This led to BMC shipping a small quantity of Austin 1100s to the US during late 1967, while they readied a new version of the car aimed specifically at this market.

Austin America

Introduced in March 1968, the Austin America was essentially a 2-door Austin 1300 fitted with a de-toxed, 60bhp version of the familiar 1275cc engine. In October that year the car gained front seat head restraints, while later modifications included body-side running lights and rubber inserts on the overriders.

The America was also offered in Canada and Switzerland, and sold steadily, if not in large numbers, until its withdrawal in 1972. It was replaced in the American markets by the Austin Marina, a federalized version of the UK's Morris Marina.

The original, 1968 US-specification Austin America in Chartreuse Yellow (above) and Riviera Blue (below).
(Pictures kindly supplied by Todd Miller.)

A later, 1970 USA-spec America, now featuring extra safety equipment such as front seat head restraints and side marker lights.

A 1970 Canadian-specification Austin America.

This page was contributed by Declan Berridge

Copyright © 2002 Keith Adams