Description Rare automatic model; good running order; scope for cosmetic improvement At a time when most US car makers were wholeheartedly embracing the ‘bigger is better’ philosophy, executives at the Nash Motor Company decided to branch out in the opposite direction and create a small, economical car aimed specifically at women and the overseas market.

Designed by William J Flajole, it looked like a scaled-down Nash Ambassador and had a shorter wheelbase than the VW Beetle.

To keep tooling costs down, production was farmed out to two British firms – Fisher & Ludlow would produce the bodywork while the Austin Motor Company would provide the mechanicals and undertake final assembly.

This was the first time that an American-designed car had been entirely built in Europe.

Two body styles were offered, a convertible and a hardtop coupe.

Power initially came from a 1,200cc Austin A40 engine driving through a three-speed column-change gearbox.

The Metropolitan went through four series...