"The ’Mayfair’ – upholding the maxim that Austin means excellence – sets the standard by which closed car values must be gauged" Announced at the October 1926 London Motor Show (albeit production did not fully commence until early 1928), the new Austin Twenty boasted a six-cylinder engine in place of its predecessor’s four-pot unit.

Based around a sturdy ladder frame chassis equipped with all-round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension and four-wheel drum brakes, the 20/6 was updated almost year-on-year gaining Triplex safety glass, synchromesh for its four-speed manual gearbox and improved headlights etc.

Powered by a 3.4 litre straight-six, Austin’s flagship was typically capable of 65mph.

Reintroduced for 1935, the Mayfair Limousine variant was a stately six-light design which was sumptuously trimmed throughout.

Less expensive than the equivalent Rolls-Royce but still ‘house money’, just seven painted cowl Mayfair Limousines are thought to have survived to the present day.

Thoug...