After the First World War Herbert Austin decided on a one engine policy based on the 3620cc 20hp unit; this was fitted to cars, commercial vehicles and even a tractor, but volume of sales were never enough to fill the vast factory built during wartime.

Critical to the recovery was the appointment in 1922 of a new finance director, Ernest Payton, and a new works director in charge of car production, Carl Engelbach.

Between them they steered the company's fortunes through the inter-war year period.

To increase market share, smaller cars were introduced; the 1661cc Twelve in 1922 and later the same year, the Seven; an inexpensive, simple small car and one of the earliest cars to be directed towards the mass market.

In 1930 the Austin Seven became the most produced car in England.

With the help of the Seven, Austin weathered the worst of the depression and remained profitable, producing a wider range of cars which was steadily updated by the introduction of all-steel bodies, Girling b...