1947/48 Austin 16 SaloonReg.

no.

CBV 66Chassis no.

BS1 30868Engine no.

IB 30500Launched in 1945, the ‘BS1’ series 16 was Austin’s first new model for the post-war era.

While sharing its name with the 16 of 1927-1937 , the car was in fact based on the 1939 12, which had been relaunched after the war.

While the chassis and body were shared, the 16 benefitted from an all-new 2199cc four-cylinder overhead-valve engine.

This produced 67bhp and could propel the car to around 75mph; very respectable performance for the time.

Comfortable, sturdy and well-built cars, in the finest Austin tradition, a team of three 16s proved their mettle in the harsh winter of 1947, successfully visiting seven European capitals in seven days, in spite of atrocious conditions.

A notable feature of the 16 is the in-built hydraulic jacking system operated from the engine bay; an example of the level of thought that went into Austin cars of the period.

Notably, the 1 millionth Austin car produced was a BS...