Austin Maxi
1969-დან 1981-მდე ოდენი “Cowley” ორივე BMC-ს და შემდეგ ბრიტანული Leyland-ის პირველი ჰაჩბეკ-ოჯახური მანქანა იყო, რომელიც 1100/1300-ებისა და “Princess”-ის შუა ბაზარში შეავსო და უხეში კუბური A60 Cambridge წიწვანდა.
ნაყოფი და ქდრივი ბაზარი
Developed under the codename ADO14, the Austin Maxi closed the gap between BMC’s compact 1100/1300 line and the larger Princess and 1800 ranges, fusing monocoque construction with fresh five-door practicality. It directly superseded the front-engine, rear-drive Austin A60 Cambridge, signalling BMC’s pivot to transverse engines and front-wheel drive across its mainstream family cars.
დიზაინი და სიმარტოლულobi
A 4032 mm overall length retained an unmistakable Austin family silhouette, while seating for five and a rear hatch delivered newfound versatility in 1970 Britain. The interior hinged on flat-folding rear seats and unusually tall side glazing, giving the compact footprint a genuinely usable 970 kg load-lugger feel long before the term ‘hatchback’ was commonplace.
Tექნიკური მიმოხილვას, შემდეგ კი — გასვლა
BMC’s 1.5-litre E-series engine sat transversely driving the front wheels, an early example of the layout that would proliferate across British Leyland. Despite a technically ambitious five-speed manual, reliability foibles and hurried cost cutting eroded its reputation, and BL wound down production at Cowley in summer 1981. The cleaner-sheet Austin Montego stepped in as its direct successor—but without the Maxi’s hatch, a telling omen of British market tastes shifting towards saloons.
English version
Slotting above the 1100/1300 range and replacing the boxy Austin A60 Cambridge, the Austin Maxi served as BMC’s – and later British Leyland’s – first hatchback family car from 1969 to 1981.
Origins & Market Position
Developed under the codename ADO14, the Austin Maxi closed the gap between BMC’s compact 1100/1300 line and the larger Princess and 1800 ranges, fusing monocoque construction with fresh five-door practicality. It directly superseded the front-engine, rear-drive Austin A60 Cambridge, signalling BMC’s pivot to transverse engines and front-wheel drive across its mainstream family cars.
Design & Practicality
A 4032 mm overall length retained an unmistakable Austin family silhouette, while seating for five and a rear hatch delivered newfound versatility in 1970 Britain. The interior hinged on flat-folding rear seats and unusually tall side glazing, giving the compact footprint a genuinely usable 970 kg load-lugger feel long before the term ‘hatchback’ was commonplace.
Engineering then Exit
BMC’s 1.5-litre E-series engine sat transversely driving the front wheels, an early example of the layout that would proliferate across British Leyland. Despite a technically ambitious five-speed manual, reliability foibles and hurried cost cutting eroded its reputation, and BL wound down production at Cowley in summer 1981. The cleaner-sheet Austin Montego stepped in as its direct successor—but without the Maxi’s hatch, a telling omen of British market tastes shifting towards saloons.
