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| Wolseley 4/44 |
Wolseley 4/44(1952-56)
The 4/44 was more exclusively a Wolseley product than the marque's other models on sale at the time, the 4/50 (Morris Oxford) and 60/60 (Morris Six), although it did share some components with smaller Riley models, Riley being the most upmarket of the BMC brands. Wolseley was also positioned as a "posh" brand, distinct from the mass-market Austins and sporty Morrises and MGs. The 4/44 was one of the company car fleet favourites of '52, a bit like a BMW 3-Series is today, though it was just a little slower - well, rather a lot actually. It had an MG-derived four-cylinder 1250cc engine which produced 44 bhp - hence 4/44 - and could just struggle a wheezing 73 mph. Sales managers would have had longer to get to their appointments in those days. It was the first of a series of lighter, BMC-developed Wolseleys, and although no sports car to handle, it was manoeuvrable enough with rack-and-pinion steering and front coil spring suspension, and specification was reasonably high. Strangely, it looked remarkably similar to the more powerful MG Magnette, but had a completely different bodyshell.
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