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Top Ten: Classic penny pinchers

1961 Austin Westminster A110
IN THIS FEATURE
Classic penny pinchers
1. 1974 BMW 1502
2. 1957 Standard Ensign
3. 1961 Austin Westminster A110
4. 1960 Wolseley 1500 Fleet
5. 1939 Lancia Ardea
6. 1951 Ford Consul
7. Vauxhall Velox
8. 1982 Ford Sierra three-door
9. 1969 Sunbeam Alpine
10. 1965 Porsche 912
BMC built a special ultra-basic version of its big saloon mainly for use by the police as a patrol car. It featured such niceties as flat cardboard door-trims and acres of painted metal, although a heater was deemed justifiable for police use. This was good news for the coppers - on their previous Wolseley 6/80 models, the heater was deleted as it was thought that it would encourage officers to stay in their cars and keep warm rather than get out and do some collar-feeling.

The police didn't like the idea of power steering in the '60s, and the A110 was alarmingly uninterested in turning corners, which made it rather a handful when it came to chasing villains in their much more nimble Jaguars. The police took the hint and gradually replaced the Westminsters with, er, Jaguars.


Previous : 2. 1957 Standard Ensign Next : 4. 1960 Wolseley 1500 Fleet
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