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Top Ten: Classic penny pinchers

 1960 Wolseley 1500 Fleet
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
The Wolseley 1500 was really a rebodied Morris Minor with a bigger B-Series 1489 cc engine, sharing its bodyshell with the mildly more exciting twin-carb Riley 1.5. The Fleet model of 1960 was, as the name suggested, intended for travelling salesmen who wanted the prestige of a Wolseley but at a lower price. And the fleet model was certainly one of the cheapest 1.5-litre cars around, at a basic before-tax cost of £500. Quite what made this version a 'Fleet model' is a little unclear although, outside, it had a little less chrome. Inside, travelling salesmen sat on leathercloth rather than real leather seats and did without both a heater and windscreen washers, but they did enjoy the luxury of a real wooden dash. For the Irish market there was a special small-engined 1200 cc version, which doesn't sound very special at all.



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