Photo from original press release of Austin 1100

The Morris 1100 was a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation and, later, British Leyland, from August 15, 1962 to June 1974, developed under the ADO16 codename. It spawned many badge-engineered versions, including the twin-carb MG 1100, the Vanden Plas Princess (from October 1962), the Austin 1100 (August 1963), and finally the Wolseley 1100 and Riley Kestrel. By the time all six versions had been launched in 1965, ADO16 took 14·3 per cent of the UK home market, making it the country's top seller. The 1100 was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1964.

The estate version followed in 1966, called Countryman in the Austin range and Traveller in the Morris one.

In 1967, a 1275 cm³ option was available on MG, Riley, Vanden Plas and Wolseley models. The Mark II versions of the Austin and Morris models were announced, with the larger engine making it into these two makes' ranges in October 1967 (as the Austin 1300 and Morris 1300). Automatic transmission was added to the upmarket brands.

Mark II versions of the MG, Riley, Vanden Plas and Wolseley were introduced in October 1968, at which time Riley abandoned the Kestrel name. The Riley 1300 Mk II was cancelled in July 1969, and was the last Riley.

Mark III models were introduced in September 1971. The final British ADO16, a Vanden Plas Princess 1300, left the factory on June 19, 1974. The range was replaced by the Austin Allegro and its Vanden Plas 1500 counterpart. By this time, its original rival, the Ford Cortina, had already grown larger, putting ADO16 into the small-, rather than medium-sized class.

ADO16 overseas

The car was sold with various names in different markets. In Denmark, it bore the Morris Marina name. The MG models were sold as the MG Sports Sedan there, as it was in North America from 1962, and had a two-door bodyshell that would not be available in the UK until 1968. The Vanden Plas Princess was briefly the MG Princess 1100 in North America, while that market also saw an unusual two-door Austin 1100 (with a hybrid of Mk I and Mk II components).

The Austin America was sold in the US, Canada and Switzerland between 1968 and 1972 and featured a 60 bhp 1275 cm³ engine.

ADO16 also formed the basis of the Australian Morris 1500 and Morris 1500 Nomad station wagon, the Italian Innocenti Morris IM3 and Austin I4 and I5, the more powerful South African Austin, Morris and Wolseley 11/55 and Austin Apache and the Spanish Austin Victoria and 998 cm³ Austin de Luxe of 1974–7.

The Austin Apache was produced till 1977, the last of the ADO16 line.

External link

• The Unofficial Austin Rover Web Resource (http://www.austin-rover.co.uk)