Wolseley 2200
Manufacturer	British Leyland
Production	1975-1976
Predecessor	Wolseley Six
Successor	Leyland Princess
Class	fullsize car
Body style(s)	4-door saloon
Engine(s)	2.2 L E-series SOHC straight-6
Designer	Harris Mann

The Leyland Princess is a medium-to-large car that was produced in the United Kingdom by British Leyland from 1975 until 1981. Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... The Austin 1800 was a saloon car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) from September 1964 to 1975 and colloquially known as the Landcrab. The 1800 was voted European Car of the Year for 1965. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... This article is about the type of car. ... BMC B-Series engine from an MG A The BMC B-Series was a straight-4 automobile engine family created as a larger alternative to the companys A-Series. ... A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Automotive design. ... Harris Mann (b. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... Categories: Automobile stubs | Austin vehicles ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... This article is about the type of car. ... BMC B-Series engine from an MG A The BMC B-Series was a straight-4 automobile engine family created as a larger alternative to the companys A-Series. ... A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Automotive design. ... Harris Mann (b. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2168x1238, 331 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Leyland Princess ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... The Austin 1800 was a saloon car built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) from September 1964 to 1975 and colloquially known as the Landcrab. The 1800 was voted European Car of the Year for 1965. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... This article is about the type of car. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Automotive design. ... Harris Mann (b. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ...

The car was originally called the Austin / Morris / Wolseley 18–22 series. Later, it was given the name Princess, first used on the Austin Princess limousine of 1947 and being revived almost as a marque in its own right. The Leyland Princess is often referred to as the Austin Princess, but this name was not used in the home (UK) market. It was, however, used in New Zealand. The car later appeared in revamped form as the Austin Ambassador between 1982 and 1984. The Austin Motor Company was founded in Longbridge, Birmingham by Herbert Austin, the former manager of the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company in 1905. ... Morris was the name of a former English car manufacturing company. ... Wolseley can mean: Wolseley plc, A British company formerly known for car manufacture, now active in other areas Wolseley, Saskatchewan, Canada Wolseley, a provincial electoral district in Manitoba, Canada Wolseley, South Africa, a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa This is a disambiguation page — a navigational... Austin Princess was a name given to luxury cars made by the Austin company during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. ... The Austin Ambassador was a large hatchback automobile introduced by British Leyland (BL) in 1982. ...

It was a sales disappointment for Leyland, never even equalling the previous 1800/2200 model's sales in any year, and that was a model which was itself a sales disappointment.

Controversial styling

Like many other controversial cars, the exterior styling was distinctive, innovative, and somewhat divisive. The Wedge, as it was often nicknamed, was indeed very wedge-shaped; the styling was all angles and slanting panels. This was in very much 1970s style as created by Italian stylists (see Lamborghini Countach for the production epitome of such style). Within BL the car was often referred to as The Anteater. The designer, Harris Mann, was also responsible for the Triumph TR7, another notably wedge-shaped car, as well as the decidedly non-angular Austin Allegro. The Lamborghini Countach was a supercar produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. ... Harris Mann (b. ... The Triumph TR7 was a sports car manufactured from 1975 to 1981 by the Triumph Motor Company, then part of British Leyland (and subsequently, BL Ltd. ... The Austin Allegro is a small family car that was manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 until 1983. ...

The Princess, unlike the Allegro, made it to production metal relatively unscathed and unaltered from Harris's original plan. The bonnet (hood) was a little higher, to allow for taller engines, but the biggest change from Harris's design involved the rear. Harris had intended the design to be a five-door hatchback, but management decided that the Austin Maxi should be the only hatchback in the range, making that its unique selling point, and besides, they thought the Princess's prospective buyers would not like a hatchback - even though, in the Rover division, the new Rover SD1 was being given a hatchback design. Consequently, the Princess received fixed rear glass and a separate boot (trunk), belying its appearance. Some feel this was to prove a sales-loser the Princess's entire life. Peugeot 306 hatchback, with the hatch lifted and the parcel shelf tilted for access Not a hatchback: a fastback shape like this 2004 Bentley Continental GT can be confused with a true hatchback Hatchback is a term describing an automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo... The Austin Maxi was a medium sized 5-door hatchback car from British Leyland for the 1970s. ... Rover SD1 is the code name given to a series of large executive cars made by British Leyland and Austin Rover Group from 1976 to 1987. ...

An estate version was also proposed, although never made production.

Interestingly, for a car that was distinctive (particularly in its bodylines), it was actually a popular car with professional car converters, namely Crayford Engineering, Torcars (who both did conversions of the car to hatchback form - sold confusingly as 'Princess Estate') and Woodall-Nicholson - who built stretched limousine and hearse variants. Crayford Engineering (more commonly known simply as Crayford) was an automobile coachbuilder based in Westerham, Kent,England and formed in 1962 by David McMullan and Jeffrey Smith. ...

Mechanical details

The base engine fitted was the 1800 cc B-Series pushrod straight-4. This design dated to 1947 and was notably lacking in power, though torque was reasonable. The larger engine, fitted to upper models in the range, was a 2200 cc E-series SOHC straight-6. This was very smooth and a much more modern engine, but was still not hugely powerful. The Princess was a big car, and the engine choice gave lacklustre performance. This wasn't helped by the provision of only a 4-speed manual gearbox (a Borg-Warner automatic transmission was an option, but performance with this was by all accounts positively lethargic). Bigger engines and a 5-speed would have made the Princess a much more exciting car and helped sales. BMC B-Series engine from an MG A The BMC B-Series was a straight-4 automobile engine family created as a larger alternative to the companys A-Series. ... A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... BorgWarner is a U.S. automotive parts supplier, known for its automatic transmissions and turbo chargers. ...

Suspension used BL's Hydragas system, and was very soft and smooth; the intention was to offer as smooth a ride as the Citroën CX and this was almost achieved. The Princess's ride was excellent, and comfort in general was a selling point; the car was roomy, reasonably well-appointed for the time, the seating was comfortable, and overall the driving experience - provided you didn't care that much about performance - was excellent. Hydragas is a type of automotive suspension system used in many cars produced by British Leyland and its successor companies. ... Rear of a Series 1 Citroën CX Series 2 Citroën CX Series 2 Citroën CX modified with aftermarket wheels - missing standard factory fender skirts Spacious rear seat of long wheel base fastback The Citroën CX is an automobile produced by the French automaker Citroën from...

Launch of the 18-22 Series in three varieties

Leyland 18-22 grilles in a period advertisement, with Wolseley, Austin and Morris models.

When it was launched in March 1975, the car was not originally called the Princess, but it was originally called the 18-22 Series, which referred to the engine sizes available. For the first six months of its production life, it was produced in three badge-engineered Austin, Morris and Wolseley guises. The Austin model was the really standard one, featuring square headlights and a simple horizontally-barred grille. The Morris and Wolseley cars had a raised 'hump' permitting a larger, styled grille for each model; the Morris one was a simple chrome rectangle with 'Morris' in the lower right-hand corner, while Wolseley's had a centre-chromed vertical bar with a Wolseley logo on it, with narrower vertical bars, set slightly back, filling in the chromed surround. Both of these versions had four round headlights, and the Wolseley model was only available with the six-cylinder engine and luxury trim. Apart from their bonnet and headlamp designs, and of course their badging, the Austin and Morris models were virtually identical. Download high resolution version (760x962, 173 KB)Leyland 18-22 series grilles from period advertisement. ... Download high resolution version (760x962, 173 KB)Leyland 18-22 series grilles from period advertisement. ... The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand, the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 but declining after absorption into the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and its subsequent troubles. ... Morris may refer to: // In North America: Morris, Alabama Morris, Connecticut Morris, Illinois Morris, Manitoba Morris, Minnesota Morris County, New Jersey Morris Plains, New Jersey Morris (town), New York Morris (village), New York Mount Morris, New York Morris, Oklahoma Morris Township, Pennsylvania Morris, Wisconsin See also: Morriston Morristown Morrisville For... Wolseley can mean: Wolseley plc, A British company formerly known for car manufacture, now active in other areas Wolseley, Saskatchewan, Canada Wolseley, a provincial electoral district in Manitoba, Canada Wolseley, South Africa, a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa This is a disambiguation page — a navigational...

Models

Leyland Princess

By September of the same year (1975), the process of unifying Austin and Morris dealerships was advanced sufficiently, while the Wolseley marque was to be abandoned. The three badge-engineered cars were dropped in favor of a single version, the Leyland Princess. A crown badge was affixed to the point of the bonnet and the script word Princess was affixed to the grille, the thick vinyl-clad C-pillars and the boot. Only the 1800 cc model bore the twin headlights, with the 2200 cc models sporting the wedge-shaped headlights Harris Mann had designed the car to be seen with. Image File history File links Leyland_Princess. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... The Leyland Princess is a medium-to-large car that was produced in the United Kingdom by British Leyland from 1975 until 1981. ... The Leyland Princess is a medium-to-large car that was produced in the United Kingdom by British Leyland from 1975 until 1981. ... The Leyland Princess is a medium-to-large car that was produced in the United Kingdom by British Leyland from 1975 until 1981. ... The Leyland Princess is a medium-to-large car that was produced in the United Kingdom by British Leyland from 1975 until 1981. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... This article is about the type of car. ... BMC B-Series engine from an MG A The BMC B-Series was a straight-4 automobile engine family created as a larger alternative to the companys A-Series. ... A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... An SUV with four pillars A Barracuda fastback has only two pillars A stretch limo with five pillars When looking at the side of a vehicle, the A-pillar is the pillar that attaches to the windshield and supports the roof. ...

The Princess' build quality was affected by poor quality control and constant industrial disputes; it gained a reputation for unreliability it could never shake off, even though quality improved in later years. The styling, praised upon introduction, was soon labelled 'ugly'. To quote a phrase in Parker's Car price guide from the 1990s, "an early critic suggested that the people responsible for designing the front and rear of the car were not speaking to one another." Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by employees to perform work. ...

Models

Leyland Princess 2

Leyland Princess 2
Manufacturer	British Leyland
Production	1977-1981
Predecessor	Leyland Princess
Successor	Austin Ambassador
Class	fullsize car
Body style(s)	4-door saloon
Engine(s)	1.7 L O-Series SOHC straight-4 2.0  L O-Series SOHC straight-4 2.2 L E-series SOHC straight-6

In July 1978, the Princess was given a revamp and renamed the Princess 2. The main change was the replacement of the old 1800cc B-Series engine with the new O-Series engine. The new engine was offered in two sizes: 1695cc and 1993cc. Since there was an 1800cc tax barrier for company cars at the time, the 1700cc O-Series engine was developed to take advantage of that, whilst the 2000cc engine was developed for the private motorists who wanted something different from a Ford Cortina. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 476 pixelsFull resolution (1524 × 907 pixel, file size: 212 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... The Austin Ambassador was a large hatchback automobile introduced by British Leyland (BL) in 1982. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... This article is about the type of car. ... BMC O-Series engine from an Morris Ital The BMC O-Series engine was a straight-4 automobile engine family and a development of the BMC B-Series engine family. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... BMC O-Series engine from an Morris Ital The BMC O-Series engine was a straight-4 automobile engine family and a development of the BMC B-Series engine family. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The BMC E-Series was a straight-4 and straight-6 overhead camshaft automobile engine. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... BMC O-Series engine from an Morris Ital The BMC O-Series engine was a straight-4 automobile engine family and a development of the BMC B-Series engine family. ...

As well as new engines, the Princess 2 also received a minor facelift. The Princess script was deleted from the grille and C-pillars, the bootlid lettering was changed (there were now two small badges at each side of the boot, which replaced the previous full width badge bar), new side repeater indicators were fitted to the front wings, the coachline continued past the wheelarch, and the windscreen was now laminated. The entry-level L had chrome door mirrors and chrome wheel trims, while all the other models had satin black door mirrors and plastic wheel covers previously exclusive to the 2200 HLS, now with black rubber wheel nut covers instead of the solid chrome nuts. This was the total extent of the changes, bar some interior tweaks such as a black dashboard and center console, wooden dash insert (not available on the L, which made do with a matt black dash insert). The graphics on the dials were also improved, the steering wheel had a new centre pad and the rim was covered in leather. Only the top-specification HLS had a radio fitted as standard, while all the other models had this as an optional extra (even on the models with no radio, there was still an aerial and a pair of speakers fitted!).

However, despite the new engines, power was just about improved, and the six-cylinder 2200cc version continued as before. The other main flaw was the lack of a hatchback body. Since the smaller Austin Maxi was a 5-door hatchback in its range of cars, BL saw no need to produce a bigger 5-door hatchback in the Princess range, despite the success of the larger Rover SD1. Neither of those two major flaws were ever addressed.

A special one-off customized estate version of the Princess was built in late 1978 to promote Triplex glass. This vehicle can be seen at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The British Heritage Motor Centre centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England holds the vehicle collection and archive of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. ... Gaydon is a village in Warwickshire, England, close to Leamington Spa. ... A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced // or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ...

Since sales of the 2200 HL were painfully slow, that model was discontinued in January 1979, which therefore left the 2200 HLS the only six-cylinder model in the range. Following the deletion of the 2200 HL, the 1700 HLS and 2000 HLS were added to the range in May 1979. The only difference between the three HLS models was the size of their engines, since even the four-cylinder HLS models had the trapezoidal headlamps previously restricted to the six-cylinder cars! The availability of the HLS model with all three engine sizes was not to last since the 1700 HLS model was discontinued sometime after it was introduced.

1980 was to be the final full year for the Princess so it was given its final (albeit minor) facelift in November of that year. All models now featured coachlines below the waistline (one stripe for L, two for HL, and three for HLS) and larger door mirrors. For the HL and HLS models, the door frame surrounds were now either satin black or satin brown depending on the choice of colour to match the vinyl panels. Alloy wheels were now optional for the first time and the standard wheel trims were now a matt grey colour with a central 'P' motif replacing the Leyland logo. The chrome wheelarch extensions and the crown on the bonnet were no longer used and were replaced by the new blue Austin-Morris corporate logo on the grille. Production of the Princess ceased in November 1981.

The basic Princess design lived on for a few more years in revised form as the Austin Ambassador. The Austin Ambassador was a large hatchback automobile introduced by British Leyland (BL) in 1982. ...

Models

New Zealand - Austin Princess

In New Zealand the car was officially sold as the Austin Princess. Assembled in the New Zealand Motor Corporation's plant in Nelson, it was introduced to the market in 1977 and utilized the Austin 1800 B-series motor. The City of Nelson is situated very close to the centre of New Zealand. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

In early 1979 the car was re-engined with the BL O-Series OHC motor. Due to a conflict of the Austin Princess and Morris Marina competing in the same market sector in New Zealand, the Princess got a 2.0L unit mounted transversely, while the Marina (which was facelifted at that time and renamed in NZ as "Morris 1.7") received the 1.7L unit mounted longitudinally. Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Overhead cam (OHC) piston engines place the camshaft above the cylinder heads and drive the valves or lifters directly instead of using pushrods. ...

Being competitively priced, the Princess proved a popular car on the New Zealand market, and proved to be a good alternative to the rear-wheel-drive Ford Cortina, Mitsubishi Sigma and Holden Commodore ranges. The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ... The Mitsubishi Galant is a mid-size automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. ... The Holden Commodore is an automobile produced by the Holden division of General Motors (GM) in Australia. ...

Local production of the car ended in June 1982, when the completely knocked-down kits of the car had been used up. The Austin Princess R, the last model sold there, was still on new-car price lists in 1983, and was available only in black to commemorate the end of local assembly of a long line of Austin cars. This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Today

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Princess was largely unwanted and considered to be almost worthless. Consequently, most were scrapped during those times and very few are now left in good condition. Possibly New Zealand (where almost no salt is used on the roads in winter) is now the only country where the Princess can still be seen but not in abundance.

Many Princesses are now old enough to have classic status, and they have a small but enthusiastic following. The unique 1970s styling appeals to these people as attractively retro, and the cars are still easy to maintain with readily available parts. Prices are still very low.

Princess in popular culture

• There is a Princess prominently featured in The Full Monty.
• There is a band in England called "Stretch-Princess", who named themselves after seeing a lengthened-wheelbase Leyland Princess.
• The car featured in the music video to the song "Once Around the Block" by Badly Drawn Boy.
• A Leyland Princess, converted to a hearse, appeared in an episode of Keeping up Appearances, as a substitute vehicle for the limousine which Hyacinth expected to be picked up in.
• The New Zealand ASB Bank have had a long-running series of popular television advertisements featuring an American bank executive, Ira Goldstein, and his demanding boss. Advertisements over 2006-2007 showed him driving his boss around the Auckland area – in a metallic brown 1979 Austin Princess 2000HL.
• In the 1980s television comedy Terry and June, Terry owned a Leyland Princess.

This article is about the film. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as social snob Hyacinth Bucket. ... Look up limousine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... ASB is one of New Zealands largest banks, with branches throughout the country. ... Goldstein explains FastCheque to his boss in 2006 Ira Goldstein is a fictional character, played by Stephen Mellor[1], who appears in television commercials for New Zealand bank, ASB Bank. ... June Whitfield and Terry Scott on Terry and June Terry and June was a popular British sitcom, broadcast on the BBC from 1979 to 1987. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

British Leyland Princess

• Leyland Princess
• An unofficial Austin-Rover Web resource