Nash Metropolitan
NXI
The Nash Motor Corporation
of America in 1949 started work on a small car given the code name
NXI (Nash Experimental International) this was quite a brave step
as most other car companies were working on the accepted view that
bigger it was better. So the various ideas that Nash were working
on were shown in clinic’s to invited members of the public. The
clinic showed that the car buying public were interested in a small
economical car which would be mainly used as a second car, but it
would need to be priced accordingly.
Nash Motors
Invitation
The next step taken by the
company was very unusual, in that they mailed thousands of
potential buyers with a questionnaire along with a photos of the
proposed design which was mainly the work of William Flajole an
independent designer. Again the results were positive so a decision
was made to bring it into production, now Nash had no experience of
producing small cars. Making the body would not be a problem. but
they did not have a small engine or gearbox. suspension etc, they
also did not have the production facilities. So they looked around
for a tie up with another car manufacturer outside America who
could produce them.
Artist
Impression of the Fiat Version
Various car firms were
approached including Fiat and Standard-Triumph. In the end a deal
was struck with the Austin Motor Company who would build the car
using the 1,200 cc engine and three speed manual gearbox with
column change as used in the A40 Somerset range.
This picture is the first
UK built Nash Metropolitan
Christmas
1952 (you can even see snow on
the ground)
Production
Soft-Top
All the body engineering
and suspension would be designed by Nash. The contract to produce
the bodies including paint and trim, was given to Fisher &
Ludlow at Castle Bromwich, which had just been acquired by Austin
in September 1953. The final assemble would be at Longbridge with
production starting in October. It was first given the name Nash
NKI Custom, but in March 1954 it was re-named the
Metropolitan.
Fisher &
Ludlow
Two models were offered, a
two-door convertible and a two-door hardtop. The price in 1954 was
$1,469 for the Model 541 two-door convertible version and for Model
542 two-door hardtop slightly cheaper at $1,445. Standard equipment
included such things as twin electric windscreen wipers,
directional indicators and a spare wheel with cover. Factory extras
included radio, heater and white wall tyres which were ordered by
most customers. Two tone paintwork was also standard on the hard
top with the convertible having a different coloured soft top. In
the same year on the 1st May the Nash-Kelviator Company merged with
the Hudson Car Company and became the American Motors Corporation.
It still continued to market the Metropolitan under the Nash and
Hudson banner, although the bulk of sales were Nash, I wonder if
there are many Hudson Metropolitans still
around.
Date when launched October
1953
Discontinued in 1956
Engine
1200 cc 42 bhp at 4,500 rpm Max torque 58lbs/ft at 2,400 rpm
Main measurements
Length 12ft 5.4ins Width 5ft 1.5ins Height 4ft 8.8ins
Wheelbase 7ft 1ins Track front 3ft 9.2ins rear 3ft
8.8ins
Metropolitan
1500
In 1956 it was time for an update this time using the 1498 cc ‘B’
series engine, the bonnet lost the air intake and the radiator
grill look was improved. It also received its zig-zag stainless
steel side trims which gave a natural line to give the body its
dual tone colour schemes. Nash used this update to now call the
model ‘Metropolitan 1500’.
USA
Brochure
Right hand drive versions
(Series III) were announced in April 1957 and although sold through
the Austin Dealerships it was still called ‘Metropolitan 1500’. The
UK prices were £713 for the Hardtop and £725 for the
Convertible.
Australia also imported them where they were known as Nash
Metroploitan. By 1959 sales were tapering off so it received it
last update, when it received a opening boot lid, a closed glove
box, seat adjusters and opening quarter lights.
Production for the UK market stopped in February 1961 with the
Hardtop then costing £707 and the Convertible £732. It was in April
1961 that the last Metropolitan Series IV came off the line for the
US market.
UK
Brochure
Date when launched
1956
Discontinued in 1961
Engine
1,489 cc 47 bhp at 4,000 rpm Max torque 74lbs/ft at 2,100 rpm
Main measurements
Length 12ft 5.5ins Width 5ft 1.5ins Height 4ft 6.5ins
Wheelbase 7ft 1ins Track front 3ft 9.2ins rear 3ft 8.8ins
Production came to an end
in April 1961 with a total of 104,377 Metropolitans been made at
Longbridge, with nearly 95,000 exported to the
USA.
Thanks to David Austin for
some of the pictures and information.
My
Memories of Austin Metropolitans by David
Austin
My
first memory of the Austin Metropolitan was in 1957, when out on a
family outing, I spotted an unusual car parked at a garage in, I
think, Buckinghamshire.
We stopped to have a look all around the car, but beyond being
called a “Metropolitan” we could not work out any further details.
I was intriqued and fascinated with this unusual car – American
styling, but English car sized.
I found out soon after, that it was made by Austin, and I assumed,
at that time, it was designed by Austin to try and capture some of
the American market (as they had tried previously with the Austin
A90 Atlantic).
I thought no more about the Metropolitan until my
21st Birthday. My Father offered
to help me buy my first car as a 21st Birthday present. Naturally
my thoughts again turned to the Metropolitan, and we started
checking the “Exchange & Mart” for one.
We eventually found a 1958 Mardi-Gras Red Hardtop which looked
quite nice, and I think we paid about GBP140 for it.
I really loved that car, and drove it everywhere. It also taught me
heaps about car maintenance, as I was always “tinkering” with it
most weekends. I often had to fight with my Dad to drive it, as he
loved driving it too. He said that the 1500cc engine was a “beauty”
with tons of low-down torque, which made it so easy to drive.
Sadly, rust (which is a big problem on this car) became an issue a
few years later, and I was forced to scrap it, as it was becoming
dangerous to drive. This seemed to be the end of my involvement
with the Metropolitan, but it was not to be.
In 1972, I saw an advert in “Exchange & Mart” regarding
establishing a “Metropolitan Owners’ Club”, and calling for
expressions of interest. I wrote off straight-away, and later
received a letter saying that, since support seemed strong, it had
been decided to start the Club. I wrote back with my subscription,
and joined this Club as Member No. 2 (Bill Dowsing who started the
Club was naturally Member No 1). As I did not have a Metropolitan
then, the Club kept sending me details of cars for sale, and
eventually I bought a Berkshire Green Hardtop in very nice
condition.
I kept this car for many years, and made many modifications
including Automatic Transmission (from Austin A60), Oil Pressure
gauge, Transistor radio (to replace the original Valve radio), two
speed wipers, Anti-roll bar, up-rated shock-absorbers, Smaller
diameter steering wheel, Radial-ply tyres, Thermostatic radiator
fan & laminated windscreen.
At this time, I also became aware of the true history of the
Metropolitan, and how it was designed by the Nash Corporation in
America, and built, under contract, by Fisher & Ludlow and
Austin in the UK. I contacted American Motors (successor to Nash
Corp.) in the US, and was supplied with a lot of fascinating
information. This sparked my interest in collecting all the
literature relating to the Metropolitan see links below. I believe
I have the largest collection in the world of literature relating
to the Nash, Hudson, American Motors & Austin
Metropolitan.
After a few years, I thought seriously about buying a Metropolitan
convertible that I can restore to Concours condition. I hunted
around for such a car, and eventually bought a 1961 Black &
White convertible in good original condition.
Before I could get involved in this process of restoration, I
received an offer to live and work in Australia. I decided to try
it out for two years, and if it didn’t work out, I would return to
the UK. In the event, I am still living in Australia, and had to
sell the two cars, but I had my Library shipped over, and have been
adding to it ever since.
I still belong to the UK “Metropolitan Owners’ Club”, and also to
the “Metropolitan Owners’ Club of North America” (MOC(NA)). I have
made quite a few trips to the United States to meet MOC(NA) members
there, and recently I visited the “British Motor Industry Heritage
Trust” in Warwickshire UK, which holds a lot of the records
relating to the Austin Motor Company, to research some details on
the car.
It seems amazing that my involvement with the Metropolitan has
spanned over 50 years to date (1957 – 2009). Unfortunately, I
cannot see myself having another 50 years involvement, but my
interest has remained undiminished all these
years.