Tuesday 28th September 1954

The British Motor Corporation unveiled its latest model, the Austin Cambridge. It replaced the A40 Somerset and was entirely new, with modern unibody construction. The range had two basic body styles with the A40, A50, and early A55 using a traditional rounded shape and later A55 Mark IIs and A60s using Pininfarina styling. Initially the Austin Cambridge was only offered with a 4-passenger, 4-door saloon body, although a few pre-production 2-door models were also made. It had a modern body design with integrated wings and a full-width grille. Independent suspension was provided at the front by coil springs and wishbones but a live axle with anti-roll bar was retained at the rear.The power for these four-cylinder cars remained as before, with the B-Series engine forming the backbone of the range. Entry-level was the A40, which used the 1200cc 42bhp engine from the Somerset, while the A50 had the newly-enlarged 1489cc B-series unit and 50bhp. The four-door saloon was also available in Deluxe form, which introduced additional chrome and leather to the package. The A55 succeeded both types in 1957, with a bigger boot, vestigial fins and a larger back window. In van and pick-up form, these models lasted until 1971.