Austin Motor Firm revived with retro electrical roadster

Certainly one of Britain’s most prolific automotive producers of the twentieth century is about to make a return.

Roughly three a long time after the model disappeared from UK roads, the Austin Motor Firm is plotting its comeback – however slightly than making fashionable, reasonably priced automobiles for the plenty, it’s taken inspiration from its historical past.

The Austin Arrow 2 is a light-weight two-seater roadster – within the type of the Austin Seven of 1922 – however that includes an electrical powertrain.

The automobile is powered by a 15kW electrical motor, fed from a 20kWh lithium-ion battery, which the corporate says is sweet for 160km of driving vary.

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Whereas efficiency seems lacklustre – with nearly 80 per cent much less energy than an entry-level Hyundai Inster – the Austin Arrow weighs simply 605kg with its battery, giving it a claimed 0-100km/h time of seven.8 seconds.

The corporate says the Austin Arrow additionally has a prime velocity of 100km/h.

The unique Austin Seven was a well-liked alternative for a funds race automotive, with the likes of Sir Colin Chapman – the founding father of Lotus – efficiently campaigning a modified Seven, as did Bruce McLaren.

Australian motorsport legend Peter Brock additionally realized his commerce on an Austin Seven – racing one round his dad and mom’ farm, regardless of the automotive having no brakes or bodywork.