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1949 Austin Atlantic

Convertible
Chassis number: BD2-L/45214

This Austin Atlantic is believed to have been the 1949 San Francisco show car. The windshield still bears decals from the selling dealer, Kjell Qvale's British Motor Car Company in San Francisco. Norwegian-American businessman, Qvale, was a pioneer the importation of British cars to the West Coast.

This convertible spent most of its early years in Southern California. In the early 2000s, it returned to England and given a frame-off restoration and given the age-related UK registration USL514. After the work was completed, it returned to the United States in its Wimbledon White exterior with a red leather interior.

The car is powered by a 2660cc overhead valve four-cylinder engine offering nearly 90 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual transmission with hydraulic drums in the front and mechanical drums in the back.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's sale in Amelia Island, Florida. It was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $70,000 and was offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $46,750 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

The Austin Atlantic was introduced as a Convertible at the 1948 earls Court Motor Show in London, with production models being built between the spring of 1949 and late 1950. A two-door sports coupe was previewed at the 1949 Motor Show and was in production from 1950 through 1952. Both were powered by a 4-cylinder 2660cc engine. 7,981 were built through 1952 before being superseded by the next A90 - the totally different Austin Westminster - in 1954. The Atlantic, as its name implies, was targeted at the United States market and was designed almost certainly by Austin's then resident stylist, Italian Dick Burzi clearly influenced by Pininarina's 1946 Alfa Romeo cabriolet. Unfortunately, the United States was not very responsive and only 350 reached these shores.