1954 Austin A40

When it debuted in 1952 the Austin A40 Somerset marked a refinement of its A40 Devon predecessor. The OHV engine drove the rear wheels and the Somerset’s body choices were a four-door saloon that could seat either four or five passengers, or a two-door four-seat drophead ‘coupe’. Production continued until 1954.

The Austin A40 Somerset was widely seen as an improvement over the A40 Devon due to its wider, more spacious coachwork, and slightly more powerful engine. As with the earlier model, the body was built on a separate chassis, there were hydraulic drum brakes fore and aft, and suspension was via independent coil springs and double wishbones at the front with semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear. A steering column-mounted lever operated the four-speed transmission and the front seats could be set to form a bench. The ‘Coupe’ version was made for Austin by Carbodies of Coventry and boasted an elaborate hood that could be arranged in Coup de Ville or fully open forms. The Somerset also marked the beginning of a post-war relationship between Austin and Nissan, as it was the first of 21, 859 Longbridge cars to be assembled under licence in Japan.

The A40 Somerset engine was the 1200 OHV unit with a Zenith carburettor, with a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios.

The Austin A40 Somerset has a devoted following thanks to its distinctive lines, predictable road manners and very comfortable cabin. Its accelerative powers are gentle but the column change is easy to operate compared with some of its contemporaries and the Somerset is not too heavy for town driving.

Examples of the saloon are easier to find than the Coupe, as less than 7,500 of the latter were manufactured. New Somerset body panels are nearly impossible to source, as are chrome trim, glass and interior fittings. The engines can suffer from distortion of the block along the crankcase, resulting in blown head gaskets and worn transmissions are known to jump out of gear. Internal condensation can result in chassis rot, so check the front box sections and the diagonal cross bracings at the centre of the A40, in addition to the jacking points.

Alternatives to the Austin A40 Somerset are the Ford Consul Mk 1, the Morris Oxford MO, the Hillman Minx Mk V and Mk VI, and the E-Type Vauxhall Wyvern.