1967 Singer Vogue

Singer Vogue (Saloon/estate), 1961-1967

The Singer Vogue was in production from 1961 to 1967. Styled in house, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive family car range seating four adults.

Even the most casual of observers could see that the Singer Vogue bore similarities to the Hillman Super Minx range -much like BMC, Rootes chose to badge engineer a selection of basic Hillman models to produce cars that appealed to the middle classes. The Vogue sat in a similar position to the Wolseley 1560 - it offered walnut trim and nicer seats, alongside a traditional grille and other outside finery, without offering any power over and above the standard Super Minx. Unlike the Super Minx, there was no convertible, but buyers were spoiled with the choice of saloon and estate.

The estate was launched in early 1962, with just six months of production before the Series 2 Vogue of September 1962. 1964 saw the Series 3 - which brought a sharper six light roofline and greater interior space, while the final Vogue was the Series 4 of 1965. Fitted with a larger 1725cc engine, this car would see out the Vogue series into 1967 in estate form. The previous year, Rootes had replaced all Minx and Super Minx based models with new derivatives of the Arrow range. While the Hunter replaced the Super Minx, Singer was permitted to retain the Vogue name for its Vogue replacement. However, that car falls outside the scope of this guide.

Alternatives to the Vogue in period would have included the Wolseley 16/60 without question, as another badge-engineered highbrow take on the family car theme. The Vauxhall VX4/90 FB would have appealed to the same sort of customers given the light level of Americana, while the Ford Classic might have competed on price - but it would have been unlikely to appeal to the same people. Today, you might also consider cars like the later Arrow-based Humber Sceptre, or even - if the rakish look appeals - the Sceptre that was the Vogue's cut-down sibling. The Ford Corsair was more contemporary but also shared the late Vogue's American influence.