International variations : Austin Victoria
October 2, 2011
· 
Keith Adams · 
5 Comments
The three-box ADO16, as restyled by Michelotti.
The Austin Victoria. According to Julian Marsh, who drove the car some time back, it suffered from a rather “difficult” gear change and was fitted with an eight-track stereo!
IN October 1972, Authi replaced its Morris and MG ADO16 models with the Victoria (Spanish for Victory, so not named after a girl, queen, place or station). There is a rumour that the name was a chosen as a sardonic comment on the similarity of Michelotti’s styling job to his previous Triumph 1500 design, particularly evident from the rear.
The bodyshell was borrowed from the Austin Apache produced in South Africa. It has to be said that in reality, the Victoria was a failure, as was Authi itself, although one can’t help wondering whether it could have been a success in the UK market…
A Mk2 version was developed and a handful of examples were built before fire swept the Pamplona factory, and the Authi adventure came to an end…
This MG-badged Victoria (above), with a tuned, twin-carb (83bhp) version of the 1275cc engine, twin headlamps and a revised interior, was shown at the Barcelona Motor Show in April 1973, but never entered production. (Picture: MG: The Untold Story, by David Knowles).
Gallery
A small selection of Mk1 Victoria images culled from brochures, adverts and magazines
Victoria pictured in the wild in 2008. (Picture: Rob Cawley)
UK Victorias
At the 2012 BMC/BL Rally at Peterborough, an Austin Victoria was compared with its Michelotti-styled contemporary, the Triumph Dolomite. There are some striking similarities.
Related posts:
- International variations : Austin Victoria Mk2
- International variations : Austin Apache
- Authi ADO16s (pre-Victoria)
- BMC 1100/1300 : Italian variations
- BMC 1100/1300 : Australian variations
5 Responses
I will never understand why, in 1974, these did not come to the UK and carry the Austin/Morris brand, the revisions of 1500 and 1750 engine, and provide a distinct, small, FWD saloon competitor to the Chevette, Escort etc.
There’s a hint of 1970′s Audi in the designs, that looks clean and modern.
I totally agree Richard, these would have also sold really well in New Zealand up against the escort. Leyland had managed to stuff the 1500 engine and sell them into the proper ADO16s in Australia, so it had already been done successfully.
They could have had a range that went from 1300 A series to 1500 and 1750 variants.
This paired with the interesting Morris Kimberley / Tasman 1800 replacements would have gone a long way toward filling the void in sales that the Allegro / Maxi / Princess created.
Another Missed Opportunity…. Despite all the in house competition i.e. Rover/Triumph 2000, spitfire/MG Midget, GT6/MGB etc (although they all appealed to different Buyers) BL condemned any more in house rivalry, Allegro/Princess got head clouting Boot Lids rather than steal sales from the Maxi which wasnt selling that well anyway, whilst I can only guess the Victoria/Apache would have stolen sales from the Toledo/Dolomite.
Back in the 70s I’m pretty sure this would of sold very well against Escorts, Cortina’s, Avengers, Hunters etc, It probably could have even killed off the Marina? Then again the 1100/1300 was an old design by then and costing a few £££ keeping it in production, so you can see why the Allegro came along complete with cost cutting improvements in every area…. Perhaps if the Agro became a hit a saloon booted style could been pushed forward?
Not so much a car that could have continued the sales of ADO16 but one that could have addressed the criticism of BLMC for not developing the car if it had been launched in 1972.
It could however had soldiered on in saloon form as a conservative Morris allowing the Austin badge to be used on a hatchback version of the Allegro, preferably with B instead of E series engines allowing a less bulbous front.
I was on holiday in Asturias, northern Spain in the early 1970s when these cars arrived on the beach for a photo shoot..the beach was a small but stunning location called La Franca. This was still the time of Fascism and you could only buy vehicles built in Spain or face huge import duties and everyone drove a SEAT ( old FIAT ) or an enormous Dodge…these vehicles caused quite a stir and made a lasting impression on me as my Mother drove a Wolseley 1300 auto..brilliant car …..my Father was driving a 2.5 Triumph PI…which created a crowd wherever we went. The red one is clearly on said beach and the poor woman on the car roof is in full Asturian national costume….poor soul.
Lovely looking car..happy memories…brilliant site, thanks to all who make iy happen…john
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