Austin Kimberley/Tasman (X6)

These Antipodean specials were based on the ADO17 (note the doors), but were treated to unique front and rear styling.

It could be said that the Kimberley and Tasman look rather like the four-door Maxi that was never put into production, but any attempt to dress-up the design failed, in truth. The car was phased out in 1974 to make way for the Leyland P76.

Austin Tasman - identifiable by its single headlamp treatment, front bench seat and entry-level spec

Austin Kimberley

The Morris versions of Kimberley and Tasman, as sold in New Zealand.

Brief specifications

Engine capacity:	2227cc six-cylinders in-line, transversely mounted OHC
Transmission:	Four speed transmission, front-wheel-drive
Compression ratio:	8.6:1
Maximum power:	103 PS (DIN) at 5500rpm
Weight:	1170kg
Maximum speed:	99mph (161km/h)
Launch date:	December 1970

Blogs, features and stories

The cars : Austin Kimberley development story

26 October 2020 Keith Adams 38

The Austin Kimberley and Tasman, and their Morris-badged cousins, were an interesting development of the BMC 1800/2200 reserved for the Antipodean markets only. They featured conventional three-box styling and were […]

The cars : Austin/Morris 2200 in Europe

29 May 2020 Chris Cowin 49

The smooth six-cylinder version of the BMC 1800 (ADO17) could have been a hit across Europe. It was a great long-distance cruiser. However, held back by a body changed little […]

The cars : Leyland P76 development story

15 December 2018 Keith Adams 21

In 1973, Leyland Australia announced that all former Austin and Morris cars would be replaced by a sweeping range of new Leyland-badged cars. Keith Adams tells the Leyland P76 development […]

The cars : BMC 1800 (ADO17) development story

15 April 2018 Keith Adams 84

Big and ungainly it may have looked, and it struggled to capture the imagination of the car buyers of the 1960s, but there’s no doubting the 1800 was one of […]

BL50 : The BMC Board Files – the model line-up analysed

8 January 2018 Chris Cowin 43

In the BMC Board Files, Chris Cowin, author of British Leyland: Chronicle of a car crash, unearths the minutes of BMC’s secret Board meetings and finds that they contain an honest view of […]

News : Vanden Plas 1800 prototype stars at NEC show

12 November 2017 Keith Adams 27

The Vanden Plas 1800 prototype is one of the better-known near-misses in BMC and BL history, and it proved to be something of a showstopper in one of its rare pubic […]

Engines : The E-Series

28 November 2016 Keith Adams 102

Designed and specially built to become the Corporation’s new mid-sized engine, the E-Series had a troubled early life, but eventually matured into something very worthwhile indeed. […]

Around the World : Australia

1 May 2016 Keith Adams 0

After the formation of BMC, Australia became an increasingly important market for the company, with models imported from the UK giving way firstly to local assembly of CKD (completely knocked […]

Concepts and prototypes : BMC 1800/2200

10 April 2016 Keith Adams 20

The origins of ADO17 can be traced back to XC9000, the first in a series of designs produced by Alec Issigonis in 1956, following his return to BMC from Alvis. […]

News : Kimberley makes it as a model…

13 July 2015 Craig Cheetham 9

Craig Cheetham Most die-cast models are of popular subjects – cars that the model makers know will appeal to such a broad cross section of people that they’ll get back […]

Also known as : BMC 1800/2200

28 August 2011 Keith Adams 7

In this gallery, we take a look at some of the names used to sell various versions of the BMC 1800/2200 in overseas markets… Austin Balanza Home market name: based […]

Gallery : Those doors

5 August 2011 Keith Adams 11

When the ADO17 was launched as the Austin 1800 in 1964, few people can have imagined that one of its defining features – its doors – would later appear on […]

BMC 1800/2200 : Also known as

28 July 2011 Keith Adams 0

In this gallery, we take a look at some of the names used to sell various versions of the BMC 1800/2200 in overseas markets… Austin Balanza Home market name: based […]

Tested : Austin Tasman/Kimberley

28 July 2011 Keith Adams 3

This excellent article comes from the Australian publication, Australian Motor Sports and Automobiles, December 1970. NEW AUSTIN AUSSIE SIX With very Australian names, how can the new BLMC six-cylinder car […]

BMC Overseas : Austin X6/Kimberley

28 July 2011 Keith Adams 6

These Antipodean specials were based on the ADO17 (note the doors), but were treated to unique front and rear styling. It could be said that the Kimberley and Tasman look […]