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 a series of cars ranging from a 1.5-litre family hatchback to a 3-litre executive saloon.
But the story doesn’t end there. As well as being pressed into service on no fewer than four distinct production models, “those doors” were at the heart of a plethora of proposed models that never saw the light of day.
The production models
BMC 1800/2200

Austin 3-litre

Austin Maxi

Austin/Morris X6 range

The might-have-beens
BMC 1800 estate

Maxi styling proposal

Maxi saloon

Vanden Plas 1800

Rolls Royce prototypes

And finally…

This page was contributed by Declan Berridge
Keith Adams
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
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wonderful cars. most of them dident see the light of production
Shame we didn’t get the X6 models over here.
X6! I think the appropriate phrase would have been “had them dumped over here” rather than “get them over here.” BLMC cynically used Australian customers as unpaid, involuntary test engineers and went broke because of poor market research and warranty bills.
The X6 was the worst car ever mass produced in Australia; All the complexity of FWD and a poorly conceived OHC arrangement. Can’t believe any are being driven these days; I haven’t seen one for years……
That hideous Panther car would cost nearly £290,000 in today’s money! Those doors don’t even suit the profile of the roof! Wonder how many they actually sold? And did Panther ever produce a decent car- with the possible exception of the Dolomite-based Rio?
The ‘Aussie Rules’ Landcrabs were rather handsome- shame they weren’t sold here. Even the VDP looked good- more so than the Wolseley version that did make production.
For who is interessed in the rubber door profile of those doors Maybe I can help you out! I have a panther DeVille saloon from 1987 and the profile fits perfect.
The 4 door booted Maxi, has the Mk2 Cortina look to my eyes, was Roy Haynes involved with this model?
It’s called plagiarism.
I notice that nobody ever mentions the Australian Morris 13oo on this site. This was the ultimate triumph of British engineering down under……
The E series motor was so tall that they had to put a bulge in the bonnet to fit it in the 1100 shell; then they realised that the auto box was bigger than the manual, it wouldn’t fit under the E series! So they grabbed leftover Mini 1275cc A series motors to power all the auto versions.
I am surprised they didn’t just mount the transmission/engine sub-assembly in the back, driving the rear wheels. The boot was useless anyway…..
A Rolls Royce version of the 1800? BMC/BLMC management never really understood badge engineering, did it? The idea was to encourage the buyer to aspire to the more expensive marque. Chev buyers lusted after Buicks, the Buick owner dreamed of a Caddy……because the dearer car was better………..but BLMC thought the idea was to dress the dearer car down so that there was no coherent reason to buy anything. Although I was always impressed by the way a Wolseley badge glowed in the dark I never knew why I should buy one instead of a Morris, or an Austin, or a Riley or…….
Shame they didn’t do a landcrab based VdP – that looks quite good. Am I right in thinking that if someone was to get hold of 3 litre doors they’d fit perfectly into a landcrab body (an 1800 with quarterlights) and vice versa for the maxi etc? Those recessed latch kimberley doors look interesting too.
The Maxi saloon looks very much like a Hillman Hunter or Sceptre ( Arrow ) ….