Austin Maxi

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Austin
Austin Maxi 1750 (1976)
Austin Maxi 1750 (1976)
Maxi
Sales designation: Austin Maxi
(1969–1977)
Leyland Maxi
(1977–1980)
Production period: 1969-1980
Class : Middle class
Body versions : Station wagon
Engines:
Petrol engines : 1.5–1.75 liters
(54–68 kW)
Length: 4032 mm
Width: 1651 mm
Height: 1390 mm
Wheelbase : 2650 mm
Empty weight : 970 kg
Previous model Austin A60
successor Austin Montego

The Austin Maxi (internal BMC ADO14) was a five-door middle class car that was developed by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and built by the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) from April 1969 to October 1980 in relatively small numbers (472,098 units) 1977 when Leyland Maxi was offered. The model replaced the Austin A60 .

The car was the last design by Alec Issigonis , the creator of the Mini . There were engine variants between 1485 and 1748 cm³ with 54 to 68 kW power. The Maxi was an extremely spacious car, but its styling was never particularly attractive due to its unfavorable proportions. Above all, the doors, which were taken over from the next larger model ADO17 , may have contributed to this. In addition, the car with the 1500 engine, which was initially only offered, was not sufficiently motorized. In the first years of construction, the circuit was also considered to be extremely imprecise.

The model was also never equipped with special comfort in order to avoid competition with the Austin 1800/2200, which is equivalent but higher in the model range . In addition, the Maxi suffered from an extremely poor build quality, which - according to Ton Lohmann in Oldtimer Catalogus 2003 (NL) - is said to have driven many of its owners insane. On the other hand, when the 1800 appeared in a newspaper as the predecessor of the Maxi, Alec Issigonis claimed that this, as his ultimate design, would still run in larger numbers in 2000. It was also considered to offer it for mass production in the Soviet Union as an alternative to the Fiat 124, the later Lada .

Tony Holmes, author of the British Cars Encyclopedia , reports that as early as the mid- 1970s, thousands of unsold Maxis were temporarily stored in aircraft hangars due to sales difficulties . The car's 1748 cm³ engine was the first new development from BLMC since 1954.

  • Rear view

  • Austin Maxi L (1980)

Web links

Commons : Austin Maxi  - collection of images, videos and audio files