BLMC ADO71

BLMC
Princess
ADO71
Sales designation:	Austin 1800/2200 Morris 1800/2200 Wolseley Saloon Princess Princess 2
Production period:	1975-1981
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	limousine
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 1.7–2.2 liters
Length:	4460 mm
Width:	1730 mm
Height:	1400 mm
Wheelbase :	2670 mm
Empty weight :	1160 kg
Previous model	BMC ADO17
successor	Austin Ambassador

BLMC ADO71 was the factory name for a four-door hatchback that the former British car manufacturer British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) sold from 1975 to 1981. Marketing for the series, also known as the 18-22 Series , was “confused”. The mid-range vehicle was initially marketed in different versions under the corporate brands Austin , Morris and Wolseley , before it was removed from the traditional structures after a few months and sold as a Princess (sometimes also: Leyland Princess ) without any brand reference . A heavily revised version of the model finally appeared as the Austin Ambassador in the fall of 1981 . The ADO71, which was popularly ridiculed as "anteater" in individual versions, had the image of negligent workmanship; Marketing and product planning are considered unsuccessful and exemplary of the mistakes made by its manufacturer.

History of origin

Technically innovative predecessor: BMC "Landcrab" (ADO17)

The ADO71 was to succeed the ADO17 designed by Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) . These front-wheel drive models were sold since 1965 under the brand names Austin and Morris, each with the model designation 1800 and 2200 and as Wolseley 18/85 and Six. The technically innovative, formally but unusual and mocked as a Landcrab (land crab) because of its design , ADO17, contrary to expectations, sold poorly. Regardless, BMC did not begin planning the development of a successor. In the late 1960s, model development in Great Britain was paralyzed by numerous mergers. In 1967, BMC became British Motor Holdings , which one year later merged with previous competitor Leyland Motors to form British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). Only under the BLMC management did the planning for a completely new middle class model begin, which resulted in the ADO71.

The first considerations from spring 1970 - still under the code name Diablo - led to the positioning of the new model in a slightly higher market segment, in which the Vauxhall Victor and Opel Rekord , the Peugeot 504 and the Ford Granada also competed. This resulted in a significant increase in size. With these competitors in mind, the car should also take into account the tastes of continental European customers. Harris Mann , the head of the BLMC design studio, developed a wedge-shaped hatchback body from a number of older designs, some of which he had created for compact vehicles, which was taken over into series production largely unchanged.

The ADO71 was introduced in March 1975. In the first six months, following the tradition of badge engineering , the model was offered with almost the same body under the Austin, Morris and Wolseley brands. Initially, a particularly high-quality Vanden Plas version was also planned, but this was discarded early on. The reason for this differentiation was that until the summer of 1975 BLMC still maintained independent dealer networks for the Austin and Morris brands, which were to be served with (formally) independent models. The merging of the two dealer networks, which had begun hesitantly seven years earlier, was not completed until September 1975. From this point on there was no longer any need for your own Austin and Morris variants of the ADO71. This coincided with the nationalization of BLMC in October 1975. In the period that followed, BLMC used neither one nor the other name for the car; the Wolseley version was also omitted. Instead, the ADO71 was given the name Princess , which had been used ten years earlier as the model name for a Vanden Plas sedan. Princess thus formally became its own brand within the BLMC Group. A further differentiation was made by means of four-digit numerical codes, which reflected the displacement of the respective model.

In July 1978, BLMC presented a revised version of the sedan, which was named Princess 2 . It stayed in the program for three years before being replaced by the Austin Ambassador, who was a stylistically and technically redesigned ADO71.

Body and technology

body

Hatchback with a small trunk lid: ADO 71 / Princess

The ADO71 was a five-seat, four-door hatchback sedan. The most striking design feature was the pronounced wedge shape with a low front and high rear, which gave the model its nickname, The Wedge , which is widely used in the British market . Harris Mann claimed at the presentation that the wedge shape was inspired by contemporary Formula 1 cars.

The body was self-supporting . It was made of steel. The body was manufactured by Pressed Steel Fisher in Oxford .

The factory did not have a large tailgate, but only a small trunk opening that reached down to the bumper in the middle. The opening angle of the trunk lid was small, so that bulky cargo could only be stored in the trunk with difficulty or not at all. The trunk volume was also affected by an inappropriately positioned spare tire. There was also no foldable rear bench seat. This decision was justified in a press release by stating that in the class in which the ADO71 was supposed to compete, a large tailgate would be perceived as “out of place”. Other sources suggest that the large tailgate should remain the Austin Maxi's unique selling point . A senior BMC employee later explained, however, that it was about politics and specifically about a demonstrative demarcation from the Rover SD equipped with a large tailgate : The Austin and Morris brands, under which the ADO71 should be sold, have as few similarities as possible to the Products of the Rover brand, which was only added to the group in 1967, should have. The Princess successor Ambassador was given a large tailgate at the factory, which also replaced the Maxi, which had been discontinued in the meantime.

BLMC did not offer any other body versions at the factory. However, there were numerous conversions by independent manufacturers.

technology

Motorization

Initially, two established motors from the BMC era were offered as drive:

• The base engine was a 1,789 cm³ (80.26 × 89 mm) in-line four-cylinder of the so-called B-Series , the first versions of which with a displacement of 1.2 and 1.5 liters had already been manufactured in 1954. The 1.8 liter version used here had been on the market for 13 years when it appeared in the ADO71. The power of this engine was given as 84 bhp. With it, the car was considered underpowered.
• The more powerful drive unit was an in-line six-cylinder E-Series with a displacement of 2,227 cm³ (76.2 × 81.28 mm), which delivered 110 hp.

Other engines were available for the second series of the Princess from 1978:

• The base engine was now an inline four-cylinder O-series with a displacement of 1,695 cm³. It replaced the previous 1.8 liter unit. Its power was 64 KW (87 PS).
• A version of the four-cylinder engine that was enlarged to 2.0 liters (1,993 cm³) and developed 68 kW (92 hp) was optionally available.
• As the top engine, British Leyland continued to offer the 2.2 liter six-cylinder engine of the E-series with 81 KW (110 PS).

Drive technology

The ADO71 was front-wheel drive . The drive technology largely corresponded to that of its predecessor ADO17. The engines were installed across the front. The power transmission took place via a manual four-speed gearbox as standard. A three-stage Borg-Warner 35 automatic transmission was optionally available at an additional cost .

landing gear

All wheels were hung independently. The suspension was provided a hydragas system. This was a further development of the hydrolastic suspension designed by Alex Moulton , which was first used in series production in 1972 in the Austin Allegro . Test reports confirmed the driving comfort of the ADO71 that came very close to that of the Citroën CX . Comparative test in: Motorsport, September 1975, p. 1034 ff. The six-cylinder models were equipped with power steering as standard; for the four-cylinder models it was available at an additional cost. Disc brakes were installed at the front, drum brakes at the rear.

The individual models

The Badge Engineering Era (1975)

Austin 1800 and Austin 2200

→ Main article : Austin 1800

Austin 1800

From March to September 1975 the ADO71 was sold under the Austin brand. The model designations were with reference to the engine 1800 and 2200; these names had already been used for the Austin version of the predecessor ADO17. In terms of style, the Austin was the simplest version of the ADO71. Initially, it was the only member of the model family to have trapezoidal broadband headlights, a straight bonnet edge and a cross-braced radiator grille.

The design of the Austin version was later adopted for the unit models Princess and Princess 2.

Morris 1800 and 2200

The Morris version of the ADO71 was also called 1800 or 2200. It was technically and stylistically identical to the Austin; There were only minor deviations in the front section. Instead of the broadband units, the Morris had four round headlights. The hood was slightly raised in the middle so that a molded radiator grille could be installed in this area. This imitation grill broke with a tradition of Morris design: Up until now, Morris models had simple radiator panels with no exposed masks; formally they had usually corresponded to the front panels of the Austin models. The interior and equipment lines were completely the same as those of the Austin.

Wolseley

Wolseley Saloon

The Wolseley version of the ADO71 was sold from March to September 1975. The name was simply Wolseley; a model name was not assigned. The ADO71 was the last car to bear the Wolseley brand name. Unlike the Austin and Morris models, it was only available with the 2.2 liter six-cylinder engine. Stylistically, the front section corresponded to that of the Morris: The Wolseley also had four round headlights and a raised bonnet. The radiator grille cited templates from earlier Wolseley models. As with many earlier Wolseleys, an illuminated brand emblem was embedded in the center of the cooler. The dashboard of the Wolseley, made of black plastic, corresponded in design to that of the other ADO71 models, but here it was clad with real wood inlays.

The Wolseley was the most expensive model in the ADO71 series; he had the finest equipment. Its selling price was £ 2,838.42; it was £ 400 more expensive than the Austin and Morris versions. Several dozen Wolseleys have been adopted by the British government as service vehicles for senior administrators.

The Princess Era (1975-1981)

Princess

Unbranded: Princess

From October 1975 the ADO71 was offered exclusively under the name Princess. The additions 1800 and 2200 denoted the respective engine. Stylistically, the Princess corresponded to the earlier Austin models. The only external distinguishing feature were the light units: The 1.8-liter models of the Princess were externally recognizable by four round headlights, while the 2.0-liter models had the broadband headlights of the earlier Austin version. The three equipment lines were called L (Basis), HL ("High Line") and HLS ("High Line Super"). As with the Austin and Morris models, the C-pillar of the base models was painted in body color, while the HL and HLS versions had vinyl.

Princess 2

In July 1978, BLMC presented a revised version of the Princess. The car, now known as the Princess 2, did not differ externally from the previous model, but offered new four-cylinder O-series engines. The model names were Princess 1700, 2000 and 2200.

In November 1980 there was another stylistic revision of the model: the car received new exterior mirrors, bumpers, rims and the new Austin logo in the radiator grille.

Versions not produced in series

Princess 1800 D

In the mid-1970s, around 50 ADO71s with a diesel engine were built. The engine was based on the 1.8 liter B-series gasoline engine. The target group of the diesel wedges were primarily taxi drivers. The prototypes were tested in everyday life by selected customers for a few months. Without exception, they all went back to the factory afterwards. For cost reasons and because of the expected low sales, BLMC decided against series production. The diesel engine was used a little later in the Leyland Sherpa delivery truck .

Vanden Plas

Vanden Plas 2200 (prototype)

In 1974 BLMC also considered the introduction of a particularly high-quality luxury version in the Vanden Plas range. The company manufactured a prototype of the ADO71-Vanden Plas with modified lights and a separate radiator grille, but decided against series production. A high-quality equipment line with the additional designation Vanden Plas was only offered for the successor Ambassador.

Manufacturing quality

Princess 2

The models of the ADO71 series were reputed to have poor build quality right from the start. Early models suffered from badly fitting individual parts, which resulted in water ingress into the interior and trunk, as well as from color deviations. The British automobile press reported widely on these deficiencies, the main cause of which was the premature start of series production. In the course of the first few years, BLMC invested a lot of development work - unlike some other models - to remedy the deficits of the ADO71. By the end of the 1970s, most of the deficiencies had been resolved; the processing quality was perceived as significantly better.

Regardless of the factory's efforts, individual local importers tried for their part to improve the quality of Princess models. The Swiss general importer Emil Frey, for example, offered a three-year “multi-guarantee” and implemented a 110-point quality program that was advertised as “Swiss Finish”. However, the program had little success. The Princess also played an outsider role in Switzerland.

Production and distribution

All copies of the ADO71 sold in the UK and continental European export markets were made at the former Morris factory in Cowley near Oxford . In addition, the New Zealand Leyland factory assembled the model from delivered parts sets between 1977 and 1982 ( Completely Knocked Down ).

In nine years, British Leyland produced 214,031 copies of the ADO71, including all brands and pre-production copies. The most successful year was 1977: from January to December of that year almost 48,000 vehicles were built.

Production figures BLMC ADO71
Model year	1-9 / 1974	10 / 1974-9 / 1975	10 / 1975-12 / 1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981
number of pieces	288	20,476	55,031	47,955	33,951	37,128	14,732	4,471
total	214.031

The ADO71 was primarily sold in the British Isles. In most export markets, the car only played an outsider role. In the Federal Republic of Germany the Princess was offered in 1976 at prices between 13,990 DM (1800 HL) and 15,990 DM (2200 HLS). He competed here with the medium-sized models of the Audi 100, the four-cylinder versions of the Ford Granada and the Opel Rekord.

The ADO71 in the press

In September 1975 the British trade magazine Motorsport carried out a comparison test between the Wolseley version of the ADO71 and a Citroën CX2000. The Citroën had been voted Car of the Year 1975 across Europe, and BLMC had declared the ADO71 the company's own Car of the Year. The interior of the Wolseley is larger than that of the Citroën; its futuristic design concept is more coherent, however, since the Wolseley combines traditional elements with mass-produced plastic in an unconvincing way. The driving behavior of both vehicles was described as comparable. The Citroën was slightly faster, but its engine was perceived as less elastic. The review saw the Wolseley as the superior car and considered it the best British Leyland car since the Jaguar XJ6 .

Conversions by independent manufacturers

Woodall-Nicholson Kirklees

The body manufacturers Torcars and Crayford offered revised versions of the ADO71, in which a large tailgate was subsequently installed. The Torcars conversion program also included a foldable rear bench seat, so that the storage space could be increased right into the passenger compartment. The Torcars Princess Estate were sold through the official Leyland dealer network.

Woodall Nicholson made some elongated sedans on the ADO71 base, which were named Kirklees , but in fact primarily known as the Stretch Princess . The vehicles had four doors and three rows of seats and were mainly used for funeral services. Woodall Nicholson also manufactured Princess-based hearses.

literature

• Graham Robson: The Cars of BMC . Motor Racing Publications Ltd., 2nd edition 1999, ISBN 1-899870-41-5
• CR: A Saloon Car Waterloo: Comparing the exceptional Wolseley 2200 and Citroën CX2000 . Comparative test in: Motorsport, September 1975, p. 1034 ff.
• Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt , issue 9/2016, p. 24 ff.

Web links

Commons : BMC ADO71  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• The BMC ADO71 on the website www.aronline.co.uk
• German sales brochure for a Princess 1800 from 1976 with illustrations and technical data

Remarks

1. ↑ Harris Mann designed several other vehicles with a wedge-shaped body, including the Triumph TR7 .
2. ↑ In the 1970s, the picture among the hatchbacks of the upper middle class was mixed. The Citroën CX and Related away with him Lancia Gamma Berlina had small trunk lid, the Renault 20 / 30 and the Audi 100 Avant had large, hinged at the roof end tailgates.
3. ↑ Until 1975, a model year at the BLMC comprised the period from October of the one to September of the following year. In 1976, BLMC pushed the start of the model year to January. The 1975/76 model year comprised 15 months from October 1975 to December 1976. From 1977 the model year was the same as the calendar year.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Development history of the ADO71 on the website www.aronline.co.uk ( Memento of the original from July 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on July 25, 2016). 
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 28.
3. ↑ Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 26.
4. ^ Roy Church: The Rise and Decline of British Motor Industry . Cambridge University Press, 1995, ISBN 0-521-55770-4 .
5. ↑ Images of earlier studies on the ADO71 on the website www.aronline.co.ukogs / concepts / concepts-and-prototypes / concepts-and-prototypes-princess / www.aronline.co.uk
6. ↑ ^{a b} Figure of the Vanden-Plas-ADO71 on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed on July 24, 2016).
7. ↑ ^{a b c} Development history of the ADO71 on the website www.princessandambassador.org.uk (accessed on July 23, 2016).
8. ↑ ^{a b} Description of the technology on the website www.princessandambassador.org.uk ( memento of the original from August 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on July 23, 2016). 
9. ^ CR: A Saloon Car Waterloo: Comparing the exceptional Wolseley 2200 and Citroën CX2000 . Comparative test in: Motorsport, September 1975, p. 1034.
10. ↑ For this differentiating feature, see also Auto Catalog No. 20 (1976/77), p. 100.
11. ↑ Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 31.
12. ↑ Technical data based on a sales brochure for the Wolseley Saloon from 1975 (accessed on July 23, 2016).
13. ↑ ^{a b} Auto Catalog No. 20 (1976/77), p. 100.
14. ↑ ^{a b} C.R. .: A Saloon Car Waterloo: Comparing the exceptional Wolseley 2200 and Citroën CX2000 . Comparative test in: Motorsport, September 1975, p. 1035.
15. ^ Description of the Morris 18-22 on the website www.leylandprincess.co.uk (accessed July 25, 2016).
16. ↑ ^{a b} Brief description of the Wolseley Saloon on the Wolseley Register website (accessed on July 25, 2016).
17. ↑ Brief description of the Wolseley Saloon on the Wolseley Owners Club website (accessed on July 25, 2016).
18. ↑ Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 30.
19. ↑ Illustration of the prototype of the Vanden-Plas-ADO71 ( Memento of the original from May 29, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
20. ^ The Austin Ambassador Vanden Plas on the website www.leylandprincess.co.uk (accessed June 3, 2020).
21. ^ The Austin Ambassador Vanden Plas on the Vanden Plas Owners Club website (accessed June 3, 2020).
22. ↑ Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 29.
23. ↑ Description of the ADO71 on the website of the Princess and Ambassador Owners Club ( memento of the original dated August 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on July 26, 2016). 
24. ↑ Auto Test: Austin 2200 HL . Auto Car, March 29, 1975, pp. 20-25.
25. ^ Car Magazine, May 1980 issue.
26. ^ Auto Catalog No. 20 (1976/77), p. 150 ff.
27. ^ CR: A Saloon Car Waterloo: Comparing the exceptional Wolseley 2200 and Citroën CX2000 . Comparative test in: Motorsport, September 1975, p. 1034 ff.
28. ↑ Pictures and description of the Torcars Princess Estate on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed July 26, 2016).
29. ↑ Illustration and description of Woodall Nicholson Kirklees on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed on July 26, 2016).