A truly unique American Austin station wagon heads to auction
The American Austin Car Company was a short-lived car manufacturing corporation that operated from 1930 to 1937. A one-off station wagon version is due for auction at the RM Auctions Hershey sale on 10th to 11th October.
Pennsylvania based American Austin, whose launch unfortunately coincided with the Great Depression, was a company that was ahead of its time. It began and concluded with an American version of the Austin 7 car that was priced at a slightly less than a Ford V8 roadster at $445. Only 20,000 were sold in total against pre-production estimates of sales of 60,000 to 100,000 per annum and though “economical, petite and all-round adorable”, they sadly did not capture the hearts of gas guzzling, large loving Americans.
With a guide of just £22,000 to £31,000, the car on offer at the RM Auctions sale represents an affordable entry to classic car collecting. It was created by an American Austin enthusiast that used a 1933 coupé as its platform and is finished in green with black fenders and a wood trim.
This cheeky miniature estate is an indicator of what could have been. If only today’s car designers would take note.
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Photo credits: ©2013 Courtesy of RM Auctions