SLIDESHOW
Cars that got it right first time
S ome cars are just born right. From the moment they’re launched, they have that elusive X-factor that means they don’t need to be added to or developed. Whether supermini or supercar, all of these designs have the utmost fitness for purpose that sets them apart from the common herd. Here’s our pick of those that were perfect straight out of the box.
ALISDAIR SUTTIE
Austin Seven 1922
Like its American counterpart, the Ford Model T, the little Austin Seven quickly captured imaginations. It was affordable, seated four and was deliberately designed to be a ‘proper’ car rather than the lightweight cyclecars that proliferated at the time. It was also successful because it established the now-familiar arrangement of throttle, brake and clutch pedals. Its simple four-speed gearbox was easy to use, too, and its 747cc engine provided just enough poke for the time. By the end of production in 1939, 290,000 examples had been built and power was up considerably. It was built under licence in France, Germany and the US, and BMW and Nissan used it as the basis for their first cars.