A British classic; CLASSIC CARS

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), March 7, 2008

Byline: IAN JOHNSON

NO MATTER what the European and eastern manufacturers come up with, there can never be a substitute for the true British car.

Many have tried to copy this country's pure, classic approach to everyday driving but have failed, often miserably.

A case that proves the point of the British drawing room approach to driving conclusively is the Wolseley 1500. This car and its Riley badg engineered twin from BMC were nothing spectacularly special in terms of engineering - but they had that certain something.

Whether it was the rather snooty styling, the beautifully upholstered seats, the chrome-spoked steering wheel or the acres of wood panelling in the interior, this car just shouted class.

The Wolseley 1500 appeared in 1957 alongside the mechanically similar Riley 1.5, both cars being the result of an attempt to replace the Morris Minor. In fact, the 1500 used the Minor floor pan and torsion bar suspension layout.

Britain loved it. It had its little eccentricities such as a flashing green light on the indicator stalk that was so annoying that you could not possibly forget you had left the indicators on.

The 1500 was a great favourite until 1965, with Series II and III developments arriving along the way.

One of its big styling points was the Wolseley front grille and badge treatment.

But the 1500 did not stay in the staid and steady lane for long because many were finished in very bright two-tone paint schemes which, along with well trimmed interiors, helped give these compact saloon cars an upmarket and unusually stylish feel.

The 1,489cc BMC B-Series engine was a tough unit and gave great service.

Top speed was a sedate 77mph and the economy score was around 32mpg.

Wolseley's first car was designed in 1895 by none other than Herbert Austin, who would go on to found his own Austin Motor Company some 10 years later.

Later links with Lord Nuffield, of Morris fame, had set the scene for the later formation of BMC, which encompassed Austin, Wolseley, Morris MG and Riley.

By 1948, production of Wolseley cars centred on the Morris plant at Cowley. From here on in all new Wolseleys would merely be badge-engineered versions of other cars from within the Nuffield Group.

The 1500 was sold until 1965 and did not outlive the Moggie, which it was originally envisaged to replace.

When production of the 1500 ended the Wolseley 1100 (and Riley Kestrel) came along, but these cars, based on the Austin 1100, just lacked that certain something.

Since 1975 when the last Wolseley emerged there have been several rumours that the Wolseley marque might be revived.

The first of these came with the development of the Princess's replacement in the early 1980s. Reports emerged that the new car would either be badged solely as a Wolseley, or might at least be offered in a range-topping Wolseley variant.

In the event, of course, the range was launched as the Austin Ambassador, the flagship model being the Austin Ambassador Vanden Plas.

So will the Wolseley marque ever surface again? It seems an unlikely prospect.

But if the Wolseley name noses out of the car-launch curtain of dry ice once again, there will be nobody more happy than me. As long as it has got wood panelling, metalspoked steering wheel and springy seats of course .

CAPTION(S):

CLASSIC STYLE - the Wolseley first appeared in 1957, as a planned rival to the Morris Minor, and lasted until 1975