Austin Popularity

A sample count of over 10,000 cars in London and the Home Counties has just been completed for the Austin Motor Company by an impartial research organisation. The results show that Austin cars have a 6 per cent. lead over their nearest competitor. Austins made up no less than 20 per cent. of the cars counted.

Morris  14%

Ford  14%

Vauxhall  8%

Standard  8%

Hillman  7%

Wolseley  4%

Humber  3%

Triumph  3%

Sunbeam-Talbot  2%

Riley  1%

All other makes 15 per cent. (percentages rounded off).

The object of the count was to assess the relative frequency with which the leading makes of British cars are seen on the roads of London and the Home Counties. Great care was taken in selecting investigators and the actual check points; the former being thoroughly examined in car recognition, and the latter chosen to permit positive identification and counting of all cars (both moving and parked cars were counted but commercial vehicles, including utilities and station wagons, were excluded.)

Check points were situated in 18 different localities distributed evenly throughout central and outer London and towns in the Home Counties. While the limited nature of the count means that it cannot be regarded as exact for the smaller percentages, the first six figures given are accurate. The latest figures compare closely with a similar count made in December, 1949. Then Austins made up 21 per cent. of the total.

Morris  16%

Ford  13%

Standard  10%

Vauxhall  8%

Hillman  7%

This research has been carried out for the private information of the Austin Motor Company but the results are published because it is felt that they have wide general interest. In view of the limited numbers of new Austins which have been reaching the home market they do illustrate the company’s fine reputation for the long life and dependability of its vehicles.

[This is of interest, although it is unusual for one manufacturer to issue data relating to rival manufacturers and we wonder if the public would have been given the benefit of seeing it had another make topped the list. If the Austin Motor Co. Ltd. will submit the complete census we would like to give further publicity to the “under 1 per cent.,” as unusual cars interest our readers. We also suggest that the Austin Motor Co. continue this clever idea in other countries.–Ed.]