Austin Healey 100/4 BN1
FACTS
1953-1955
CONSTRUCTION YEAR
Gerry Cocker
DESIGNERS
4 cylinders 2,660 cc
90 hp
ENGINE
9500
NUMBER OF PIECES
1953
STORY
When a racing driver and a car boss happen to meet, something great can happen – that's exactly what happened at the Earl's Court Motor Show in 1952.
Donald Healey, a man with motorsport in his veins, presented his dream project. Leonard Lord, the head of Austin Motor, saw this sleek two-seater and knew immediately: This is it. A day later, the production rights were bought.
The secret of this liaison lay in elegant simplicity: Take proven components from the Austin range, refine them with a sporty spirit, and create a car that redefines the world of athletics in driving.
The name says it all – “100” because this vehicle possessed a rare capability:
to be able to drive at a constant speed of over 100 miles per hour.
In an era when this was still a real thing, it was a sensation.
PERSONAL STORY
This Healey has lived a privileged life – always as what it wanted to be: a fair-weather companion for the finer things in life.
For over seventy years, from the factory to the present day, it has been driven whenever the sun shone and adventure called.
It was at home in the Munich area, cruising along Maximilianstrasse and taking its owners out to the glittering lakes all around – perfect for a British Roadster in Bavaria.
This example was created as early as September 1953, just a few months after production began – an early witness to this automotive revolution.
Ten years ago, it found its way to Austria, equipped with historic vehicle registration. To this day, it still has its original left-hand drive and its first engine – with only 50,000 kilometers on the clock.
The folding windscreen can be lowered for maximum aerodynamic efficiency – an elegant solution that perfectly underlines the sporty character of the 100.