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Just arrived at South Norfolk Classics
Introduced in 1954, Austin’s Westminster range pursued a simple but effective strategy: take a straight-six engine, install it in an upmarket saloon similar to its smaller cousins, give it a posh name and you end up with an appealing package for the middle class motorist.
Following on where the A70 Hereford had left off, the A90 Westminster may have looked like the A40 and A50 Cambridge, but it was significantly larger and only the doors were interchangeable between the models. The real selling point was the smooth and potent 2. 6-litre C-Series six-cylinder engine which produced a healthy 85bhp with plenty of torque and could hustle the car to 60mph in 18 seconds with a top speed of 86mph.
In 1956, the Westminster was upgraded to A95 and A105 (LWB) spec, both models being differentiated from their A90 predecessor by a larger rear window, a bigger boot and a new grille, with overdrive and two-tone paint as standard. Power also went up to 92bhp and top speed to 95mph. Only 28, 065 A95s were made and survivors are now surprisingly rare with only 61 still UK registered.
This 1957 A95 has spent most of its life in sunny South Africa, reputedly having just one owner for its first 40 years or more who only used it on special occasions. The indicated mileage of 48, 600 is believed to be genuine although there is no way to prove this. The previous owner imported it to the UK in 2016 and has spent some £5, 000 on the car since.
The bodywork was in remarkably rust-free condition but the green paint had faded so that was professionally resprayed (the beige side stripes are original). The overdrive gearbox was also overhauled along with a new fuel tank and sender, new clutch parts, reconditioned front shock absorbers, new carburettor, all new ignition parts, four new tyres, new battery etc. The interior had previously been retrimmed in South Africa and is thus not original but it suits the car and is in good condition. An original parts list and service manual are also included, along with a Heritage Certificate and a South African logbook.
Far better preserved than any UK car you are likely to come across, the A95 has a beautiful paint finish and the underside is remarkable.
The interior is non standard UK trim but it is in fabulous condition.
We recently witnessed a 105 Westminster sell in auction for a staggering £28000. This handsome and now surprisingly rare A95 looks excellent value at £10995
