The most influential Prototype
The Austin 1800 was one of the most popular passenger cars in the United Kingdom during the 1960s. Recognizing that the car's design was outdated, Austin's management commissioned the Italian styling firm Pininfarina to create a new look.
Designers Leonardo Fioravanti and Paolo Martin were assigned to the project. In a short amount of time, the two designers created a new design, drawing on the scientific findings of Wunibald Kamm. Kamm had proven in the 1930s that an abruptly sloping rear edge offered a significant aerodynamic advantage. They perfected this concept in a wind tunnel and applied it to the chassis of a standard Austin 1800 to create a ready-to-drive prototype. Pininfarina presented the prototype in 1967. The British were astonished by the wedge-shaped body with a slightly sloping fastback; it was very futuristic for the time yet designed for series production. Another characteristic feature of the new design was the ample passenger space surrounded by a streamlined design with unusual details, such as headlights concealed behind a glass hood. However, the British quickly dismissed the idea. Although Austin decided against it, experts were enthusiastic about the design. Connoisseurs described the concept as pioneering for European automotive engineering, and this prediction proved true.
