American Austin

1931 American Austin

The American Austin was a United States version of the Austin Seven automobile manufactured by the American Austin Car Company from 1930 to 1937. The automobile was designed in the hopes of creating a market for small-car enthusiasts in the United States. The cars had four-cylinder engines and looked something like small Chevrolets with Stutz and Marmon-style horizontal hood louvres. The coupe was billed as a sedan, and sold for $445. At that price, it should have appealed to more buyers than it did. But the Great Depression soon set in, and with it came the appeal of secondhand cars sold at a lower price. Somewhat more than 8000 cars were sold during the company's first year of sales, but sales fell off to the point that production was suspended from 1934 to 1937. That year the car reappeared, redesigned (by Alexis de Sakhnoffski) and rechristened the American Bantam.