Austin 3 Litre Saloon (ADO61)
The car was developed at Longbridge although all production was at Cowley. The above picture is the version that was shown to the press in 1967. It uses the centre section of the 1800 (ADO 17) and had a inline six cylinder 3 litre engine and rear wheel drive. The engine of 2912cc was brand new with a complete new cylinder block and head, it was also shorter and lighter than the old 'C' series which it replaced, the new engine was also installed in the MGC
The Austin 3 litre early version
As you can see from the above picture it had rectangle headlamps. When the car was available to the buying public they had been replaced by twin headlamps. Independent suspension using Hydrolastic interconnected front to rear gave a good ride, but the self leveling did not work particularly well. The interior had a pleasant air with comfortable seats and the extensive use of wood, but was let down by a very ordinary looking dashboard. So it really did not have a good reception with the press or buying public
Married to the new engine was a all-synchromesh four-speed manual gearbox with an optional Laycock overdrive. As shown above your could order a Borg-Warner Type 35 automatic transmission.
In October 1968 it had its first and only face lift, and now available only as a de-luxe version. The improvements included a revised facia and more comfortable seats along with better sound-deadening which made it a very quiet car to drive. Even after these modification it struggled to find friends and even with dealer discounts in the last six months of production had little impact on sales so in early 1971 it was axed.
Production Version
Date when launched 1968
Discontinued in 1971
Total produced 9,992
Engine
2912cc 124 bhp at 4,500 rpm Max torque 161lbs/ft at 3,000 rpm
Length 15ft 5.7ins Width 5ft 6.8ins Height 4ft 8.8ins
Wheelbase 9ft 7.5ins Track front 4ft 1ins rear 4ft 8ins