I still remember seeing a billboard for the two-pedal Austin America: “You’ll love it automatically.”
I drive a first-generation Scion xB. Like most modern front-drive cars it owes a lot to Issigonis. I’m guessing its size and interior room is close to that of the ADO16. It’s okay over smaller bumps, but for larger jolts the Moulton suspension might be welcome. I’d still want to keep the large rear hatch and Toyota quality, longevity
Yes! Just an amazing breakthrough by Issigonis and his team. Nice choice in cars the Scion xB... astonishing space and the visibility. From Consumer Reports reviewing the 2004,
"The ... xB offers an unusually spacious interior for such a small vehicle. The rear seat is as roomy as those in some large sedans, and access to the interior is as easy a minivan’s. The xB also handles nimbly and is one of the few small cars of its era with standard electronic stability control. Unencumbered outward visibility and small dimensions make it a good city car."
Well done. I have admired it from afar and i see the ADO16 "bones". All that aside I can remember a market research focus group respondent saying of the newly introduced xB in 2004, "... it looks like it fell into a trash compactor.... and survived!" I like you trust Toyota explicitly and I am thrilled you got the cool features of the ADO16 with the longevity and durability of a Corrola. Well done and thanks for your comment.
Not only Sir Alec, I like most ‘carchitects,’ people like André Citroėn, Colin Chapman, even the many usually nameless chief engineers at mainstream automakers. These have the ability to think in terms of the whole, fit the various parts into the best or grandest scheme the budget will support.
Funny you quoted the bit about the xB stability control. For many years I didn’t know I had that feature until just for fun I deliberately got the car a bit sideways. It seemed safe enough, I was on an especially wide gravel road bordered by cornfields. About all you can do to ‘drift’ in a front-drive car.
Suddenly, inside the car there’s a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP and a flashing orange light on the dash as the car is now frantically trying to save me from the corn. Wow.
Consumer Reports is right about the handling, I’d been sad to have missed out on the BMW 2002 and even 320i. But I’d put the xB up there, it steers now, not later and corners well with good feedback. My commute is a bit taxing on fuel economy, so even with a five-speed I usually “only” see 32-34 miles out of a gallon. In jest I’d considered a daylong jaunt on back roads with rolling hills to maximize coasting, purely to see if I could coax 38 or even 40 out of it. But recently I got the opportunity, attending a wedding out of state, with enough time in the schedule to largely avoid the interstate, and got 43.9 without holding up traffic. Saw some remote areas (Boneville, Georgia?)
I rented a third-gen Prius (counting, yes, the original, slower-selling notchback) and was quite impressed. There was a profusion of Priuiii in recent years so I lost track of the story at some point. The larger, PT Cruiser-sized Prius V was interesting, but if I didn’t want to haul very much, and could afford the thing, this newest wedgy swoopy Prius with the muscle-car haunches might be a go for my next ride
Yes. Quite cool (current gen Prius Prime) but watch the visibility, rear headroom and cargo space. They opted for coolness over pragmatism in the latest gen and are getting youth share ... but at a cost. That said, if my budget was there I'd probably be.
Toyota really missed it, though, with the new Corolla Cross. Appalling. The cabin is so much narrower than the overall width, the back door looks really short, so the wheelbase must be short too and thus rear legroom must be impacted.
And unlike the swoopy new Prius, the architectural compromises ostensibly made for the sake of styling do not result in an attractive appearance
As a replacement for my xB, the second-gen xB has possibilities. It’s a whole different, unrelated car. Like the second Vibe/Matrix it’s on a Corolla platform with Camry drivetrain. But unlike the Corolla Cross it’s properly squared up in all directions
Yes. I probably should yank that burnt engine pic. Its of a van that RobsEyes put up. Let me pull that to avoid confusing people. Thanks for pointing that out. (I had wanted a before and after but not working)
Re MG 1100's for sale ... yes. Very rare. I include pictures from the right drive one that was offered in Australia. I have seen only a few around.
Actually not the original owner. Bought this 1969 model in early 1971 for $1300 from the Palo Alto California BMC dealer as a used car with 22000 miles. This was a $600 discount from new price. Been enjoyed and driven ever since.
Great story with not so great ends to two ADO16 cars. I'm the proud owner of an Austin America (with manual gearbox) for the last 52 years, car runs and looks as good as it did in 1971 even with 108,000 miles. John Quilter, Eugene Oregon
I still remember seeing a billboard for the two-pedal Austin America: “You’ll love it automatically.”
I drive a first-generation Scion xB. Like most modern front-drive cars it owes a lot to Issigonis. I’m guessing its size and interior room is close to that of the ADO16. It’s okay over smaller bumps, but for larger jolts the Moulton suspension might be welcome. I’d still want to keep the large rear hatch and Toyota quality, longevity
Yes! Just an amazing breakthrough by Issigonis and his team. Nice choice in cars the Scion xB... astonishing space and the visibility. From Consumer Reports reviewing the 2004,
"The ... xB offers an unusually spacious interior for such a small vehicle. The rear seat is as roomy as those in some large sedans, and access to the interior is as easy a minivan’s. The xB also handles nimbly and is one of the few small cars of its era with standard electronic stability control. Unencumbered outward visibility and small dimensions make it a good city car."
Well done. I have admired it from afar and i see the ADO16 "bones". All that aside I can remember a market research focus group respondent saying of the newly introduced xB in 2004, "... it looks like it fell into a trash compactor.... and survived!" I like you trust Toyota explicitly and I am thrilled you got the cool features of the ADO16 with the longevity and durability of a Corrola. Well done and thanks for your comment.
Thank YOU sir!
Not only Sir Alec, I like most ‘carchitects,’ people like André Citroėn, Colin Chapman, even the many usually nameless chief engineers at mainstream automakers. These have the ability to think in terms of the whole, fit the various parts into the best or grandest scheme the budget will support.
Funny you quoted the bit about the xB stability control. For many years I didn’t know I had that feature until just for fun I deliberately got the car a bit sideways. It seemed safe enough, I was on an especially wide gravel road bordered by cornfields. About all you can do to ‘drift’ in a front-drive car.
Suddenly, inside the car there’s a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP and a flashing orange light on the dash as the car is now frantically trying to save me from the corn. Wow.
Consumer Reports is right about the handling, I’d been sad to have missed out on the BMW 2002 and even 320i. But I’d put the xB up there, it steers now, not later and corners well with good feedback. My commute is a bit taxing on fuel economy, so even with a five-speed I usually “only” see 32-34 miles out of a gallon. In jest I’d considered a daylong jaunt on back roads with rolling hills to maximize coasting, purely to see if I could coax 38 or even 40 out of it. But recently I got the opportunity, attending a wedding out of state, with enough time in the schedule to largely avoid the interstate, and got 43.9 without holding up traffic. Saw some remote areas (Boneville, Georgia?)
Excellent.
Now for mileage.... just convert it to electric! Or tell Toyota too.
TBH the mileage 32mpg was the only thing keeping me away from getting one. I went Prius and now have a Prius Prime PHEV. best of both.
Here's to another 200k miles in your xB!
I rented a third-gen Prius (counting, yes, the original, slower-selling notchback) and was quite impressed. There was a profusion of Priuiii in recent years so I lost track of the story at some point. The larger, PT Cruiser-sized Prius V was interesting, but if I didn’t want to haul very much, and could afford the thing, this newest wedgy swoopy Prius with the muscle-car haunches might be a go for my next ride
Yes. Quite cool (current gen Prius Prime) but watch the visibility, rear headroom and cargo space. They opted for coolness over pragmatism in the latest gen and are getting youth share ... but at a cost. That said, if my budget was there I'd probably be.
Toyota really missed it, though, with the new Corolla Cross. Appalling. The cabin is so much narrower than the overall width, the back door looks really short, so the wheelbase must be short too and thus rear legroom must be impacted.
And unlike the swoopy new Prius, the architectural compromises ostensibly made for the sake of styling do not result in an attractive appearance
As a replacement for my xB, the second-gen xB has possibilities. It’s a whole different, unrelated car. Like the second Vibe/Matrix it’s on a Corolla platform with Camry drivetrain. But unlike the Corolla Cross it’s properly squared up in all directions
Yes. I probably should yank that burnt engine pic. Its of a van that RobsEyes put up. Let me pull that to avoid confusing people. Thanks for pointing that out. (I had wanted a before and after but not working)
Re MG 1100's for sale ... yes. Very rare. I include pictures from the right drive one that was offered in Australia. I have seen only a few around.
Maybe more available in England??
Very cool car.
Actually not the original owner. Bought this 1969 model in early 1971 for $1300 from the Palo Alto California BMC dealer as a used car with 22000 miles. This was a $600 discount from new price. Been enjoyed and driven ever since.
Great story with not so great ends to two ADO16 cars. I'm the proud owner of an Austin America (with manual gearbox) for the last 52 years, car runs and looks as good as it did in 1971 even with 108,000 miles. John Quilter, Eugene Oregon
Wow! So great to hear that. You were the original owner!!!!
You own a true classic, a car which I always loved.
Wish our family had done the same.
Thanks for sharing.
always kinda like the MG's but really hard to find one to restore. Burn't engine photo in story isn't even an MG or any thing even close.