XM657
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2014
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Can see where your coming from with the Ensign. The Ensign didn't have a air inlet , top front of the bonnet though and the name badge was a quite elongated rectangle in a horizontal position, where as the Austin had a squarish badge as in the photo.There's a guy locally who has one just like this. When I say "locally" I mean somewhere in Sheffield. I've seen it a couple of times around the city and it was parked up at New Leaf garden centre, at Coal Aston, one Sunday. Beautiful design.
For many years Vauxhall's were known for having a fluted bonnet. It was a distinguishing feature of many of their cars. All that seemed to disappear in the 70's and is lost forever as, like most manufacturers, their designs are strongly influenced by aerodynamics and drag co-efficients, meaning they look like wedges of cheese instead.![]()
Regarding the Vauxhall bonnet flute, all manufacturers, of say up mid 60's, had defining features which "advertised" their products by sight. Remember the water cap covers that had all manner of designs. Eventually it was decided they were killing people in pedestrian, car collisions and were rightly phased out. Fuel efficiency ergo running costs have shaped the car into what we have today, little or no character.
Sadly, people in general are the same. Where are the characters of today, or maybe it's me who should get out more.