Austin A35 Car & Van history

Design

Introduced in 1956, it replaced the highly successful Austin A30. The name reflected the larger and more powerful 34 hp (25 kW) A-Series inline-four engine, enabling a slightly higher top speed and better acceleration.

The A35 was very similar in appearance to the A30, except for a larger rear window aperture and a painted front grille, with chrome horse-shoe surround, instead of the chrome grille featured on the A30. Both had 13 in (330 mm) wheels. The semaphore turn-signal indicators were replaced with present-day front- and rear-mounted flashing lights. A slightly easier to operate remote-control gear-change was provided. Much of the improved performance was a result of different gearbox ratios. The A30 had the first three ratios close together then a big gap to top (fourth gear). The A35 ratios were better spaced and gave a higher speed in third gear.

Like the A30, the A35 was offered as a two- or four-door saloon or two-door "Countryman" estate and also as a van. The latter model continued in production through to 1968. A rare coupe utility (pickup) version was also produced in 1956, with just 477 sold.

The A35 passenger cars were replaced by the new body shape A40 Farina models in 1959 but the estate car version continued until 1962 and van until 1968.

Performance

A two door de luxe saloon with the 948 cc engine was tested by the British Motor magazine in 1956 and was found to have a top speed of 71.9 mph (115.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 30.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 41.5 miles per imperial gallon (6.81 L/100 km; 34.6 mpg_-US) was recorded.

Referring to the A35, from Staton Abbey (1969?). The Book of the Austin A30 and A35. Pitman Press: pp 148.

"....The new cars were thoroughly proved by tests carried out on the German autobahnen, during which drivers of much larger cars were astonished to be passed by three small Austins which were being driven flat out all day, averaging 60 m.p.h. for 25000 miles!......"

".....a privately-owned works-tuned A35 was driven for seven days around the Montlhery track, near Paris, in a record-breaking run at an average speed of 75 m.p.h., covering nearly 12500 miles...."

With standard fit of drums all round, in both the A30 and the A35, the front hydraulic with rear hydro-mechanical brakes (the hydraulics acted upon the hand brake at the rear) needed regular adjustment to keep the stopping distances reasonably short. 

Film and media appearances

A model of an A35 van features in the 2005 Aardman Animations movie, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Another one was seen in A Matter of Loaf and Death. In 2009, as part of the show put on in the exhibition "Wallace & Gromit present a World of Cracking Ideas" at the Science Museum in London, a real A35 van mocked up to look like the model used in the film. A 1959 4-door model was used as Beauregard's taxi in 1981 Muppet movie, The Great Muppet Caper.

Production

• Saloons A2S5: (2 door) 100,284,
• Saloons AS5: (4 door) 28,961,
• Saloons Total: 129,245
• Van & Countryman, AV5 & AP5: 138,356
• Van AV6: 13,222
• Countryman AP6: 74
• Van AV8 (1098cc): 45,685
• Van AV8 (848cc): 14,230
• Pick-Up: 477
• CKD (Completely Knocked Down) 13,320
• Total: 354,609
• 1956–1962 - 948 cc A-Series I4, 34 hp (25 kW) at 4,750 rpm and 50 lb·ft (68 Nm) at 2,000 rpm
• 1962–1966 - 1,098 cc A-Series I4, 55 hp (41 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 61 lb·ft (83 Nm) at 2,500 rpm (Van)
• 1963--1968 - 848 cc A-Series I4, 34 hp (25 kW) at 5500rpm and 44 lb·ft (60 N·m) at 2,900rpm (Van)