Rootes Australia

Rootes Australia was the Australian affiliate of the Rootes Group, a British motor vehicle manufacturing company. The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 413 ]

The company was formed immediately after the Second World War initially operating as an importing and distribution firm. The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 216 ] It began assembling Hillman Minx vehicles at Port Melbourne in Victoria in 1946. Pedr David, Wheels Across Australia, 1987, page 208 ] This was the first instance of a British motor manufacturer establishing a production line in Australia. Shaun Birney, A Nation on Wheels, 1987, page 187 ] By 1954 the company had gained a 5.4% share of the local market and subsequently announced plans to create a full local manufacturing facility. A 35 hectare site was acquired for this purpose at Harrisfield, near Dandenong in Victoria however the proposed plant was never built.

Hillman, Humber and Singer models were assembled successfully for a number of years with the company also producing models which were hybrids of the three makes. However by the mid 1960s falling sales and an ageing model line-up meant the Rootes Group was in trouble both in Britain and Australia . Shaun Birney, A Nation on Wheels, 1987, page 188 ] In December 1965 Rootes Australia was merged with Chrysler Australia and assembly was gradually moved from Port Melbourne to the latter’s existing facilities in Adelaide, South Australia. Chrysler was quick to phase out the Humber brand however new Hillman Arrow and Hunter models were introduced. Chrysler Australia ceased production of Hillmans in 1973.

Significant models produced by Rootes Australia included the following:

* Hillman Minx - assembled from 1946.
* Humber Super Snipe - assembled from 1953. The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 226 ]
* Humber Hawk – assembled to 1964. [http://hometown.aol.com/crooksnipe/humberausthistory.html Australian Humber History page from Enthusiasts Group Of NSW website - Retrieved on 21/6/08]
* Singer Gazelle - assembled from 1957 to 1961 .The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 436 ]
* Humber Vogue - assembled from 1962 to 1965.

References

External links

* http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/BV_ADLbrochure01a.htm Hillman Minx Series IIIC Special (1962)sales brochure - Retrieved on 21/6/08
* http://www.geocities.com/tazydevilbear/hmhumbervogue.html Humber Vogue Mk2 image - Retrieved on 21/6/2008
* http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/RootesFactory.htm Rootes Australia Factory - Retrieved on 22/6/08
* http://www.sunbeam.org.au