Astra (1954 automobile)

Infobox Automobile


name = Astra
manufacturer = Astra Car Company
production = 1956-1959
class = Microcar
body_style = 2-door saloon or estate
engine = 322 cc Anzani two cylindercite book |last=Culshaw |first= |authorlink= |coauthors=Horrobin |title=Complete Catalogue of British Cars |year=1974 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |id=ISBN 0-333-16689-2]
transmission = 3-speed manual
length = 114 inches (2895 mm)
width = 53 inches (1345 mm)
height =
weight =
wheelbase = 74 inches (1880 mm)
designer = The Astra was an English car built by a subsidiary of British Anzani of Hampton Hill, Middlesex from 1954 to 1959.cite book |last=Georgano |first=N. |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |year=2000 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |id=ISBN 1-57958-293-1] At GBP348 it claimed to be the smallest and cheapest four wheeler on the British market. The car had originally been built by JARC motors and sold as the Little Horse.

It featured a rear-mounted 322 cc air cooled, twin cylinder engine mounted under the floor driving the rear wheels through a three speed motor cycle type gearbox. The steel channel section chassis had all-round independent suspension with swing axles at the rear. Most cars had two seater estate car bodies but some four seat saloons were also made. The bodies were made of aluminium. The car could also be bought in kit form. It was claimed to be able to reach convert|55|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on and return convert|60|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus|abbr=on.

After production ceased, some coupés were made by Gill cars and sold as the Getabout. The rights were also bought by Harold Lightburn of Camden, Adelaide, Australia who fitted a new glass fibre estate body and sold the car as the Zeta between 1963 and 1966.

External links

* [http://britishanzani.co.uk/ BritishAnzani.co.uk]
* [http://britishanzani.co.uk/HISTORY3.htm Astra automobile history & data]
* [http://www.allthingsaus.com/motoring/bad_zeta.htm Lightburn Zeta]

References