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Austin A90 Atlantic (1948 – 1952) Review

Austin A90 Atlantic (1948 – 1952) At A Glance

4/5

+Wonderful art-deco styling, a real head-turner

-A bit to American in the way it drives

Austin was really going for the US market in the immediate post-war era - that was where the money was, and it was in keeping with the country's 'export of die' economic policy. And that's probably why the A90 Atlantic ended up leaving Longbridge with quirky styling that looks more interesting now than it did to Americans in 1948.

The barrier to big sales stateside were legion, not least that the US had cheaper rival options that were all powered by bigger engines. But the big four-cylinder 2.7-litre found fame a little later in the delightful Austin-Healey 100. The convertible A90 Atlantic was launched before fabric-topped coupé, but stayed in production for only two years.

Sales weren't huge, but survival rate is high thanks to its exclusivity.

Ask Honest John

How much would an Austin A90 Atlantic, in need of much repair work, be worth?

"I am the daughter-in-law and also executor of a man that passed away in November last year. He has on his lawn an Austin A90 Atlantic which is very much in bad repair and will need an awful lot of restoration. People keep asking to purchase it from us, but we are totally stumped as to what it's actually worth in the state it's in. It still has the original headlamps but, as a recent man who asked to buy it stated, he was not sure if it could even be restored with the state it was in. Could you please tell me what price I should be looking at realistically for it?"
I'm afraid that we're not able to give you a value on a specific car, but we can offer some advice. Austin A90 Atlantics are quite scarce with very few coming up for sale. Prices for good ones can run into five figures with convertibles commanding a higher price than saloons - however projects are worth substantially less. No matter how poor the condition is, if it is a complete car (engine, gearbox etc etc) it is worth some money. Perhaps the best thing to do is speak to the Austin Counties car club (http://www.austincounties.org.uk/). They will be able to offer you a guide price (free of charge) if you're able to supply some pictures and some more information.
Answered by Keith Moody
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