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When I first laid eyes on an Austin A90 Atlantic I was stunned by its flamboyant Anglo-American styling. The extravagant curves, the three headlights, the enclosed rear wheels; they exceeded my (then) concepts of automotive beauty. I didn't know (or care) that the Atlantic was the first post-war car engineered from scratch by Austin; that as the British auto industry struggled to revive from the ravages of war it was deliberately aimed at the American market; that the handling was not very good. Austin's marketing department did its best to attract respectability; an Atlantic convertible was driven day and night for a week round the Indianapolis Speedway, breaking numerous American stock car records. The average speed, including all stops, was 70.54 mph. That same Atlantic convertible broke the 5-mile record for 3-litre open stock cars at just under 90 mph. So the A90 was no dog but America wanted British cars to look British, not American. My taste may be more refined today, yet I still think the A90 was as sexy as Diana Dors. And if you know who she was you, too, can appreciate the Austin A90 Atlantic. Motorbase has more.

Found at: Classical Drive