Austin Motor Company revived with retro electric roadster

One of Britain’s most prolific car manufacturers of the 20th century is set to make a return.

Roughly three decades after the brand disappeared from UK roads, the Austin Motor Company is plotting its comeback – but rather than making modern, affordable vehicles for the masses, it’s taken inspiration from its history.

The Austin Arrow 2 is a lightweight two-seater roadster – in the style of the Austin Seven of 1922 – but featuring an electric powertrain.

The vehicle is powered by a 15kW electric motor, fed from a 20kWh lithium-ion battery, which the company says is good for 160km of driving range.

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While performance appears lacklustre – with almost 80 per cent less power than an entry-level Hyundai Inster – the Austin Arrow weighs just 605kg with its battery, giving it a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.8 seconds.

The company says the Austin Arrow also has a top speed of 100km/h.

The original Austin Seven was a popular choice for a budget race car, with the likes of Sir Colin Chapman – the founder of Lotus – successfully campaigning a modified Seven, as did Bruce McLaren.

Australian motorsport legend Peter Brock also learned his trade on an Austin Seven – racing one around his parents’ farm, despite the car having no brakes or bodywork.