Barrett's #188 - Solved - Proposal for Austin Westminster by Pininfarina

[barrett]

What was this sketch a proposal for and who designed it?

[barrett]

I don't think this is too difficult. Let's see if the experts agree

[yves]

Fiat 1900 proposal by Luigi Rapi ?

[barrett]

No

[barrett]

Up....

(By the way, I'm just looking for the name of the firm behind this proposal, I'm not sure which individual is responsible)

[Wendax]

Carrozzeria Pininfarina?

Is it an Austin proposal?

[barrett]

Yes! Can you suggest what model it may have been for?

Locked for you, naturally

[Wendax]

Judging by the size, I would go for an Austin Princess proposal.

[Allemano]

Dammit! After some more views I noticed that "Carrozzeria Pinin Farina" is clearly visible in the upper left corner of the pic...

[Djetset]

Is this one still locked to Wendax?

[barrett]

Wendax - I'm afraid it's not a Princess

Otto - You must have much better eyes than me!

Djetset - I'm unlocking it now, go ahead!

[Wendax]

Austin Westminster?

[João]

Cambridge  ::)

[Otto Puzzell]

Otto - You must have much better eyes than me!

:scratch:

[Carnut]

Think he meant to say Allemano rather than Otto..

Looking at the windscreen and those fins I would say it's almost certainly an earlier proposal for what became the first of the Farina Austins, the A55 Cambridge of 1957 (which would of course make Joao right!).  The series of course became a masterclass in badge-engineering, with Morris, Riley, Wolseley and MG versions of the same car!

[Djetset]

I would opt for an Austin A99 Westminster.

[Wendax]

I would opt for an Austin A99 Westminster.

Too late  ;)

Austin Westminster?

[Djetset]

Ah, I missed your submission Wendax, although Austin Westminster is a bit vague as there are various types of Westminsters.  I think is the later A99/A110 series, as opposed to the earlier A90/A95/A105 series, for clarification.

[barrett]

Okay, it is indeed a Westminster proposal. Although this image is captioned in my source as a proposal for the A90, there never was an A90 of this generation, just the A99/110...

I think Wendax deserves this point, unless Djetset or anyone else has any objections to that.

Oh, and this:

Otto - You must have much better eyes than me!

Well, I think I proved my own point as my eyes are clearly so terrible I can't even see who posted what.... ;D

[Djetset]

For it to be fair perhaps we should both get a point, as saying this is a generic Westminster proposal (when it is in fact for the second-generation A99 model) is like saying a VW Golf is any Golf, irrespective of which series it is.  I thought that AutoPuzzles is usually more specific and exact for the sake of future automotive historians.

[Otto Puzzell]

Rules, Part 6: Awarding Points for Puzzles

The points awarded for solving a Puzzle, or a part of a Puzzle, are at the sole discretion of the Puzzle's creator. It is a generally accepted practice at AutoPuzzles to award 2 points for the solution of a Puzzle that has proved to be exceptionally difficult, as evidenced by its relegation to the "Black Hole" section of AutoPuzzles.

[barrett]

This is a very gray area Djetset. While this design did eventually morph into the A99, after several changes, this actual proposal was for the next-generation of A90. With hindsight we know that there was no such car. This website certainly aims to be more accurate than most, but here we have a problem: When this design was requested by BMC, it was as an A90, when it was drawn at the Pininfarina design offices it was as an A90. As it eventually emerged, with many revisions, it was as an A99.... In my opinion this throws up too many opportunities for pedantry so I feel that 'Westminster' is probably the safest answer in this case, and the one I was hoping for when I set the puzzle, therefore I awarded Wendax the point.