CHAPTER 01 / THE OPEN ROAD
1920s
MOTORING FOR THE MASSES
The motor car was beginning to change everyday life in Britain.
At the start of the decade, car ownership remained a luxury. Mass production and ingenious smaller designs began changing that, making independent travel a realistic aspiration for many more households.
The Austin Seven, launched in 1922, became a landmark in affordable motoring. With its small engine, simple construction and comparatively modest running costs, it introduced a generation to the freedom of the road.
THE MOTORING ICON1922 Austin Seven
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Versions of the Austin Seven were produced under licence abroad, including in Germany, where the Dixi became part of BMW's early car-making story.
