To be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at Auctions America’s Fort Lauderdale event, April 1-3, 2016.

Chassis No.
E94014

Estimate:
$ 5,000 - $ 10,000 US

The Nash Metropolitan, also sold under the Hudson, Rambler and Austin marques, was a very small sub-compact car sold between 1954 and 1962. It was designed in the United States by William J. Flajole for Nash-Kelvinator International. At first, the cars were to be sold as the NKI Custom. While the design was American, the cars were built in the United Kingdom—the bodywork was built by Fisher & Ludlow while the mechanicals and final assembly were by the Austin Motor Company.

It was the first time an American-designed car had been entirely built in Europe. While most U.S. automobile makers were following a "bigger-is-better" philosophy, Nash Motor Company executives were scrutinizing the market to offer American buyers an economical transportation alternative. It was designed as a "commuter/shopping car" with resemblance to the big Nash, but on a significantly smaller scale. Owners reported that the "Metropolitan is a good thing in a small package”.

The Metropolitan being offered is finished in in two-tone green over white with a striped green and white interior. It is powered by the Austin A50 1489-cc, 47-hp four-cylinder engine coupled with a three-speed manual transmission. A radio, Smiths instrumentation and rear-mounted spare in a “Continental-style” make for a fun, atypical driving experience that was years ahead of common automotive thinking of the time.
1961 Nash Metropolitan Coupe