Back in 1961, BMC wanted you to “get into an Austin and out of the ordinary”. With its latest Pininfarina-styled A55 saloon, the company seemed convinced it could change your life for the better, claiming that its four-door family-size offering “brings out the unexpected in you”.
“You won’t mistake that certain feeling when you first drive home in an Austin A55” insisted this superb advertisement. “You feel the whole bright world at your wheel; you feel inferior to none on the road. You suddenly want to go slower than usual as you pass friends on the pavement. You’re quick to steal a sidelong glance at the gleaming image of the A55 reflected in a shop window…”
Despite the fact that the A55 was a mass-market model aimed at budget-conscious buyers, BMC insisted it was different from the norm: “It underscores your own achievement, says in no uncertain terms you’ve slipped clear of the mainstream.”
