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The Hillman Imp is a small economy car that was made by the Rootes Group and its successor Chrysler Europe from 1963 until 1976. Revealed on 3 May 1963, [6] after much advance publicity, it was the first British mass-produced car with the engine block and cylinder head cast in aluminium.
The Imp was finally discontinued in 1976, and the Hunter followed it three years later (although it continued to be produced in Iran). Indeed, componentry for the Iranian version of the car was a successful UK export during the 1980s. The Chrysler Sunbeam kept the company going in the later 1970s
The floor pan of this model was later to form the basis for the Sunbeam Alpine, Sunbeam also being part of the Rootes empire. A complete departure in 1963 was the Hillman Imp using a Coventry Climax derived all alloy, 875 cc rear engine and built in a brand new factory in Linwood, Scotland. The location was chosen under government influence to ...
The Chrysler Sunbeam is a small supermini three-door hatchback manufactured by Chrysler Europe at the former Rootes Group factory in Linwood in Scotland, from 1977 to 1981. The Sunbeam's development was funded by a UK Government grant with the aim of keeping the Linwood plant running, and the small car was based on the larger Hillman Avenger, also manufactured there.
The Humber Vogue was assembled from 1962 to 1965. Hillman Minx - assembled from 1946. [2] Humber Super Snipe - assembled from 1953. [11] Sunbeam Mk III - assembled circa 1955 [12] Sunbeam Alpine - assembled circa 1955 [12] Humber Hawk – assembled to 1964 [13] Singer Gazelle - assembled from 1957 to 1961 [14] Hillman Super Minx [15]
The Imp's heavy development expenses and slackening sales to USA brought about losses for the Rootes group in both 1962 and 1963. [ 24 ] In February 1964 the owners of the minority holdings in Humber Limited (and Tilling-Stevens and Singer Motors) sold their holdings to Rootes Motors Limited taking in exchange shares in Rootes Motors.
The Gazelle was the first Singer to be produced following the take-over of the Singer company by the Rootes Group in 1956 and was a version of the mainstream Hillman Minx differing mainly in retaining the Singer overhead cam engine.
Hillman Imp. Despite being released with high hopes and getting much positive media attention at the time of its launch, the Hillman Imp was a commercial failure that was largely responsible for its parent group, the Rootes Group, getting into financial difficulties and being taken over by Chrysler to become part of Chrysler Europe in 1967.