Family Cars of the 1960s

The 1960s saw car ownership take off in Britain, as the newly opened motorways created new opportunities for the family to travel—on holiday, to see distant relatives, or simply for work. But this was also a period of great change in the motor industry, and one from which it would not emerge unscathed. The cars themselves changed, too. Small economy cars in particular helped to swell the numbers on Britain’s roads, while questions of safe design arose and the traditional more grand designs gave ground to a new breed of “executive” saloons. This book examines the major changes in approach that occurred during the 1960s, and looks too—often with fondness—at the cars that were so characteristic of the era. These were the cars that Dad or Grandad owned, and although they may seem crude by modern standards they were perfectly in keeping with their times. So many old-established British makes disappeared in this decade, unable to keep up with changing circumstances or challenged by a gradually increasing number of imports. This book is a reminder of a period when Britain still thought it produced the best cars in the world—and was struggling to accept that its golden age was over.