Austin name to be revived as Burlen acquires naming rights for J40 pedal car
Makes the old Mini look massive
The Austin brand name, once known for adorning many of Britain’s best-known cars such the Seven, Mini and 1100 is set to appear again on a new car — albeit a very small one.
Burlen, owner of the Bicester-based J40 Motor Company, a parts supplier for and restorer of classic J40 pedal cars, has acquired the rights to the Austin brand that will allow it to build new pedal cars, parts and accessories under the Austin name.
The Austin Pedal Cars firm, of which the J40 Motor Company will become a sub-division, will make its debut appearance at this year’s Goodwood Revival (September 16-18) where the company will launch an all-new J40 continuation prototype pedal car.
The Revival also plays host to the Settrington Cup — this year celebrating its 10th anniversary — a race that pits children in classic J40 pedal cars against each other along the main straight at the Goodwood circuit in one of the most beloved events of the Revival. The Settrington Cup has been instrumental in reviving interest in J40 pedal cars over the past decade or so.
Production of the original Austin Junior 40 started in 1949 in a specially constructed factory in Bargoed in South Wales, paid for with government funding as a way to get disabled coal miners suffering from lung conditions and life-changing injuries back to work and to provide them with in-house medical care.
Based on the design of the late-forties Austin A40 Tourer, the bodies for the cars were made from off-cuts of metal from Austin’s plant at Longbridge outside Birmingham, and their popularity proved enduring with 32,098 examples built before production ended in 1971.
On display at the Goodwood Revival this year, as well as the new J40 continuation prototype, will be the original J40 prototype (registration: JOY 1) as well as one built on the last day of J40 production at Bargoed.
Burlen, a British company specialising in fuel systems for classic vehicles (and the world’s sole manufacturer of genuine parts for SU carburettors), bought the rights to the J40 in early 2020 and set up the J40 Motor Company to remake hard-to-find replacement parts for older J40s with a view to eventually building an all-new model.
Shortly after setting up the J40 Motor Company, the firm revealed an artist’s impression of a future concept model from the company, similar in style to the old J40, but slightly modernised all round.
The acquisition of the Austin name represents a big step for Burlen in achieving its ambitions to start remanufacturing the J40 and its future variants.
“Austin, as a brand, will live on in our hands, keeping the name alive and educating future generations in the importance of automotive history and giving them the first steps into car ownership,” said Mark Burnett, managing director at Burlen.
“Austin will do this by creating further Austin models whilst also enhancing our parts, clubs and community offering. J40 Motor Company will continue to serve the established J40 community, continuing all the good work the J40 Motor Company name has become renowned for.”
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