Austin Maxi

Austin Maxi
1980 BL Maxi MkII 1750 HLS
Overview
Manufacturer	Austin (British Leyland)
Also called	Maxi[1] Leyland Maxi[2]
Production	1969–1981
Assembly	Cowley, Oxford, England IMV, Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia [3] AMI, Petone New Zealand [4]
Designer	Sir Alec Issigonis
Body and chassis
Body style	5-door hatchback
Powertrain
Engine	E-Series 1,485 cc (90.6 cu in), 74 bhp and 1,748 cc (106.7 cu in), 84 or 95 bhp[5]
Transmission	5-speed manual all-synchromesh[6] 4-speed automatic optional from 1974
Dimensions
Wheelbase	104.75 in (2,661 mm)[5]
Length	159 in (4,039 mm)
Width	64 in (1,626 mm)
Height	54.5 in (1,384 mm)
Kerb weight	2,156 lb (978 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Austin A60 Cambridge
Successor	Austin Maestro

The Austin Maxi is a medium-sized, 5-door hatchback family car that was produced by Austin and later British Leyland between 1969 and 1981. It was the first British car to feature a hatchback body style.

Despite its practical design and remarkable space efficiency (it is shorter, narrower and lower than the sixth generation Ford Fiesta),^[7][8] the Maxi never came close to reaching its projected sales targets. Just under half a million were built over a 12 year period. BL management decisions involving the Maxi had significant knock-on effects to the rest of the car line-up. BL marketing decreed that the Maxi should be the only car in the range to feature a hatchback. This stance prevented the Austin Allegro and Princess models gaining hatchbacks despite those designs being capable of receiving them.