Austin Healey-Sprite

The Austin-Healey Sprite was the first of a new breed of small sports car. Donald Healey designed it using Austin A30 and Morris Minor parts. The first Austin-Healey Sprite, made from 1958 to 1961, was known as the 'frog-eye' because of the unusual headlamp arrangement. Healey originally wanted pop-up headlights, but they were deemed too expensive.

Another cost-cutting feature was the non-opening boot. The boot space was accessed from inside the car. The spare wheel, which was also stowed in the boot, made it an awkward space for luggage. Motor magazine commented that it was easy to lose things in the Sprite's boot.

The Sprite's hood needed a separate frame and the car had removable side screens instead of windows. The hood, the frame and the side screens were also stored in the limited sized boot. The Sprite's doors only had handles on the inside, a feature that was not corrected until the Mk III version. The Sprite's indicators did not cancel, but perhaps the most annoying feature was the ability of the hood to let in water when the car was travelling at speed.

The Sprite had this neat dashboard, left. In spite of limitations elsewhere, the Sprite's instruments were comprehensive.

For performance, the Sprite was unchallenged at its price. For 668 17s 0d [around 11,000 in today's money] in 1958, you got a car easily capable of 80mph and able to accelerate from 0-50mph in 13.7 seconds. These figures are not spectacular to today's eyes, but the Sprite could outperform most family saloons of the era. It was also responsive and easy enough to drive.

Motor, reporting in 1958, was impressed with the first Sprite. They felt it provided fun motoring at a very modest cost. The handling was described as sensitive, which could, in the polite style of the 1950s' motoring press, suggest over sensitive. There was also mention of a tendency to pull to the right under acceleration.

Austin-Healey Sprite Mk II

In 1961, the Sprite became the Mk II with a different nose and rear. The distinctive frog-eye look disappeared. The Sprite now took on the familiar shape of the near identical MG Midget, which was now produced alongside it at MG's Abingdon Works. The new car had a more conventional looking grill and headlamp arrangement. The rear of the car was squared up and given a proper opening and a lockable boot. The engine was slightly improved, pushing the top speed to over 85mph. Nevertheless, there were still no handles on the outside of the doors. The Sprite Mk II received a new 1098 cc engine towards the end of 1962. This gave the Sprite a further useful increase in performance. Motor reviewed the Sprite in this form in 1962. The improved engine was welcomed, as were trim improvements, which made the car more comfortable. It was still considered 'sensitive' and there was a suggestion that Sprite drivers were used to this and would be able to handle the new version more effectively than its predecessor.

Austin-Healey Sprite Mk III

Competition for the small car marketed hotted up in 1962 when the rival Triumph Spitfire was launched. From then the two cars competed head to head for the same market until the early 1980s. Improvements to the Sprite/MG Midget resulted in the Mk III version of the Sprite in 1964; which had an improved 1098cc A-series engine, wind-up windows and improved rear suspension.

Motoring Which? praised the Sprite Mk III's light and sensitive steering and commented that it was an easy and enjoyable car to drive; although, they felt that the car was cramped for tall people, and getting in and out could be difficult. Overall Motoring Which? preferred the Sprite to its main rival, the Triumph Spitfire: the main reason being the Sprite's more predictable handling.

Austin-Healey Sprite Mk IV

In 1966, the Sprite moved onto the Mk IV (MG Midget Mk III). The biggest change was a new 1275cc engine. It was a mass production version of the specialist 1275cc engine used in the Mini Cooper S. This detuned version of the famous engine produced 65bhp, as opposed to 76bhp from the fully tuned Mini Cooper S unit. The Sprite now had a top speed of 94mph and a respectable 0-60mph time of 14.4 seconds. The Sprite's performance was getting closer to that of the MGB, which had not changed since its launch in 1962.

The Mk IV Sprite had a new folding hood, instead of the do-it-yourself affair of the earlier models. Motor  tested the new Sprite and found its performance and handling had kept pace with changes in the small sports car market in the years since the launch of the original frog-eye. However, some unfortunate characteristics remained. The all new folding hood still leaked; Motor's test car was found to have sodden carpets.

By the time Motoring Which? tested the Sprite again in 1968, its price was 686 7s 4d, only around 8000 in today's money. (Reductions in purchase tax made the car cheaper to buy.) The Sprite's handing was again praised. It was stable and controllable on wet and dry roads alike and over rough surfaces; but it was still a trial for some people to get in and out of the Sprite. The Sprite still lacked synchromesh on first gear, which was beginning to be seen as a failing. The Sprite's wipers were also criticised for leaving large areas of the windscreen uncleared, a point also highlighted by Motor. The Sprite's rival, the Spitfire, was now more expensive, but offered an optional overdrive, which made motorway driving quieter. The Spitfire's handling still came in for criticism. This time though, Motoring Which? found it difficult to split the two cars and unusually for Which?, sat on the fence leaving it up the reader to choose which car best suited their needs.

Austin Sprite

The final version of the Sprite, was the Austin Sprite. British Leyland's royalty agreement with Donald Healey ended in 1970. For seven months the Austin Sprite, without the 'Healey' lingered on. It was identical, apart from the badge to the MG Midget of the time. The Austin Sprite was quietly dropped in July 1971. The MG Midget, of course, was produced until 1979.

More on the Sprite

The Midget and Sprite Club caters for the Austin-Healey Sprite and the MG Midget. If you live in the Hampshire area, see also Midget and Sprite Club - Hampshire Chapter.

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