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Wolseley 4/50 and 6/80
Manufacturer Nuffield Organisation, BMC
Production 1948-1954
Body style(s) 4-door saloon
Layout FR layout

The Wolseley 4/50 and similar 6/80 were Wolseley Motor Company's first post-war automobiles. They were rushed into production in 1948 and were based on the Morris Oxford MO and the Morris Six MS respectively. The 4 cylinder 4/50 used a 1476 cc 50 hp version of the 6/80 engine, while the 6/80 used a 2215 cc 72 hp (54 kW) straight-6 single overhead cam.

The cars were well equipped and looked impressive, with a round Morris rear end and upright Wolseley grille and were used extensively by the Police at the time - the 6/80 particularly.

These models were built at Morris's Cowley factory alongside the 'Oxford'. They were replaced in 1953 and 1954 by the Wolseley 4/44 and 6/90.

Wolseley 4/50[]

Wolseley 4/50
Wolseley 4-50
Production 1948-1953
8925 built[1]
Successor Wolseley 4/44
Body style(s) 4-door saloon
Engine(s) 1.5 L Morris I4
Wheelbase 102 inches (2591 mm)[2]
Length 170 inches (4267 mm)[2]
Width 66 inches (1676 mm) [2]
Height 63 inches [3]
Fuel capacity 8 gallon (imp) [4]
Related Morris Oxford MO

A 4/50 tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1950 had a top speed of 71 mph and could accelerate from 0-60 in 30.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 27 mpg was recorded. The test car cost £703 including taxes. [3]

Sales volumes were only a third those of the car's six cylinder sibling: the car was regarded as heavy, with "good use of the excellent gear-box" being needed to maintain a respectable pace.[4] The Wolseley 4/50 was more expensive than the Morris Oxford The engine used was a 4-cylinder version of the 6/80. The pistons were just about the only common part used in this range of cars, aside from styling details around the nose, its body ?.[4]

Wolseley 6/80[]

Wolseley 6/80
Wolseley 6-80 front
Production 1948-1954
25,281 made[1]
Successor Wolseley 6/90
Body style(s) 4-door saloon
Engine(s) 2.2 L I6
Wheelbase 110 inches (2794 mm)[2]
Length 177 inches (4443 mm)[2]
Width 66 inches (1676 mm)[2]
Height 63 inches [5]
Fuel capacity 12 gallon(imp)[4]
Related Morris Six MS

In order to accommodate its longer six-cylinder engine, the 6/80 was longer by 7 inches than the 4/50. It also had larger brakes with 10 inch (245 mm) drums compared with the 9 inch (225 mm) ones of the 4/50.[5]

A 6/80 tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1951 had a top speed of 85 mph and could accelerate from 0-60 in 21.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.8 mpg was recorded. The test car cost £767 including taxes. [5]

A second-hand car review published in England in 1960 observed that "even the most junior member of the family" would recognise the Wolseley 6/80 as the "Cops' Car" both on television, and on the streets. The car was reckoned to offer a good power-to-weight ratio in combination with steering and suspension sufficiently excellent to permit to be "thrown around without detriment to the car and with little discomfort to the occupants". [4]

Gallery[]


References /sources[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sedgwick, M.; Gillies.M (1986). A-Z of Cars 1945-1970. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-39-7. OCLC 29424733. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2. OCLC 1057411. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "The Wolseley Four-Fifty", The Motor. December 27 1950. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Second Hand car guide supplement", Practical Motorist vol 6 Nbr 68: between pages 768 & 769. date April 1960. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "The Wolseley Six-Eighty", The Motor. February 28 1950. 

External links[]



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