Page 2 - The Origin of the Species

THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES
2
A Sparkling Introduction
Introduced at the London Motor Show at Earls Court in 1952, the Healey
Hundred was met with unabashed enthusiasm when the event opened to the
general public on October 21, 1952. Throughout that first day, attendees crowded
around for a glimpse of the pale blue roadster, leading officials to erect barricades
around the small vehicle to protect it from damage. That evening, Healey met
with Sir Leonard Lord and George Harriman from the British Motor Corporation
(BMC), who had summoned him for a meeting to discuss the car that had turned
into the show’s star attraction.
Lord had been looking forward to the show for some time, anxious to see in
person the contestants in an informal audition that he had set up over the past
several months among Healey, Jensen, and Frazer Nash, each having constructed
their own proprietary sports car design using various Austin components.
The competition was decided the moment that Lord saw the crowds milling
around the Hundred, leading him to invite Healey to visit BMC’s suite at the
famous hotel. After exchanging pleasantries over several drinks, the trio got
down to business. Despite a strong temper and a foul mouth, Lord was a sharp
businessman and knew that Healey’s small operation in Warwick could never
meet the demand for the Hundred based on what he had seen earlier that day.
With his trademark cigarette alight, Lord leaned forward and stated the facts
as he saw them: “If we can come to some sort of gentleman’s agreement, we can
build probably 200 cars a week at Longbridge, whereas at best you can’t do more
than 20 a week at Warwick. It will be a far better deal for you financially, and it
will suit us well to have a car that’ll carry our name into the sporting field.”
The Hundred prototype seen
before the 1952 London
Motor Show. Note that the
steel disc wheels have not
yet been replaced with wire
wheels. (The Donald Healey
Collection)