A95/A105
In May 1956, for a brief period only, a derivative of the A90 Six Westminster was announced which was a short boot version of the A105 and had the twin SU carburettor/102 hp version of the 2.6-litre C series engine with overdrive as standard. In October 1956 the A105 received the longer wheelbase with overdrive as standard and automatic transmission as an option. Twin fog lights, heater and wheel trims were standard although a radio was still an option. Two tone paint and white wall tyres were introduced for visual effect. Very few short boot versions of the A105 were produced and they are now quite rare.
The A90 was updated for autumn 1956 as the A95. Along with more power, the A95 was longer and now offered an estate model. Overdrive and an automatic transmission were new as well, something of a novelty in British cars of the time.
Both the A95 and A105 were produced together until 1959. 28,065 A95s and 6,770 A105s were built.[4]
The Westminster name was dropped from the sales literature for the A95 and the A105 although, oddly, the drivers' handbooks still used the name Westminster to title the illustration of the saloon. The estate version was named Countryman. Nevertheless, most enthusiasts still refer to them as Westminsters.
A badge-engineered version of the A95 with different grille, trim, and badges and a bench front seat was assembled and sold in Australia as the Morris Marshal from 1957 until 1960.[5]
An A105 saloon with overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956 had a top speed of 96.3 mph and could accelerate from 0–60 mph in 15.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.0 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1109 including taxes.[6]
In popular culture, the Austin A95 has a degree of infamy for being the vehicle that Thich Quang Duc rode in to the site in Saigon where he proceeded to immolate himself in protest of the religious persecution of the Ngo Dinh Diem administration in South Vietnam. The blue A95 sedan which he was transported in is clearly visible in the background of the famous photograph of the burning monk, and the car itself remains on display at the Thien Mu pagoda in Huế. Later, the debut studio album of Rage Against the Machine featured the image on its cover artwork, once again cementing the A95's inextricable link to one of the most important photographs ever captured in the entire history of photojournalism.
