Rootes Australia

Rootes Australia was the Australian affiliate of the Rootes Group, a British motor vehicle manufacturing company.[1]

The company was formed immediately after the Second World War[1] initially operating as an importing and distribution firm.[2] In 1946, it began assembling Hillman Minx vehicles at Port Melbourne, Victoria.[3] This was the first instance of a British motor manufacturer establishing a production line in Australia.[4][5] By 1954, the company had gained a 5.4% share of the local market and subsequently announced plans to create a full local manufacturing facility.[1] A 35-hectare site was acquired for this purpose at Harrisfield (now known as Noble Park), near Dandenong in Victoria. However, the proposed plant was never built.[1]

Hillman, Humber and Singer models were assembled successfully for a number of years. The company also produced models which were hybrids of the three makes.[2] By the mid-1960s, falling sales and an ageing model line-up meant the Rootes Group was in trouble both in Britain and Australia.[7]

In December 1965, Rootes Australia was merged with Chrysler Australia.[1] Assembly operations were continued at the Port Melbourne facility [8] and Hillman cars, Humber cars and Commer trucks were now sold by Chrysler dealers.[8] Chrysler was quick to phase out the Humber brand,[9] however assembly of the Hillman Arrow and Hunter range was commenced in early 1967.[9] Chrysler Australia also utilised Port Melbourne for assembly of the Dodge Phoenix from 1968 and Mitsubishi's Galant from 1971.[9] The last Hillman Hunter was produced in November 1972,[10] and, with Dodge Phoenix and Galant assembly transferred to Tonsley Park in South Australia at the end of 1972, the Port Melbourne facility was closed.[10]

Vehicles produced

Significant models produced by Rootes Australia included the following:

• Hillman Minx - assembled from 1946.[2]
• Humber Super Snipe - assembled from 1953.[11]
• Sunbeam Mk III - assembled circa 1955 [12]
• Sunbeam Alpine - assembled circa 1955 [12]
• Humber Hawk – assembled to 1964 [13]
• Singer Gazelle - assembled from 1957 to 1961[14]
• Hillman Super Minx[15]
• Humber Vogue - assembled from 1962 to 1965.[11]
• Hillman Imp - from 1964[16]

External links

• http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/BV_ADLbrochure01a.htm Hillman Minx Series IIIC Special (1962)sales brochure - Retrieved on 21/6/08
• https://www.webcitation.org/5knp1zFjy?url=http://www.geocities.com/tazydevilbear/hmhumbervogue.html Humber Vogue Mk2 image - Retrieved on 21/6/2008
• http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/RootesFactory.htm Rootes Australia Factory - Retrieved on 22/6/08
• http://www.sunbeam.org.au