Inspired by the great fun of racing at Healey100 at the Castle Combe Autumn Classic this week we take a closer look at the Austin Healey 100.

This weeks newsletter features the best Austin Healey 100’s on the market today.

Designed in 1952 by Donald Healey, who decided to build a sports car based on the mechanicals and running gear from the Austin A90. Early cars, denoted by their model designation BN1, featured the exact same engine and gearbox as the A90 it was based on. The engine was a 2660cc unit that produced 90bhp and enabled the 100 to reach a top speed of 106mph – it was this feat that prompted Donald Healey to name the car ‘100’. In total, over 10,000 BN1s were produced between 1952 and 1955, when it was replaced by the BN2. A bit scary that at Le Mans Classic this year we were tanking down the Mulsanne straight at something over 152 mph!

The BN2 was much improved mechanically with the introduction of a new gearbox, though the engine remained the same. The four-speed ‘box in the new car was fitted with overdrive in third and fourth before the engine was also brought up to speed in 1955 with the addition of a high-lift cam, bigger carburettors and an increase in compression ratio for the 100M model. The updated car now produced 110bhp. These upgrades were also available to purchase separately in period to update a standard BN1 or BN2, upping power to 100bhp. A 100S (sporting) version of the BN2 was developed for racing  (the S standing for Sebring). The cast iron cylinder block was replaced with an aluminium unit and the overdrive was removed from the gearbox. Various other additions upped power to 132bhp, while the windscreen was replaced by a smaller racing screen to reduce drag. Only 50 of these cars were ever produced prices now fetcher upwards of £895,000.

Source: ClassicCarsForSale.co.uk