Hillman
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Hillman-Coatalen Company |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | William Hillman, Louis Coatalen (as Hillman-Coatalen Company) |
| Defunct | 1976 (as a marque) |
| Fate | Acquired by Humber Limited (1928), then Rootes Group, then Chrysler (1967), marque discontinued (1976) |
| Headquarters | Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, Australia |
| Products | Automobiles |
| Parent | Rootes Group (from 1928), Chrysler Europe (from 1967) |
Hillman was a British automobile brand founded by the Hillman-Coatalen Company in 1907, which was renamed the Hillman Motor Car Company in 1910. Located in Ryton-on-Dunsmore near Coventry, England, the firm initially specialized in bicycle manufacturing before transitioning to automobiles. In 1928, Hillman was acquired by Humber Limited, controlled by the Rootes brothers. From 1931 onward, Hillman served as Humber’s small car division while larger models continued until 1937. The Rootes brothers retained a 60% ownership stake in Humber until 1967, when Chrysler took over Rootes and unified control. The Hillman marque remained active under Chrysler's management until 1976.
Founding and Early Years
William Hillman joined the Coventry Sewing Machine Company in 1857, which later became the Coventry Machinists Company and shifted focus to producing velocipedes. By the late 1800s, Hillman co-established Hillman Herbert and Cooper, manufacturing bicycles such as the Kangaroo model. After accumulating wealth, Hillman ventured into car production and in 1907 partnered with designer Louis Coatalen to form Hillman-Coatalen. Their first vehicle, the 24HP Hillman-Coatalen, participated in the Tourist Trophy race but retired following an accident. Coatalen left the company in 1909 to join Sunbeam, leading to the rebranding of the firm as Hillman Motor Car Company in 1910.
The initial automobiles were large-scale models equipped with engines up to 9.76 litres (six-cylinder) or 6.4 litres (four-cylinder). The more commercially viable smaller car was introduced in 1913 as a 9 hp (1357 cc) model and relaunched after World War I as an enlarged 11 hp (1600 cc). From 1925 onwards, the mainstay became the 14 hp model, which remained exclusive until 1928. That year marked the introduction of Hillman’s first overhead valve straight-eight engine of 2.6 litres; however, it gained a reputation for problems with big-end bearings.
Notable Figures
William Hillman had six daughters but no sons. One daughter married John Black, who served as managing director of Hillman before leaving during the Rootes acquisition to join Standard Motor Company. Another daughter wed Maurice Wilks, who also departed Hillman around that time and later worked for Rover Company.
Under Rootes Group Ownership
In 1928, control of Hillman passed to the Rootes brothers as part of a merger with Humber. By 1931, with financial support from Prudential Assurance, Rootes owned a majority 60% share of Humber. The Hillman marque was repositioned towards small car production and became a significant brand within Rootes’ portfolio alongside Humber, Sunbeam, and later Singer.
During the 1930s, side-valve engines returned with the launch of the six-cylinder Hillman Wizard in 1931 and then the debut of the first Hillman Minx in 1932 featuring a 1185 cc four-cylinder engine. The Minx saw continuous improvements until World War II interrupted production. In 1934, larger Wizard models replaced earlier versions: a 2110 cc “16 hp” and a 2810 cc “20/70.” These remained available until 1936 when new side-valve straight-six engines were introduced: the 2576 cc “Sixteen” and two larger models—the “Hawk” and “80” with a displacement of 3181 cc—also marketed under Humber.
After WWII, production resumed with the Minx using its original engine but evolved through several versions. The Phase VIII model launched in 1955 featured a new overhead-valve engine of 1390 cc (Mk VIII), followed by the popular Two Tone Mark VIII A in 1956 known colloquially as the “Gay Look,” promoted with the slogan “As Gay as a Mardi Gras.” In 1954, Hillman introduced the Husky—a compact van-like vehicle powered by a side-valve engine—whose chassis design was later adapted for use under the Sunbeam Alpine sports car.
A significant transformation took place in 1963 with the introduction of the Hillman Imp, equipped with an all-aluminum rear-mounted engine of 875 cc derived from Coventry Climax designs. Production occurred at a newly established factory in Linwood, Scotland—a location chosen to stimulate employment in an economically challenged region. Variants included a fastback "Californian" model and an estate version reviving the Husky nameplate. The Hillman Hunter appeared in 1966 followed by a smaller-engined Minx variant in 1967; these are commonly identified by their factory code "Arrow," although this designation was never used commercially.
Chrysler
By the year 1967, Chrysler had acquired complete ownership of Rootes and funded the creation of the 1970 Avenger, marking the first new Hillman model under its leadership.
Peugeot
Between 1976 and 1979, the Avenger and Hunter were sold under the Chrysler name. Subsequently, Chrysler divested its European operations to Peugeot, which ceased production of the Hunter and renamed the Avenger as a Talbot until it was discontinued in 1981.
The Hillman factory at Ryton, responsible for assembling Peugeot vehicles for the European market, was closed in 2007. Despite this, Peugeot continues to hold ownership of the Hillman marque.
Car models
Models produced after 1930 following Rootes’ design guidelines include:
- Hillman 40 hp (1907–1911)
- Hillman 25 hp (1909–1913)
- Hillman 12/15 (1908–1913)
- Hillman 9 hp (1913–1915)
- Hillman 10 hp (1910)
- Hillman 13/25 (1914)
- Hillman 11 (1915–1926)
- Hillman 10 hp Super Sports (1920–1922)
- Hillman 14 (1925–1930)
The Rootes Hillman 20 series featured:
- Straight Eight (1929)
- Vortic (1930)
- Wizard 75 (1931–1933)
- Twenty 70 (1934–1935)
- Hawk (1936–1937)
Long wheelbase editions included:
- Seven-Seater LWB (1934–1935)
- Hillman 80 LWB (1936–1938)
For the Hillman 16 range:
- Wizard 65 (1931–1933)
- Sixteen (1934–1937)
Additional prominent models comprised:
- Hillman Minx (1932–1970)
- Hillman Husky (1954–1963)
- Hillman Super Minx (1961–1967)
- Hillman Imp (1963–1976)
- Hillman Gazelle (1966–1967, Australia)
- Hillman Hunter (1966–1979)
- Hillman Arrow (1967–1968, Australia)
- Hillman Avenger (1970–1981)
- Hillman Hustler (1971–1972, Australia)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Hillman
- Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom
- Rootes Group
- Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Coventry
- Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1907
- Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1931
- British companies established in 1907
- British companies disestablished in 1931
- Car brands
- British brands
- Chrysler