Hillman Super Minx

Hillman Super Minx

Company type	Automobile model
Industry	Automotive
Predecessor	Hillman Minx
Founded	1961 (1961)
Defunct	1967 (1967)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Family-sized automobiles

The Hillman Super Minx was a family-sized automobile manufactured by Hillman between 1961 and 1967. It represented a larger iteration of the Hillman Minx and belonged to the "Audax" series produced from the mid-1950s through the late 1960s. The designation "Super Minx" was exclusive to this timeframe.

Mark I

Introduced in October 1961, the Super Minx broadened Rootes Group's offerings within the upper family car market segment. Originally planned as a successor to the standard Minx, it was ultimately deemed too large for that purpose. By mid-1962, estate and two-door convertible models were added. The convertible experienced limited commercial success and ceased production in June 1964, prior to the Mark III's release in September 1964.

Under the bonnet, it utilized Rootes' inline-four engine—a development from an earlier unit—initially equipped with a cast-iron cylinder head that was later upgraded to aluminium.

The suspension system featured independent front coil springs paired with an anti-roll bar, while the rear employed leaf springs on a live axle. Braking was handled by unassisted Lockheed drum brakes. Steering used a recirculating ball mechanism without power assistance. Interiors came standard with Vynide-trimmed bench seats, with optional individual front seats; heating was included as standard equipment, and radios were offered as extras. Exterior finishes included both single-tone and two-tone paint schemes. The four-speed manual gearbox had synchromesh on the top three gears with a floor-mounted shifter; an optional "Smiths Easidrive" automatic transmission was also available.

A 1962 evaluation by The Motor recorded a maximum velocity of , acceleration from zero to in 21.6 seconds, and fuel efficiency of . The tested vehicle was priced at £854 including taxes, slightly undercutting the Austin Cambridge A60.

The initial engine was rated at a claimed power output of .

Mark II

One year following its debut, the Mark II version arrived in October 1962, featuring elimination of greasing points, enlarged front disc brakes, and an updated axle ratio. For buyers opting for automatic transmissions, the Smiths Easidrive was replaced by the Borg-Warner 35 transmission.

Mark III

The 1964 Super Minx Mark III introduced several design updates, including a "six-light" rear window replacing the previous wrap-around style, taller windscreen and side windows, as well as a more level roofline.

Mark IV

Unveiled at the London Motor Show in October 1965, the Mark IV model increased engine displacement to . This larger powerplant continued to be used in subsequent Arrow vehicles.

Related models

The Super Minx formed part of a series of badge-engineered vehicles marketed under different brand names. The Singer marque offered the Singer Vogue, which debuted in July 1961 ahead of the Super Minx. In 1963, the lineup expanded with the introduction of the Humber Sceptre, which replaced the Sunbeam Rapier as a four-door model but was rebranded as a Humber shortly before release. The Sceptre retained features such as panoramic windscreens and wrap-around rear windows until its replacement by a Hillman Hunter-based model in 1967.

Positioned above Hillman in hierarchy, Singer models included enhancements like quad headlights, while Humber occupied the premium tier with luxury features catering to its upscale clientele. The Sceptre's styling drew inspiration from larger preceding Humbers and was marketed as a sportier option within Humber's range.

A 1966 Autocar test on a Singer Vogue Series IV saloon equipped with an 85 bhp engine recorded a top speed of and acceleration from zero to 60 mph in 25 seconds. Priced at £911 including taxes, it competed against vehicles such as the £888 Austin 1800 and £925 Ford Corsair GT. The review highlighted strong performance and comfort but noted concerns over fuel consumption and brake fade—issues less evident in the Humber Sceptre, which featured servo-assisted front disc brakes measuring 10 inches.

At launch, Humber utilized a tuned 1,592 cc engine producing , which was increased to 1,725 cc delivering in September 1965. Early versions employed twin Zenith carburettors; later iterations switched to Solex twin-choke carburettors for simplicity. Improvements included water-jacketed inlet manifolds and reinforced valve springs aimed at enhancing high-speed durability. The Sceptre's cabin offered comprehensive instrumentation including a tachometer calibrated up to 6,000 rpm alongside a four-speed floor-mounted gearbox with self-cancelling overdrive on third and fourth gears, effectively providing six ratios. Servo-assisted braking with front discs was standard from launch. Automatic transmissions became available starting with Mark II models featuring a three-speed unit equipped with automatic kick-down.

While the smaller Minx had a Singer counterpart (the Singer Gazelle), it lacked a Humber equivalent; conversely, there existed a sporty Sunbeam derivative of the Minx (the Sunbeam Rapier) but none based on the Super Minx.

Rootes Australia assembled Super Minx models and produced versions of the Singer Vogue between 1963 and 1966 under the names Humber Vogue and Humber Vogue Sports.

At least six Humber Sceptre prototype vehicles were fitted with Sunbeam Tiger’s 289 cui Ford V8 engines during development but never reached production; one such example still exists.

Replacement

The Hillman Hunter and Singer Vogue, introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1966, replaced the Super Minx saloon along with its Singer versions as part of the Rootes Arrow series. Because the Hunter was initially offered solely as a saloon model, production of the Super Minx estate continued until April 1967.

External links

• British Humber Sceptre Mk1 Site
• The Rootes-Chrysler site
• Humber Vogue Mk2 image - Retrieved on 18/6/2008