Humber 90

Hillman Super Minx

Company type	Car model
Industry	Automotive
Predecessor	Hillman Minx (Audax series)
Founded	1961
Defunct	1967
Successor	Rootes Arrow series (Hillman Hunter and Singer Vogue)
Area served	United Kingdom, Australia (assembled)
Products	Family car (sedan, estate, convertible)

The Hillman Super Minx was a family car manufactured by Hillman between 1961 and 1967. It represented an enlarged iteration of the Hillman Minx, introduced during the "Audax" series phase. The designation Super Minx was unique to this particular generation.

Mark I

Unveiled in October 1961, the Super Minx broadened Rootes Group’s footprint in the upper segment of the family car market. Originally planned as a successor to the standard Minx, it ultimately proved too sizeable for that role. An estate variant was introduced in May 1962, followed by a two-door convertible in June of the same year. Due to limited demand, convertible production ended in June 1964, prior to the launch of the Mark III in September 1964.

The initial Super Minx was powered by Rootes’ engine, which debuted in 1953 with a smaller displacement. This model initially featured a cast-iron cylinder head that was later upgraded to aluminium.

Its suspension setup included independent front suspension with coil springs and an anti-roll bar, complemented by leaf springs and a live rear axle. Braking was managed by unassisted Lockheed drum brakes. Steering utilized a recirculating ball mechanism without power assistance. Inside, buyers could choose between bench or individual front seats upholstered in Vynide; heating came as standard while radios were optional. The vehicle was offered in either single or two-tone paint schemes. The four-speed manual gearbox featured synchromesh on the top three gears and a floor-mounted shifter; an optional "Smiths Easidrive" automatic transmission was also available.

In a 1962 evaluation by The Motor, the car achieved a maximum speed of , accelerated from 0- in 21.6 seconds, and recorded fuel consumption of . The tested model cost £854 including taxes, which was slightly more affordable than rivals such as the Austin Cambridge A60.

The engine’s initial power output was rated at , consistent with that of the existing Hillman Minx power unit.

Mark II

Released one year after the original, the Mark II appeared in October 1962 featuring maintenance-free greasing points, enlarged front disc brakes, and an updated axle ratio. The Smiths Easidrive automatic transmission option was replaced by the Borg-Warner 35 transmission on automatic variants.

Mark III

In 1964, the Mark III version of the Super Minx brought cosmetic updates including a "six-light" rear window replacing the earlier wrap-around style. The windscreen and side windows were enlarged vertically, while the roofline was flattened to give a more contemporary appearance.

Mark IV

Debuting at the London Motor Show in October 1965, the Mark IV upgraded its engine to a larger capacity of . This powerplant continued to be used in subsequent Arrow models.

Related models

The Super Minx formed part of Rootes’ badge-engineered portfolio. The Singer Vogue, introduced four months earlier in July 1961, shared its underlying platform. The range further expanded with the arrival of the Humber Sceptre in 1963, which replaced the Sunbeam Rapier as a four-door model but maintained a distinct Humber identity until it was succeeded by a Hillman Hunter-based model in 1967.

Positioned above Hillman’s offerings, the Singer Vogue included additional features such as quad headlights, while the Humber Sceptre occupied the top tier with luxury appointments and styling inspired by larger Humber vehicles. The Sceptre combined sporty characteristics with traditional Humber refinement, featuring servo-assisted brakes and front disc brakes measuring 10 inches from its introduction.

A Singer Vogue Series IV tested in August 1966 advertised , achieved a top speed of , and accelerated from 0- in 25 seconds. Priced at £911 including taxes within the UK market, it competed with vehicles like the £888 Austin 1800 and £925 Ford Corsair GT. The review highlighted its responsive performance and comfortable ride but noted fuel consumption levels and brake fading under strenuous conditions.

Initially equipped with a high-performance 1,592 cc engine fitted with twin Zenith carburettors, the Humber Sceptre switched to an oversquare 1,725 cc unit producing , paired with a Solex twin-choke carburettor from September 1965 for enhanced reliability. Its cabin featured comprehensive instrumentation including a tachometer reaching up to 6,000 rpm and a four-speed floor-mounted gearbox offering an optional self-cancelling overdrive on third and fourth gears.

Distinct from Hillman and Singer models, the Sceptre retained its panoramic windscreen along with wrap-around rear windows throughout its production run. Early versions lacked an automatic transmission option; however, Mark II models introduced this feature using a three-speed unit with automatic kick-down functionality at an attractive price point due to omission of Laycock De Normanville overdrive.

While there existed a Singer Gazelle variant based on the smaller Minx, no Humber counterpart was produced apart from New Zealand's Humber 80 (Minx) and Humber 90 (Super Minx). Conversely, Sunbeam offered a sporty Rapier version derived from the Minx but never developed one based on the Super Minx.

Rootes Australia assembled Super Minx derivatives as Humber Vogue and Humber Vogue Sports between 1963 and 1966.

At least six development mules for the Humber Sceptre were experimentally fitted with Ford’s 289 cui V8 engine sourced from the Sunbeam Tiger; these prototypes never reached production although one example survives today.

Replacement

The Super Minx saloon, along with its Singer derivatives, was replaced by the Rootes Arrow series when the Hillman Hunter and Singer Vogue debuted at the London Motor Show in October 1966. As the Hunter was initially offered exclusively as a saloon, production of the Super Minx estate model continued until April 1967.

External links

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