Austin-Healey "Frogeye" Sprite 1961: charming English car with frog eyes (14 photos + 1 video)

Are you looking for a sporty British classic car? Then this Frogeye is the car for you! Austin Healey Sprite is truly beautiful convertible with which you can have fun.





Austin-Healey Sprite looks too frivolous, even sometimes comical to call it the sports car it is, definitely is. After all, vivid emotions can be received even if you have under the hood is a 42 horsepower motor that accelerates the “sports car” to 100 km/h in 20 seconds… Sprite found its client thanks to a very original appearance, compact size, modest weight (less than 700 kg) and low price. In America, where European cars, and in features British roadsters, much appreciated, Sprite cost about 1500 dollars, which was $ 1000 cheaper than competitors from MG and Triumph.



British racing driver, engineer and designer Donald Healy developed the Sprite commissioned by BMC President Leonard Lord, who was thinking about resurrecting pre-war Austin Seven roadsters. Europe recovered from shocks Second world war and the demand for small sports cars grew day by day, not to mention America. Economy was put at the forefront. the car had to be as cheap as possible. Nodes and assemblies were "pulled" in the BMC warehouse: 4-cylinder engine with a volume of 948 cubic centimeters, gearbox and suspension parts borrowed Austin A35, and steering - Morris Minor 1000. But the design - completely original, also born in economy. Originally headlights conceived as lifting, but there was not enough money for this ...









Thanks to the extremely unusual front end, in England the car was nicknamed "Frogeye" - "frog eye", and in America - "Bugeye" - "bug-eye". The British nickname is much nicer ... Interestingly, the hood is made a single piece with the front fenders and reclining provides excellent access for repairs. And since the lack of a roof deprived the body stiffness, trunk lid was not provided for at all - luggage can be was thrown out of the cabin. There were no door handles, as well as side ones. glasses. For the Americans, it was not a car, but an attraction of amazing of things!











The small and light Austin-Healey Sprite was heavily used by racers, both in the rally and in the ring, incl. and at the 24 hours of Le Mans! Some companies produced their own cars based on the running gear of the model Sprite, the best of which was the Innocenti 950 Spider - as one put it online enthusiast: "The Italians showed their British counterparts how make a silk handkerchief out of a pig's ear!

Innocent 950 Spider assembly, 1962







Pictured is a 1961 copy recently sold in the UK for £13,000