AUTO HISTORY
Bill Vance revisits the Nash Metropolitan, a classy looking economy car that surfaced in 1949, grew quickly in sales when its 500-cc engine was replaced with a 1500cc version, before its sales crashed in the early 1960s.
Charles Nash was founder and president of Nash Motor Co. from its evolution out of the Thos B. Jeffery Co in 1917. He built it into a successful and respected company, but by 1936 at age 72 he was getting ready to retire. Seeking a successor he sought the advice of friend Walter Chrysler who gave George Mason, vicepresident of appliance maker Kelvinator Corp., a strong recommendation.
Nash approached Mason who was enthused with the idea of the auto industry but his interest came with a condition. He would join Nash, but only if it purchased Kelvinator. After considerable investigation the purchase was arranged and Mason became president of Nash.
The new president was a man of vision, and following the Second World War he believed there was a future for a smaller more economical American car. In 1949 the imaginative cigar chomping Mason commissioned construction of a tiny two-door experimental convertible based on Fiat 500 Topolino mechanicals with a 500 cc engine. Named the NXI, for Nash Experimental International, it toured the country in 1950 to test public opinion.
Encouraged by a favourable response, this was followed by a hard-top version, the NKI (NashKelvinator International). Reaction was positive enough to warrant production.
But Nash decided to abandon the Fiat mechanicals and its tiny engine in favour of English components. The Austin Motor Co. Ltd., Birmingham, England, agreed to provide engines and running gear and assemble the cars. Coachbuilder Fisher & Ludlow of Birmingham was commissioned to build the unit construction body, and the 2/3 passenger Nash Metropolitan was launched in March 1954 in hardtop and convertible forms.
The Metro had a frontmounted 1200-cc (73.2 cu in.) overhead valve, 42-horsepower, Austin A-40 four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels. While sounding feeble today, it was more powerful than the 30 horsepower of the popular Volkswagen Beetle.
To make North American drivers who were accustomed to three speed transmissions feel at home, first gear was eliminated in the Austin's four-speed gearbox. The gearshift lever grew out of the dashboard and the trunk was accessed by folding forward the small rear "seat" back. The Metro came well equipped because Mason didn't want it to be perceived as a stark economy car.
In spite of its diminutive 2,159 mm (85 in.) wheelbase and only 3,797 mm (149.5 in.) length, the Metropolitan was quite a stylish little car from its fake hood scoop to its "Continental" spare tire. It looked like a large Nash shrunk down to fit an Austin chassis. Unfortunately Nash's trademark all-enveloping fender skirts required a wide turning circle for such a small car.
But small as the Metro was, it still seemed to dwarf its tiny 5.20 x 13 tires (the lighter VW had 5.60 x 15s). Suspension was usual Nash practice: independent Aarms in front with high-mounted coil springs and rear solid axle with leaf springs.
The baby Nash's performance compared well with its competition. Road & Track (8/54) recorded zero to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 22.4 seconds for the 814 kg (1,795 lb) Metro, much faster than the VW's 39.2 seconds which it tested in the same issue.
Shortly after the arrival of the Metropolitan, Nash and Hudson Motor Car Co. amalgamated in 1954 to become American Motors Corp. so there were both Nash and Hudson Metropolitans until 1956 when it became just the Metropolitan,
Unfortunately George Mason died six months after the amalgamation, but his successor George Romney was also a small car disciple who carried on Mason’s legacy.
In 1956 the Metro got the Austin A50 1.5-litre (91 cu in.) engine with 52 horsepower for even better performance. It also replaced the single bar grille with a more elaborate mesh-type, and over the years other amenities such as a trunk lid and window vents were added.
The Metropolitan could be termed a moderate sales success, with first year Canada-U.S. sales over 13,000. Although it wouldn’t achieve the market penetration of the VW Beetle, it was a milestone of sorts by being the first really usable small car from an American manufacturer. It was offered from 1954 to 1962, with 1959 being the best year at 22,209 sales; total production was 94,986. In 1962 a mere 420 were sold.
While reasonably successful the Metropolitan suffered from the small car affliction of the day (except the VW): a low overall final drive ratio. This meant that while the Beetle's engine was revving at less than 3,000 rpm at 97 km/h (60 mph), a common cruising speed, the Metro’s was close to 4,000.
The Metro was an example of what could be achieved by wedding sturdy British components with contemporary American styling. Although the result was neither British nor American, it was viewed a “cute” and stylish enough to appeal to many buyers.