The Imp gained a reputation as a successful rally car when Rosemary Smith won the Tulip Rally in 1965. As well as the Hillman marque, there was a series of variations, including an estate car (the Husky), a van and a coupé. It was manufactured at the purpose-built Linwood plant in Scotland. This unorthodox small/light car was designed for the Rootes Group by Michael Parkes (who later became a Formula One driver) and Tim Fry. It incorporated many design features which were uncommon in cars until the late 1970s, such as a folding rear bench seat, automatic choke and gauges for temperature, voltage and oil pressure. The baulk-ring synchromesh unit for the transaxle compensated for the speeds of gear and shaft before engagement, from which the Mini had suffered during its early production years. It was the first mass-produced British car with the engine in the back and the first to use a diaphragm spring clutch. It used a unique opening rear hatch to allow luggage to be put into the back seat rest. Revealed on, after much advance publicity, it was the first British mass-produced car with the engine block and cylinder head cast in aluminium.īeing a direct competitor to the BMC's Mini, it used a space-saving rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout to allow as much luggage and passenger capacity as possible in both the rear and the front of the car. The Hillman Imp is a small economy car that was made by the Rootes Group and its successor Chrysler Europe from 1963 until 1976. 875 cc, 998 cc straight-4 overhead camshaft water-cooled aluminium block
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