Austin Seven Launch Prices

It is possible to relate the launch price of Austin Sevens, built by the Austin Motor Co. Ltd at Longbridge,
and selected UK variants, with an equivalent price in 2015.
 If the current market value of your Seven is greater than the 2015 equivalent it has appreciated in value;
if the market value is less it has depreciated.

The many other variants manufactured by specialist coachbuilders, or under licence,
in UK, Europe, Australia and America are not included.

Model Type Date launched Price Notes 2015 equivalent of launch price
Tourer Type AC June 1924 £155 Reduced to £145 Sept 1926 £8454.98
Tourer Type AD Feb 1926 £145 Reduced to £135 Aug 1927 £7949.24
Saloon Type AD Apr 1926 £210 Made by Gordon England Ltd, Putney, London
Reduced to £195 May 1926; £170 Sept 1927; £160 Sept 1928		 £11512.70
Saloon Type R April 1926 £150 Reduced to £135 Sept 1928 £8223.36
2½ cwt Van Type AD June 1926 £170 Made by Thomas Startin, Birmingham
Reduced to £155 June 1927, £140 Aug 1927		 £9319.80
Fabric Saloon Type R Sept 1926 £150   £8223.46
Sunshine Saloon Jan 1928 £170 Made by Gordon England Ltd, Putney, London
Reduced to £165 in 1929.		 £9626.55
'Wembley' Saloon 1928 £160 Made by Gordon England Ltd. Wembley, London
Price as at Oct 1929		 £9060.29
Tourer Type AD Aug 1928 £145 Reduced to £130 Jan 1929 £8210.88
Saloon Type R Sept 1928 £166 Reduced to £136 in 1929 £9400.05
Saloon Type RK Sept 1928 £135 Plus £5 for optional factory fitted sliding roof £7644.62
Fabric Saloon Type RK Sept 1928 £150   £78494.02
Mulliner Fabric Saloon Sept 1928 £150 Made by Mulliners Ltd, Birmingham
Reduced to £140 in 1929		 £8494.02
Coupe Type B Oct 1928 £135 Increased to £140 Jan 1929 £7644.62
Tourer Type AE Sept 1929 £130   £7361.45
Saloon Type RK Oct 1929 £140 Plus £5 for optional factory fitted sliding roof £7927.75
Fabric Saloon Type RK Oct 1929 £140 Plus £5 for optional factory fitted sliding roof £7927.75
Two seat Tourer 1929 £130   £7361.45
Sports Two seat Tourer Type EA Feb 1930 £185 £225 with supercharger £10592.47
Saloon Type RL Mar 1930 £130 £135 with Pytchley  Sunshine Roof £7443.36
Fabric Saloon Type RG May 1930 £140 Reduced to £130 Sept 1930 + £5 for optional sliding roof £8015.93
Tourer Type AF June 1930 £118   £6756.28
Two seat Tourer June 1930 £130 Reducing in stages to £105 Oct 1932 £7443.36
Swallow Saloon Oct 1930 £187-10s Made by The Swallow Sidecar & Coachbuilding Co. Coventry.
Reduced to £165 Oct 1931		 £10735.61
Saloon Type RM Jan 1931 £130  £118 Sept 1931, plus £5 for sliding roof; £7657.78
Fabric Saloon Type RM Jan 1931 £130   £7657.78
Arrow Sports Foursome June 1931 £155 Made by Arrow Coachworks Ltd, Hanwell, London  
Saloon De-luxe Type RN Oct 1931 £128   £7539.96
Van Type RN Nov 1931 £110 Price in primer; plus £5 for choice of colour £6479.66
Tourere Type AH June 1932 £118   £7240.53
Tourer Type AJ Sept 1932 £110   £6749.64
Saloon Type RP Oct 1932 £115 De-luxe Model with sunshine roof £125.
Price increased by £3 for each model
Aug 1933		 £7056.44
Two seater Type PD Oct 1932 £105   £6442.84
5 cwt Van Type RP Dec 1932 £110 Price in primer; plus £5 for choice of colour £6749.64
Type 65 EB June 1933 £148 Increased to £152 Aug 1933 £9304.65
Sports 73/Speedy Type EK Jan 1934 £175   £11284.22
Nippy Type EB 1934 £142   £9156.34
Ruby Saloon De-luxe Type ARQ  Fixed head. July 1934 £120 Increased to £125 Aug 1935 £7737.75
Ruby Saloon Type ARQ
Fixed Head		 July 1934 £112 Increased to £118 Aug 1935 £7221.90
Open Road Tourer
Type AAK		 July 1934 £108 £6963.98
5 cwt Van Type AVH July 1934 £108   £6963.98
Military Tourer Type APD July 1934 Not known Supplied to the British Army
under various contracts		  
Pearl Cabriolet Type AC Aug 1934 £128   £8253.60
Opal Two seater
Type APE		 Aug 1934 £100 £112 10s Aug 1935; then £102 10s in 1936 £6448.13
Open Road Tourer
Type AAL		 July 1935 £102 10s £108 April 1939 £6609.33
Ruby Saloo De-luxe
Type ARR		 July 1936 £125   £8012.09
Ruby Fixed Head Saloon
Type ARR		 July 1936 £118 Increased to £122 April 1939 £7563.41
Opal Two Seater Tourer
Type APE		 July 1936 £102 10s   £6569.91
Pearl Cabriolet Type AC Jan 1937 £128   £8155.45
5 cwt Van Type AVK July 1937 £110 Price in primer £7008.59
Big Seven Sixlite Saloon
Type CRV		 July 1937 £165 Price for sliding head model; Fixed head £155.  Reduced to £149 10s and £145 £10512.88
Big Seven Forlite Saloon
Type CRW		 Mar 1938 £137 Price for fixed head model;
Sliding head model £139		 £8409.32
Ruby Saloon De-luxe Type ARR July 1938 £125   £7672.74
         


UK Average Annual Income

Information on average annual incomes in the UK pre-WW11 is a little hard to obtain but the following data offers some insight into the cost of a new Austin Seven relative to income.

Year Av Income / year 2015 equivalent
1930 £195 16s £11210.84
1931 £192 2s £11315.84
1932 £188 16s £11584.84
1933 £187 12s £11794.27
1934 £189 12s £12225.65
1935 £192 8s £12406.20
1936 £196 16s £12614.23
1937 £201 12s £12844.83
1938 £208 12s £12804.27
1939 £214 2s £12986.03
     



References:
Launch prices found from several sources including:
The Austin Seven Source Book by Brian Purves
Austin Motor Co Ltd price lists
Austin Motor Co Ltd advertisements in Motoring Magazines



The equivalent value in 2015 has been based upon the RPI and calculated using
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html




This article, written by Doug Castle, appeared in CA7C Seven Focus in September 2016 pp14-17.

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