Austin was established in 1905 by Herbert Austin. He had built some of Britain’s first cars in his spare time in 1895, and marketing them through his first company, Wolseley. However, after falling out with fellow directors in 1905 Austin left Wolseley to set up his own brand. He bought a factory in the village of Longbridge in November 1905, and so began a long history with the area. The company expanded during the First World War by constructing armaments as well as trucks. Between the wars the company went bust but was restructured and saved. It flourished, helped by a change of focus to smaller cars, such as the Austin 7. In 1952, the company merged with Morris to form the British Motor Corporation Ltd. Huge sales followed in 1959 with the advent of the Mini. Thereafter began a long decline throughout the British Leyland years of the 1970s and 1980s. The Austin name is now owned by Chinese company SAIC Motor. At Haynes, we have an extensive range of Austin repair manuals and online procedures available for professional mechanics and DIY car enthusiasts alike. We can give you all the guidance you need.