The famous Vanguard was introduced in late 1947 in UK - the first new post war design. It was an instant success, selling in large numbers throughout the world. By 1952 a quarter of a million had been sold. In Australia they were an immediate hit, renown for their reliability and durability. They were a far superior car to the primitive Holdens. The Vanguard shone in the 1953 to 55 Redex Trials in Australia where it was a multiple class winner and declared the best overall performing car at the end of '55.
By the mid '50's in Australia, 55% of all commercial vehicles were Vanguard based. In 1956 the Vanguard became the official car for the '56 Olympic Games in Melbourne!
AMI went into 24 hour production in late '58 to keep up with demand for the new look Phase III Vanguard Vignale. In provincial centres, like Broken Hill, Vanguards were selling one-on-one with Holden. The Vanguard - a middle class car (and more expensive than the Holden ), was never meant to compete with Holden - a cheap car designed for the masses. Sales of the Vanguard paid for the tooling of the Triumh TR range, which largely had Vanguard components. The versatility of the Vanguard engine saw it used in tractors and sports cars!
In 1996, following a survey throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, the Vanguard was named in the top 20 of best cars ever made.
The Vanguard has a legion of fans throughout Australia and information on the four Vanguard clubs can be obtained by emailling us. The first Vanguard car club was established in Melbourne in 1973 and by 1983 had 500 members - the second largest single-make car club in Victoria. |