26/08/2026
In the 1920s, William Lyons and William Walmsley were making motorcycle sidecars under the name Swallow Sidecar Company. But Lyons spotted an opportunity: take an affordable little car like the Austin Seven and give it something it didn’t normally have — serious style.
The result was the Austin Seven Swallow. Underneath was the familiar Austin, but its elegant new body made it look far more expensive than it was. It proved there was an appetite for beautiful, aspirational cars at accessible prices, an idea that would help shape everything William Lyons did next.
Swallow went on to become SS Cars, and eventually, Jaguar Cars.
So this unassuming little Austin in our collection? It’s not just an Austin Seven. It’s a fascinating piece of the story that led to one of Britain’s most famous motoring names. 🇬🇧
Come and see the Austin Seven Swallow for yourself at Cotswold Motoring Museum and discover the stories hiding behind the cars you might otherwise walk straight past.
