What is Austin Motor Company?
{{Infobox Company | company_name = Austin Motor Company | company_logo = | company_type = | foundation = 1905, merged as lead partner with Morris 1952 | location = {{flagicon|UK}} Longbridge, [[Birmingham]], [[England]], [[UK]] | key_people = Herbert Austin, founder | industry = [[Automotive industry|Automotive]] | products = [[Car|Automobiles]] | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | parent = (British Motor Company, British Leyland, Austin Rover, Rover Group) Now Nanjing Motor Corporation | subsid = | homepage = | footnotes = }} '''Austin''' was a British car manufacturing company that began production in 1905. The company merged with Morris in 1952, becoming the lead partner in [[British Motor Corporation]]. This became British Leyland and then Rover Group. They began phasing the brand out in 1987; by 1989 all Rover Group cars had been cleared of Austin branding. The name has now passed into the ownership of Nanjing Motor Corporation, who have stated an interest in reviving it. [[1905]]-[[2003]] == History == === Independent Austin 1905-1952 === [[File:Austin and Mercedes showrooms, Long Acre, London 1.jpg|thumb|Austin Motors showroom, [[Long Acre]], London, circa 1910]] [[File:1926.Austin.Seven.saloon.jpg|thumb|right|A 1926 Austin Seven]] [[File:Austin A30 1954.jpg|thumb|right|A 1954 Austin A30]] [[File:63AustinCooperS.JPG|thumb|right|A 1963 Austin Mini]] [[File:Austin 1800 (ADO71).jpg|thumb|right|A 1974 Austin Princess]] [[File:Austin Metro Auto 1983.jpg|thumb|right|A 1983 Austin Metro]] [[File:Austin Maestro 1982.JPG|thumb|right|Austin Maestro]] [[File:Austin Montego gold 1984.jpg|thumb|right|Austin Montego]] The company was started in [[1905]] by Herbert Austin, originally making cars at a factory in Rotherham, [[Yorkshire]] before moving to Longbridge, [[Birmingham]]. In the [[First World War]] Austin made aircraft for the Army and Navy, it was this work which led to the rapid expansion of the company; following the war the company stopped making aircraft. The company became