The most important cars of 1948 | Axon's Automotive Anorak

They were being replaced with new, modern full-width coachwork, with many British-built new models being aimed at lucrative dollar-earning export markets, such as the USA and the remainder of the Commonwealth. In this vital ‘export or die’ era, 66 per cent of the 330,000 new cars built in Britain in 1948 were exported, but imports into the UK amounted to just 221 cars in total.

As well as the original launch of motor racing at Goodwood 75 years ago – the UK’s first public post-war motor racing event, held on 18 September – 1948 also saw the introduction of a wealth of new production motor cars, many of which have since disappeared into obscurity and have long been forgotten. These include the technically ambitious Invicta Black Prince, the short-lived Healey Sportsman 2.4 and dreary Lea Francis 14/40 18HP saloon. Other British motoring debutants from 1948 included the Austin A70 Hampshire and A90 Atlantic 52, daring Alvis TB14, Connaught L-Series, Daimler DB18, Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica, Lagonda 2.5-litre, sporting Riley RMC/RMD and the unremarkable Vauxhall LIX Wyvern/LIP Velox.

Most of these models only enjoyed limited success and a short lifespan of around five years or so. Of greater note and importance though 75 years ago were the first of the advanced Bristol ‘Aerodyne’ models – the 401-403 – which remained in production for seven years. Various new offerings of the Rootes Group joined them, such as the Hillman Minx Phase III 49, VIIIA 57, Humber Hawk III V1A and Sunbeam-Talbot 80/90/MK IIIS, all of which were produced for nine years. There was the first Bond Minicar three-wheeler too, updated derivatives of which remained in production for almost 20 years.

With the exception of the tiny Bond Minicar, most of these other new 1948 models had quite short production lifespans. Especially in comparison to the other more significant new game-changing British cars also first launched 75 years ago, such as the real stars of the now legendary October 1948 London Motor Show at Earls Court, the first British Show to be held since 1939.

Stealing that show in the glamour stakes was the soft-top Jaguar XK, first unveiled as the sporting two-seater XK120. Stylish Coupe and Drop Head models were later added to the XK120 range, up until this model was ultimately replaced by the livelier XK140, which ran from 1952-57. 1957 saw the introduction of the final XK derivative, the more powerful XK150, this model running until 1961, when it was superseded but the infamous Jaguar E-Type/XK-E. In total Jaguar produced 12,061 XKs over the models’ lengthy 13 year life span. This desirable Coventry cat shared the limelight at the ’48 Earls Court Motor Show with another very important (but rather more humble) British Motor car; the Morris Minor.

Affectionately named the ‘Moggie Minor’, this rounded Alec Issigonis family car was built in the UK for 23 years, with the last Minor Traveller (estate) and light commercial versions lasting until 1971. Such was the popularity of the Morris overseas, production of the Moggie continued in New Zealand right up until 1976, to give a 28 year career. The original 1948 Morris Minor was known as the MM, this model, with its low headlights and split windscreen lasting until 1953. Between 1952-56, the Series II Minor continued, giving way to the more powerful Minor 1000 in 1956, powered by a BMC Austin A30 948cc A-Series engine.

In 1962, this motor grew to 1098cc to see the Minor then unchanged until production ceased in 1971, to be replaced by the rather unloved Marina. It is worth noting that the Minor MM shared the Morris display stand at the 48’ Earls Court Show with a pair of other brand new Morris models, both much shorter lived with a more ‘regular’ life span of seven years; the motor industry norm at the time. These were the new Morris Oxford MO and Six, which both shared the Minor’s rotund ‘family look’ styling but in enlarged form, as did the Nuffield Group’s costlier badge-engineered Wolseley 4/50 and 6/80 derivatives, also launched at the same Show.

Another British star car of 1948 was the Land Rover. This tough off-roader eventually became a British institution. Conceived by the Rover Motor Company as nothing more than a stopgap to help keep its factories busy, it has gone on to break records worldwide and become the definitive go-anywhere four-wheel-drive brand, known and recognised all over the globe.

To be named the Land Rover and taking inspiration from the WWII Willys Jeep, this robust and versatile vehicle was given the go-ahead by Rover’s board in late 1947 as a stopgap product while the company grappled with steel supply issues to restart ‘regular’ car production. Rover planned to sell just 50 Land Rovers a week as a sideline, eventually concentrating again on building its ‘mainstream’ Rover cars. But demand for this exceptional vehicle was so strong, it became the profitable bedrock of Rover’s business. In continuous production in various updated forms for an amazing 62 years, it’s earned its place as the longest-lived British vehicle. Late-build 2016 Land Rover Defenders already enjoy a cult following, being much sought, as testified by their appreciating values. A Land Rover derivative even continues to be built today in Iran, using a Nissan-sourced engine.

Whilst Great Britain had the vast global monopoly on new car launches in 1948, around the world a few other significant new cars were also seen for the first time 75 years ago. These included the American Tucker 48, a revolutionary rear boxer-engined safety sedan that was allegedly closed down in a conspiracy by the Detroit ‘Big Three’ car company rivals due to this advanced model posing such a threat to their own traditional vehicles.

One of these rivals, General Motors with its top-draw Cadillac brand, introduced the first of its Harley Earl-styled Series 62 models. Notable for pioneering the use of kick-up rear winger/fender ‘fins’, they set a trend that Cadillac in particular went on to exploit in the extreme with its extravagant 1959 models. In 1948 General Motors also introduced Australia’s first true production motor car, the Holden H.

Closer to home in Continental Europe, just across the Channel, Peugeot introduced its mid-size 203 family saloon, which proved very popular and remained in production for 12 years, up until 1960. Peugeot’s former arch-rival – but later PSA/Stellantis partner – Citroen, finally revealed its legendary 2CV; a pleasingly simple but cleverly engineered basic utility vehicle, originally conceived pre-war in the late 1930s to satisfy a large untapped French rural (farmers, etc.) market.

Following its bombed ’48 Paris Salon debut full 2CV production got into full swing during 1949, with its waiting lists initially running into years for this exceptional vehicle. Production ultimately ran for 42 years, with the last examples being built in Portugal in 1990 (French production ending in 1988). Over its long 42-year career, the 2CV spawned a wide family of spin-off derivatives, such as the Citroen Ami, Dyane Mehari, AK van, Acadian and Bijou, with around 6.8million examples built the world over, including the UK (Slough), Belgium, Spain, South America and Africa. From 1948-54 the 2CV was fitted with a burst-proof 375cc air-cooled motor, this growing to 425cc in 1954 and a whopping 602cc from 1962-90.

Other significant new European names and models from 75 years ago included the first production (but short-lived) Ferrari road cars; the Touring-bodied 166 Inter and MM (of which just 46 were made); kickstarting the illustrious Maranello marque’s career.

The other great European sporting automotive legacy of Porsche also first appeared with its own eponymous model in 1948; the 356. Initial built with alloy coachwork in Austria using standard Volkswagen Beetle running gear as its base, production of the rear-engined Porsche 356 soon moved to Germany, with the slippery but anaemic ‘bar of soap’ coupe quickly gaining much-needed power hikes, and a loyal following in the process, especially in the USA.

Produced for a long 17 years in various forms, with 77,786 examples made, the air-cooled Porsche 356 began life with a feeble 1,131cc VW flat-four motor, this growing to 1,286cc and ultimately 1,488cc with the 356A and Carrera from 55-59, the B from 1959-63 and final 356C from 63-65, with much-remaining stock being sold during 1966, for those that couldn’t quite stretch to the costlier new Porsche 911 successor.

These five important 1948 debutants (the British trio of Jaguar, Morris Minor and Land Rover, plus the overseas cult 2CV and Porsche pairing) totalled an impressive 149 years of production in total. That’s an average of 32.4 years of worldwide production per model. That’s an impressive feat for some 75-year-olds, with many cherished classic examples still in regular use today. Just like Goodwood’s motorsport events, hopefully, they will still have many healthy years of motoring ahead of them too.