Sir Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin (1866-1941) was an English automobile designer and builder.

He worked for a time with the Wolseley Motor Company in Birmingham, England to build the first Wolseley cars (this in 1895).

In 1905 Austin resigned from Wolsely and embarked on a bicycle ride around the streets of Birmingham in search of a factory that could accommodate his idea for a new car manufacturer, he stumbled across an old print works in Longbridge (then a leafy suburb). The Austin car works at Longbridge were later to become one of the greatest car manufacturers in the world.

His landmark designs helped battle Germany in both world wars from fighter airoplanes to tank tracks built at his Longbridge works, he was also famous for the Austin Seven, Austin Mini (famous in the film, Italian Job) and the 12/4. He was knighted in 1917; in 1936 he was created Baron Austin, a title he held until his death in 1941.

External Links

• A brilliant insight into Austin Empire, from aeroplanes to jerry cans
• Austin tanks helped Russians in WWI
• Avro Lancaster built at Austin Works
• more Austin
• Wolseley cars
• Famous Austin Mini