Vehicle Description
This 1959 Nash Metropolitan is a cool little car with an
international perigee. Despite its small size, it has a huge
enthusiast following the wonderful '50s style, in a compact
package, that's easy on the fuel as well as the eyes.
The Metropolitan had American design flair with its full chrome
front end and continental kit, but it's packed into a European
size. That's what makes these cars so cool today. A series III
model like this one is especially desirable because they finally
added chrome down the side, which also provided for a dividing line
to create a two-tone finish. This one carries its original Autumn
Yellow and Frost White colors, but it has been resprayed to make
this little guy shine his brightest.
The British-built Metropolitan is small, but the people at American
Motors knew they had to import something that was going to fit two
of their countrymen without a problem. The white vinyl bench is
roomier than the car's size suggests and the split back does a fine
job of keeping the driver, and passenger, comfortable. It looks
pristine and matches the white vinyl folding roof. The driver gets
one large main gauge pod dominated by a speedometer, but since the
car was sourced from Britain, it happens to be a Smiths readout. So
just imagine the looks on people's faces as you compare this Met to
Jaguars and Aston Martins.
The Metropolitan is an interesting Anglo-American hybrid built in
Europe, exclusively for the US-market by a US automaker. As a
result, it carries a 1489 cc inline-four, built by Austin in
England. It's a rugged little engine that delivers spirited
performance in the lightweight Metropolitan. This was a popular
motor in Europe, and so parts are still easy to find and
inexpensive. Like a good frugal European, the fuel mileage
generally hovers in the 30+ MPG range, making this a fantastic car
if you're on a budget but still like to get out and drive. The
three-speed manual transmission has light action, and with smart
gearing, it cruises at 60 MPH without complaint, and without being
buzzy on the highway. With a tight turning radius and nippy
handling, this American Nash feels like a proper European
import.
Whether you're a Nash enthusiast or just looking to have some fun
cruising the town strip, this little Met is sure to deliver loads
of fun, and surely draw the attention it deserves. Call today!!