Austin A40 Price Guide

The Austin A40 name covers two very different cars: the late-1940s Devon and Dorset saloons that were Austin’s first truly modern post-war designs, and the 1958–1967 Farina-styled hatchback that was one of the first production cars with a hatchback body.

Devon and Dorset (1947–1952)

The A40 Devon (four-door) and Dorset (two-door) used a 1,200cc overhead-valve four-cylinder producing 40bhp. Around 450,000 were built, making them enormously successful by Austin’s standards. The A40 Sports, a Jensen-bodied open-top version, is rare and desirable.

Farina (1958–1967)

The Pininfarina-styled A40 Farina was one of the first production cars to feature a hatchback rear, predating the concept’s mainstream adoption by over a decade. The 948cc and later 1,098cc A-series engines were shared with the A35 and other BMC products. The Countryman version with its side-hinged rear door offered genuine practicality.

Buying

The Devon and Dorset are charming post-war saloons with simple mechanicals. The Farina is the more practical and arguably more historically significant car. Both are well-served by the BMC parts network. Rust is the primary enemy of all variants.