08149EW 1/18 scale Austin Healey 3000 (English White) KYOSHO ORIGINAL

America’s love affair with British sports cars included Jaguar, Triumph and Aston Martin, exported in the 1950s and 1960s, but the Austin Healey was its true sweetheart. The beautiful tail drop style was a distinctive feature from the model 100 which was first produced in 1952 through to the 3000MkIII produced in 1968. Engine displacement increased in 1959 from 2.6ℓ to 3ℓ, hence the model name changed to 3000, commonly referred to as Big Healey. Overall length and height of the body are almost identical to the 1st generation Mazda Roaster and the vehicle weight was slightly more than 1t. Powered by the 3ℓ inline 6-cylinder engine, cutting-edge technology for the day such as disc brakes produced total balance of running, turning and stopping for a definitive high-performance sports car. However, the Healey’s competitive price made it even more appealing. Active in motor sports, the early model competed in traffic racing and achieved success in rally competition from the middle stage of its life. Performance updates in the 3000MkII (132ps) in 1961 and again in 1963 with the 3000mkIII (150ps) captivated sports car enthusiasts to its final production in 1968.

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