Austin Maxi
Five doors, five gears and a double bed inside.
The story
The Maxi was years ahead in its layout: a family hatchback with front-wheel drive and a five-speed gearbox when rivals had four doors, a boot and four gears. A vague gearchange and dull looks held it back.
Inside
Vast for its length. The front seats recline flat to meet the rear seat and make a bed.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
To save money it used the doors from the bigger Austin 1800.
Meanwhile, in 1969
Men walked on the Moon, and Concorde made its first flight.
Best-selling single of 1969: Sugar, Sugar by The Archies
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.