SALES PITCH

Stalwarts of the mid-'70s rep scene, the Morris Marina, Hillman Hunter and Vauxhall Cavalier are becoming endearingly nostalgic

- ANDREW ROBERTS

The year is 1975 and a trio of commercial travellers is hoping for a lucrative potatocrisp order from a brewery near Reading. Each belongs to a firm whose fleet manager has opted for British Leyland, Chrysler UK or Vauxhall products rather than the ubiquitous Ford Cortina Mk3. So a Morris Marina 1.8 Super, a Hillman Hunter GLS and that new Vauxhall Cavalier 1900 GL gather in the courtyard.

Each of our test cars evokes the company world of the mid-1970s an existence of Rothmans, tinned travel sweets and motels with orange decor. Each morning the open road beckons with the promise of new opportunities, new hope and a glovebox filled with Luncheon Vouchers. The oldest design of our group is the Hillman, the Rootes Group having unveiled the Arrow-series Hunter, and its Singer Vogue counterpart, at the '66 London Motor Show. 'Chrysler UK' branding appeared four years later, and in the spring of 1972 the Hunter GLS appealed to those motorists who regarded a Cortina GXL as unspeakably naff.

The adverts claimed that the GLS would cut a dash from Stratford to Southampton - likely mesmerising customers of the A32's Little Chefen route. The significant sales feature was the Holbay-tuned 1725cc engine with twin Weber 40DCOES and suspension from the Sunbeam Rapier H120. The spec included a close-ratio gearbox, full instrumentation and a cabin decorated with wood veneer. Quad headlights from its Humber Sceptre stablemate and 'sports' wheels lent the Hillman a certain jauntiness, but, as CAR magazine noted, it was hardly likely to turn heads. Yet a low-key appearance suited many owners; this was a vehicle for the area manager, not a Flash Harry, and had no need for go-faster stripes.