1950s – a Classic
Healey by Caton is based upon an Austin-Healey 100/4 ‘BN1’ of the early 1950s; a design and era that hasn’t yet been touched by modernity. Caton hasn’t set out to improve the Austin-Healey 100/4, but to reincarnate Donald Healey’s 1952 design as if he lived in the modern-day; as if he knew what benefits technology would bring.
Austin-Healey started at The Cape Works in Warwick in 1952, six years after Donald Healey’s first design. It is here that Austin-Healey honed its craft and developed perfectly balanced British sportscars.
An affection was formed for the British marque by an international audience, with only ten per cent of Austin-Healey 100s built to be right-hand drive, the rest were for export. Their popularity made them firm favourites on the racetrack and rally stage, so much so that Healey by Caton can do little to improve on the suspension and handling set-up from the original 100/4.
Why reimagine a Healey?
The Austin-Healey marque has slipped through the net of modern workshops. It’s a beautiful and iconic shape and a brand synonymous with Britain and competition success. It’s done nothing but inspire people in the past and Caton has reimagined it for the present day.
The original Head Quarters of Austin-Healey, The Cape Works, is situated only ten miles south of Caton’s Coventry-based HQ and it is here that our main technical partner, J.M.E. Healeys is based.
An iconic car revised with leading-edge design and engineering creates a winning formula to revive something great. Healey by Caton is the design Donald Healey would have penned if he had today’s precision engineering technology at his fingertips.
