50’s Nostalgia – The Nash Metropolitan

The Nash Metropolitan was unique in the 50’s.  It was a small American car that was designed and sold in the US but built in England.  It was unspeakably cute.  Most people didn’t regard it as a serious car but it had credible sales during the 50’s.  Nash, like other small car makers at the time was struggling and merged with Hudson to form American Motors.  Now 50 years later, the Metropolitan is called the first Smart car.  It wasn’t cheap at $1,500 in 1954 but it was unique.  It originally sold under the Nash nameplate.  After the merger, it was also sold as a Hudson and late in it’s production, it sold in Europe as an Austin.  Famous owners of the Metropolitan include Jimmy Buffet, Paul Newman and Princess Margaret.