The A40 number was re-used on a smaller car (the Austin A40 Farina) from 1958 to 1968, and the Cambridge name had previously been used to designate one of the available body styles on the pre-war 10 hp range.

The Austin Cambridge was initially offered only with a four-passenger, four-door saloon body, although a few pre-production two-door models were also made.

[citation needed] It had a modern body design with integrated wings and a full-width grille.

Independent suspension was provided at the front by coil springs and wishbones while a live axle with anti-roll bar was retained at the rear.

It sold better and remained in production through to 1957 with 114,867 A50s being produced[4] The deluxe version had a heater, leather seat facings, carpets replacing the standard rubber matting, armrests on the doors, twin-tone horns, a passenger sun visor, and some extra chrome, including overriders.

[8] Technical advances in the A50 Cambridge included an optional Borg-Warner overdrive unit for the top three (of four) gears.

A semi-automatic transmission (branded "manumatic" and providing pedal-free clutch operation) was also offered, but it was unpopular with buyers.

A number of modifications were introduced in October 1956, including smaller 13 in (330 mm) wheels and an increased compression ratio (8.3:1).

The car was also lowered by fitting 13 in (330 mm) road wheels which were smaller than those on the A50 but the overall gearing remained the same by changing the rear axle ratio.

[12] In October 1962, new models were introduced with a restyled front end and bumper, chrome side mouldings, 14" wheels, and various interior refinements.

The interior had individual leather trimmed seats in front spaced closely together to allow a central passenger to be carried.

The gear change was either on the column or floor-mounted and the handbrake lever between the driver's seat and the door.

Other improvements highlighted at the time included an enlarged luggage compartment with counterbalanced lid and increased elbow width on both front and rear seats.

The engineering of the car was conventional with coil sprung independent front suspension and a live axle at the rear with semi elliptic leaf springs.

The A55 Mk II entered production in Australia in 1959 with a 1,622 cc version of the B Series four-cylinder engine as the Austin A60.

[21] The A60 was replaced in 1962 by a revised model powered by a six-cylinder 2,433 cc B-series Blue Streak engine.

[22] Modified styling included side chrome stripes – some models with contrasting colour infills – and reduced fins on the rear wings.

Austin A60 saloons assembled in Ireland by Brittain Smith of Portobello, Dublin 2 were identifiable by the use of Morris Oxford series VI tail-lights.