Slightly longer because of the new bootlid superimposed on its fastback tail and narrower having shed its running boards it also managed to be 112 pounds (51 kg) lighter than the prewar car.

[3] The engine, from the Hillman 14 but uprated almost ten per cent to an output of 56 bhp, was shared with Sunbeam Talbot's 90s.

It drove the Hawk's live rear axle through a four-speed gearbox with centrally located floor change.

As with the Hillman the four-door body was mounted on a separate chassis and was of the six-light design (three windows on each side) with a sunshine roof as standard.

The engine was given a new water jacket, the petrol tank received a breather to prevent air-locks and provision was made for a car-radio and retracting aerial.

The Mark III Hawk was a completely new car and was first shown at the London Motor Show in October 1948, but it still retained the earlier engine (side-valves, 1944 cc, 56 bhp at 3800 rpm) and transmission albeit with new rubber mountings.

[6] In the early spring of 1951[7] the Mark IV version arrived with a larger, 2267 cc engine incorporating, as before, an aluminium cylinder head[8] and with a 58 instead of 56 bhp output.

[13] The motoring correspondent of The Times claimed that any previous Hawk owner would be "astonished" by the Mark VI's 20 per cent more powerful engine's ability to effortlessly swing the car along at 70 mph.

The brake lining area is now 40 per cent more than on the Mark V. The driver's windscreen wiper is badly located.

[12] A new Hawk announced in May 1957[13] had a completely new body with unitary construction which it would go on to share with the 1958 Humber Super Snipe.

The 2267 cc engine was carried over, though with modifications to the distributor mounting, and other details; and an automatic transmission, the Borg Warner D.G.

[15] In March 1967 Rootes announced that production of the Humber Hawk, along with that of the Super Snipe and Imperial had ceased.

[17] The announcement stated that the cars' place in their range would be filled by Chrysler Valiants imported from Australia.

[17] After Hawk production ended, Rootes came to concentrate on sectors offering greater volume, no longer featuring as a UK provider of large family cars.