Austin Motor Company is staging a comeback with a vehicle that looks like it rolled straight out of the early 20th century, though it runs on electricity, reported New Atlas.
The revived British brand has unveiled the Arrow Roadster, a compact two-seater with retro details like cycle fenders, leather bonnet straps, and boat-tail coachwork. At just over 145 inches long, the car is so small that "with a few friends, you could almost lift it into a garage," per New Atlas.
Electric vehicles like this help drivers save on fuel and routine maintenance, with no oil changes and no tailpipe pollution. They are also quieter, making city streets more pleasant.
Styled like a pre-World War I sports car, the Arrow is legally a quadricycle in the United Kingdom. It produces 20 horsepower and reaches 60 miles per hour in under eight seconds, though that figure is also its top speed. A 20-kilowatt-hour battery provides about 100 miles of range and can recharge in around three hours.
Charging at home is also far cheaper than public charging, often saving hundreds each year. Homeowners can get free, instant installation estimates for Level 2 chargers through Qmerit.
Inside, the car is stripped back with wood trim on the dashboard and steering wheel, toggle switches, and a simple three-gauge instrument cluster.
"It's electric. It's super nippy and handles like a true sports car," said Nigel Gordon-Stewart, chairman of Austin Motor Company, per New Atlas. "It's gorgeous, so stylish, extremely elegant, lots of fun, and it's a major head-turner!"
The company was originally founded 120 years ago, but faded away in 1989. It was revived in 2019 by engineer John Stubbs, with the Arrow Roadster officially revealed earlier this year.
The quirky car comes at a premium. With a price tag of £31,000 (about US$ 42,000), it competes with larger, mainstream electric cars such as the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Nissan LEAF, and Fiat 500e, all of which offer more practicality and higher performance.
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