The Wolseley 6/99 and 6/110
In 1959, the Wolseley 6/99 arrived as a replacement for the 6/90.
Ever since the mid 1930s, Wolseleys had been based on Nuffield designs but were more upmarket and better equipped. The 6/99 was, however, based on the Austin A99, which itself was a replacement for the Austin A95/A105 Westminster. There was no Morris (or for that matter, Riley or MG) equivalent for the Wolseley 6/99.
The 6/99 had independent coil spring front suspension, front and rear anti roll bars, Lockheed front disc brakes and was of unitary construction. The manual transmission was a new BMC developed Porsche-type three speed gearbox with synchromesh on all forward gears and was fitted with Borg-Warner overdrive on second and top as standard. Automatic transmission was an option as was “Normalair” air-conditioning.
The C-series engine was uprated to 2912cc, taking top speed near to 100mph. The gear-change was on the steering column for both manual and automatic transmission cars.
The Wolseley was assembled at Cowley, as was the Vanden Plas (although the latter car was trimmed at the Vanden Plas works), while the Austin was built at Longbridge. Austin production was later moved to Cowley. The Wolseley cost £106 more than the Austin did. For the extra money, you got a Wolseley grille, flanked by auxiliary lamps, distinctive colour schemes, a walnut veneer facia and a generally more up market interior. There were central armrests for front and rear occupants.
The Wolseley 6/110 replaced the 6/99 in 1961. The 6/110 Mark I was identical in appearance to the 6/99 but there were mechanical improvements. The engine had a higher compression ratio and, because of this and other changes, developed more horsepower. Camshaft lift was increased from the .22086in (5.607mm) of the 6/99 to .25in (.635mm) for the 6/110, and there were changes in distributor and valve timing. The 6/110 Mark I rear suspension was fitted with lever shock absorbers (as in the 6/99) and a transverse anti-sway hydraulic damper. There were also changes to the rear leaf springs: the 6/99 had eight leaves but the 110 Mark I had 11 leaves. Options available included automatic transmission, “Normalair” air-conditioning and, a few months after the car's release, power steering. The gear change for manual cars was now on the floor and the wheelbase was two inches longer, giving more room for the passengers.
The last update for the model came in 1964 with the introduction of the 6/110 Mark II. The Mark II was a more luxurious car, gave a smoother ride and had better braking and updated transmission. The gearbox was now a four speed with central floor mounted gear change and no standard overdrive, although Borg-Warner overdrive was optional as was the latest automatic Borg-Warner Type 35 transmission. “Normalair” air conditioning was also an option. The rear suspension was now fitted with telescopic shock absorbers, which also controlled lateral sway and the rear brakes were now self-adjusting. The front brakes had thicker discs and updated Lockheed callipers.
The only external difference was the fitting of 13-inch wheels instead of 14-inch, slightly different wheel trim and a Mark II badge at the rear. The rear leaf springs now had seven leaves. The dashboard was revised and now highly polished, with the switches being relocated to a central position, and labelled by small windows that lit up. Heater controls were sliding levers instead of rotating knobs, and the clock was in font of the driver. The front seats were fully reclining and had folding picnic tables fitted into their backs.
Production of the 6/110 MK II ceased in March 1968.
The engines of these cars were produced with either high or low compression, depending on the country they were being shipped to. The compression ratios for 6/99, A99 & Princess Mk 1 were 8.23:1 (high) and 7.20:1 (low) and for the 6/110, A110 and Princess Mk 11 were 8.3:1 and 7.3:1.
Specifications of the Wolseley 6/99
Specifications of the Wolseley 6/110 Mark I
Specifications of the Wolseley 6/110 Mark II