The Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite was an affordable and distinctly-stylish open sports car produced by the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation and the Donald Healey Motor Company. The car is truly a sight to behold with its small body with no exterior door handles, bumpers, and windows and its unforgettable “bugeye” headlights.
In addition to its iconic style, the car also boasted an impressive handling performance that endeared it to the public and acclaimed vehicle publications, including Motor Trend and Road & Track.
Buckle in for a tour of this stunning and unforgettable sports car.
History of the Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite
In the early 1950s, various British auto manufacturers merged to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). One such producer was the Austin Motor Company, and after the merger, the chairman of Austin’s board, Leonard Lord, became president of the British Motor Corporation.
One issue with the merger was that the various auto manufacturers brought somewhat identical models to the table, so BMC sold similar vehicles with differing grilles, trims, and badges. Leonard Lord wanted a new car to construct and export to the United States, and he gained interest in the automotive designer Donald Healey.
In 1952, Healey unveiled his Healey 100 at the British International Motor Show, and the vehicle caught Lord’s attention with its impressive speed and two-seat roadster style. Additionally, Healey mostly used Austin parts to produce this fine sports car.
Lord and Healey formed a partnership with Healey in charge of developing new vehicles while the Austin division of BMC would be in charge of production and sales. The team developed high-selling vehicles in the mid-1950s, including the 100-4 and 100-6, which were body-on-frame, two-door roadsters with front engines and rear drives.
Although the Austin-Healey “Big Healeys” were successful, not everyone could afford these pricey vehicles, so the team got to work producing a car that would appeal to a broader market segment. They aimed to create an affordable and small sports car to sell in Europe and America, and their aim to make the car less expensive became the reason for the Sprite’s unusual and charming design.
In addition to offering affordability, the manufacturers also intended the car to be the natural successor of the Austin 7, an economy car that the Austin Motor Company produced from 1923 to 1939.
Construction of the Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprite
Donald Healey’s team got to work creating a small sports car with parts from existing Austin and Morris vehicles. Morris Motors was an auto manufacturer BMC absorbed in 1952.
Healey and his team used a unibody construction with front and rear bulkheads that came together at its sill sections. The team reinforced it by mounting body stiffeners and a central transmission tunnel on top of its floorpan.
The team equipped the vehicle with an engine from the Austin A35 — an Austin “A Series” I4 with 948 cubic centimeters with twin SU 1⅛ carburetors.
The car’s gearbox was a stock four-speed BMC unit. Its top three gears featured synchromesh, and it also came with innovative rack and pinion steering derived from the Morris Minor 1000.
Like with its engine, the Sprite’s suspension came from the Austin A35. It had a fully independent front suspension with coil springs and lever shock absorbers, and its rear suspension had a half-elliptic leaf spring live axle. Austin and Healey’s remarkable creation also featured a 12-volt Lucas “Prince of Darkness” electrical system.
When one pictures the Austin-Healey Sprite, the vehicle’s distinct headlights likely come to mind fairly quickly. The reason why these headlights came to be was that BMC wanted to cut down on costs. Healey’s original pop-up headlamp design was rejected to keep the vehicle at $1,795 USD, and instead, they equipped the car with its iconic headlights that remain fixed somewhat awkwardly just above its grille, making the car’s front look like a face.
For this reason, the car became known by its nickname “Bugeye” in the United States and “Frogeye” in the UK.
The Debut of the 1959 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite
Austin-Healey debuted the Sprite in Monte Carlo just two days after the Monaco Grand Prix. BMC also entered the car in the 1959 Alpine Rally and won in its class. The car went on to make its debut in the United States at the 12-hour Sebring race in Florida, where it also won in its class.
Although the Sprite didn’t offer especially impressive performance, its affordability and handling made it well-adored among motor enthusiasts. The car was rated at 36 horsepower, but with its twin SU 1⅛ carburetors, it could produce around 43 hp. It had a top speed of 85 miles per hour and could go from 0 to 60 mph in 20.5 seconds.
Over only three years, BMC produced 48,987 Sprites, with most of the car’s sales being the Mark II, the “Square Sprite” successor of the 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. BMC updated the car with new sheet metal, updated headlights that lessened its “bugeye” look, and an updated twin-car 0.9-liter engine.
In 1961, BMC unveiled the MG Midget, which was essentially a more expensive version of the Sprite sold through the MG marque. Austin-Healey continued producing the Sprite for two more generations until 1971, and MG continued producing the similar MG Midget until 1979.
Get the Best Insurance For Your Austin-Healey Sprite
Many classic Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprites are still available for purchase on used classic car sites.
If you have the good fortune of obtaining one of these distinct beauties, you need to procure premium classic car insurance. For affordable and customizable policies you can count on, contact Classic Auto Insurance. In addition to offering protective coverage and great benefits, our policies are based on agreed-upon value rather than stated value, meaning that we’ll work with you to determine your vehicle’s real value and will offer the full agreed-upon amount minus your deductible if you ever total your car.
To learn more about our excellent policies and coverage, call us at 888-901-1338.
