Hillman · 1961–1967

Hillman Super Minx

The Hillman Super Minx is a family car which was produced by Hillman from 1961 to 1967. It was a slightly larger version of the Hillman Minx, from the period when the long-running Minx nameplate was applied to the "Audax" series of designs. (The Minx underwent many changes throughout its history, and the Super Minx name was not used during production of non-Audax Minx designs.)

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Rootes Arrow

All Hillman Super Minx data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Mark I

Announced in October 1961, the Super Minx gave Rootes, and particularly its Hillman marque, an expanded presence in the upper reaches of the family car market. It has been suggested that the Super Minx design was originally intended to replace, and not merely to supplement, the standard Minx, but was found to be too big for that purpose. An estate car joined the range in May 1962, and a two-door convertible in June 1962. The convertible never sold in significant numbers: the last one was made in June 1964, ahead of the introduction, in September 1964, of the Super Minx Mark III. The car was powered by the Rootes 1,592 cc (97.1 cu in) unit, which had first appeared late in 1953 with a 1,390 cc (85 cu in) capacity. The original Super Minx had the cast-iron cylinder head version of the engine, though on later cars the cylinder head was replaced with an aluminium one. Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs with anti-roll bar and at the rear had leaf springs and a live axle. Un-assisted 9 in (229 mm) Lockheed drum brakes were fitted. The steering used a recirculating ball system and was as usual at the time not power assisted. Standard seating, trimmed in Vynide, used a bench type at the front with individual seats as an option. A heater was fitted but a radio remained optional. The car could be ordered in single colour or two tone paint. The four-speed manual transmission featured synchromesh on the top three ratios from the start and had a floor lever: "Smiths Easidrive" automatic transmission was option. A car was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1962 and had a top speed of 80.0 mph (128.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 21.6 seconds. A "touring" fuel consumption of 27.9 miles per imperial gallon (10.1 L/100 km; 23.2 m

Mark II

A year after the car was launched a Mark II version was presented, in October 1962, with greasing points eliminated, larger front disc brakes and a revised axle ratio. For buyers of the automatic transmission cars, 1962 was the year that the Smiths Easidrive option was replaced by the Borg-Warner 35 transmission.

Mark III

In 1964, with the launch of the Super Minx Mark III the Super Minx was facelifted, and the wrap-around rear window gave way to a new "six-light" design with a larger side windows aft of the rear side doors. The windscreen and side windows were also made taller and the roof-line flatter.

Mark IV

Engine capacity was increased to 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) for the Super Minx Mark IV launched at the London Motor Show in October 1965. (The larger engine outlived the Super Minx, to be used in later models too.)

Related models

Like many other Rootes products including the Minx, the Super Minx was one of a badge-engineered series of models, sold under various marques. The Singer marque was represented by the Singer Vogue which had been announced in July 1961, four months earlier than the Hillman Super Minx. The range was joined in 1963 by a Humber: the Humber Sceptre. The Singer Vogue and Humber Sceptre names would be retained by the successor Rootes Arrow model range. The Sceptre was developed as a four-door replacement for the Sunbeam Rapier, but was re-designated as a Humber shortly before launch, while the two-door Rapier based on the 'Audax' Minx continued unreplaced until 1967. The Sceptre nevertheless was able to be successfully promoted as a more sporty car than the larger traditional Humbers. Unlike the Hillman and Singer versions, the Super Minx-based Humber Sceptre retained the same roof, with large panoramic windscreen and shallow wrap-around rear window with fins, until the model was replaced, in the Humber's case in 1967, by a Hillman Hunter-based successor. The cars differed in subtle ways, with the Singer being positioned slightly above the Hillman and gaining such extras as quad headlights, and the Humber topping the range, commensurate with Humber's traditional role as a producer of upmarket and luxury models. The styling of the Sceptre (as well as the Vogue) somewhat recalled previous, larger Humbers. The Sceptre marks 1 and 1A had a slightly different grille arrangement and front trim to the Vogue as well as a taller panoramic windscreen, sloping rear roofline and larger rear fins. It had been intended that the Sceptre be a sports saloon until shortly before its launch as a Humber, hence its sprightly performance compared with other Humber models. Nearly five years after it

Replacement

The Super Minx saloon and its Singer variants were replaced by the Rootes Arrow range when the Hillman Hunter and Singer Vogue were launched at the London Motor Show in October 1966. However, the Hunter was initially offered only as a saloon and accordingly the Super Minx estate car remained in production until April 1967.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Hillman Super Minx
Manufacturer: Hillman (Rootes Group)
Production: 1961–1966 (saloon), 1962–1964 (convertible), 1962–1967 (estate)
Assembly: United Kingdom, Port Melbourne, Australia, Petone, New Zealand
Successor: Rootes Arrow
Body style: 4-door saloon, 5-door estate, 2-door Convertible
Engine: 1,592 cc I4 (1961–1965), 1,725 cc I4 (1965–1967)
Length: 165 in)
Width: 62.8 in
Height: 58 in
Kerb weight: 2239 lb (saloon), 2368 lb (estate)
Wheelbase: 101 in
aka: Humber 90 (New Zealand, South Africa)
Related: Singer Vogue, Humber Vogue (Australia), Humber Sceptre, Hillman Minx
Top speed: 129 km/h

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1986979CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman_Super_MinxCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1354294706 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MHV_Hillman_Minx_SeriesIII_01.jpgPublic domain · Photo: MartinHansV · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.