Talbot Avenger

The last Rootes Group car to be developed after Chrysler took it over, the Hillman Avenger was built by Rootes 1970-1976. It would then be built by Chrysler Europe 1976-1981 and would known as the Chrysler Avenger, Talbot Avenger and Plymouth Cricket over different stages of its life post-Rootes.

The Avenger featured the popular at the time "Coke Bottle" styling waistline and semi-fastback rear-end. It was rather conventional mechanically, using a 4-cylinder all-iron overhead valve engine in 1250 or 1500 capacities driving a coil spring suspended live axle at the rear wheels. Unlike any previous Rootes design, there were no other "badge-engineered" Humber or Singer versions in the UK market as there had been previously.

The Avenger was immediately highly praised by the press for its good handling and overall competence on the road, and it was considered a significantly better car to drive than rivals like the Morris Marina. Chrysler wished for it to be a world car, selling it under the name Plymouth Cricket in the States but sadly the US showed a generally apathy to the car, complaining about rust and reliability plus being uninterested in a small car in general.