RARER THAN RARE – WOLSELEY 18/85S MK. II

The 60th anniversary of the BMC 1800 ‘Landcrab’ will soon be upon us and https://cherishedclassiccars.com/sales is currently selling one of the most desirable members of the range. When new, the Wolseley 18/85S was virtually unique—a transverse engine front-wheel-drive sporting saloon with a cabin that resembled a barrister’s chambers.

The origins of the 18/85S are slightly complex. The Wolseley 18/85 Mk.I made its bow in March 1967, after the Austin in 1964 and the Morris in 1966. The British Motor Corporation made considerable efforts to distinguish the Landcrab flagship from its stablemates, with revised taillights, a walnut-veneered fascia with circular dials and, of course, the famous radiator grille with the illuminated ‘Ghost Light’.

The 18/85 was also the first Landcrab with power-assisted steering, a development many drivers greatly welcomed. The brochure claimed, with a certain amount of pride: “Since the early days of motoring the Wolseley has always been regarded as a car of fine quality”. By then, many owners had long believed the 1800 family could benefit from more power.

In response, the 1800S debuted in autumn 1968, and corporate politics dictated it was initially sold as a Morris. £1,056 5s - £57 10s more than the standard 1800 – gained the keen owner a Landcrab with a high-compression cylinder head created by Downton Engineering, twin SU carburettors, larger disc brakes, and a revised inlet manifold.

1969 marked the launch of the Austin 1800S, and, at last, the Wolseley 18/85S for £1,323. The recently formed British Leyland Motor Corporation boasted it was “the kind of car that manages to stay young without losing any of the good old-fashioned creature comforts”. If anything, this undersold the 18/85S as it had no direct rivals in the UK, as the Ford Corsair 2000E, Rover P6, Triumph 2000 and Vauxhall Ventora FD were all rear-wheel-drive.

In late 1969 an affluent motorist in need of five-seater FWD transport would have probably regarded the Citroën ID19 or the Renault 16TS as Wolseley alternatives. A test with these splendid French cars and the 18/85S would make for fascinating reading. Dealers also found the Wolseley in-house solid competition to the Austin 3-Litre. In addition, the 18/85S took the role of the Riley-badged Landcrab that BMC decided against manufacturing.

Sales of the Wolseley 18/85S ended in 1972 with the launch of the third-generation Landcrab, and they are now a very rare sight indeed, with only six believed to remain on the road. The example being sold by Cherished Classics is a reminder of the design Alec Issigon is regarded as his favourite. It is also one of the fascinating products created by the British Motor Corporation.

With thanks to Cherished Classics for their time and permission to use the

images in this blog.