When this Riley added an automatic option in 1961, it quietly became the first mass-produced car in Europe to use the Borg-Warner 35 — a transmission Borg-Warner had developed for the US a decade earlier.
Lead trim: 4/Seventy Two 1.6 B-Series twin-carb (1622 cc, 68 hp)
Riley 4/721961–1969
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Riley 4/72 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactWhen this Riley added an automatic option in 1961, it quietly became the first mass-produced car in Europe to use the Borg-Warner 35 — a transmission Borg-Warner had developed for the US a decade earlier.
Just before the 1961 Motor Show, in October, the Riley 4/Sixty Eight became the 4/Seventy-Two (14,151 made, 1961–1969; also the Riley 1500 in Argentina and the Riley Comet in Austria), closely related again to the 16/60 update of the Wolseley car. The engine was now 1.6 L (1,622 cc) and the Riley again got the twin-carburettor version with 68 hp (51 kW), with improved suspension with anti-roll bars; the wheelbase was 1 in (25.4 mm) longer through moving the back axle rearwards and the front track increased by 2 inches, changes made at the same time to all the BMC Farina cars. It was closely related to the Pininfarina-designed MG Magnette Mark III and Wolseley 15/60 and to the simpler Austin A55 Cambridge Mark II and Morris Oxford V pair, and was the most expensive car in that series. Its main competitor, appearing in 1963, was the Humber Sceptre from the Rootes Group, with an 85 hp engine, a 6-speed manual (four direct ratios plus overdrive on 3rd and 4th) or a 3-speed automatic (post 1965) and a more modern interior, which thoroughly outsold it. The Motor tested an automatic 4/72 in 1962 at 81.3 mph, 0–60 mph in 20.6 seconds and 26.5 mpg. It had no successor.
Collectors Spotted in the Riley 4/72 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Riley 4/72 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/Seventy Two 1.6 B-Series twin-carb (1622 cc, 68 hp) | 1961–1969 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 68 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
Rivals
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