The 6/80's straight-six traced its design back to the Wolseley Viper V8, a WWI aero engine that powered the Bristol SE5a fighter. Scotland Yard loved the result; it became Britain's iconic 1950s police car.
Lead trim: 6/80 2.2 SOHC six (2215 cc, 72 hp)
Wolseley 6/801948–1954
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FactThe 6/80's straight-six traced its design back to the Wolseley Viper V8, a WWI aero engine that powered the Bristol SE5a fighter. Scotland Yard loved the result; it became Britain's iconic 1950s police car.
The Wolseley 6/80 was, with the 4/50, one of Wolseley Motors' first post-war automobiles, put into production in 1948 and based on the Morris Six MS (25,281 made, 1948–1954, at Morris's Cowley factory and at Victoria Park in Australia). It used a 2215 cc 72 hp straight-six with a single overhead camshaft, was 7 in longer than the 4/50 to accommodate it, and had larger brakes with 10 in drums against the 4/50's 9 in. Built in the traditional style Wolseley flagship buyers loved, with a pre-war style radiator, centre-hinged bonnet, split windscreen and a polished wood dashboard, it nonetheless had a monocoque chassis, springless torsion-bar suspension, twin telescopic shocks and column gears. It was used extensively by the police and became the longest-running favourite of police forces, recognised as the iconic period British police car. A 6/80 tested by The Motor in 1951 had a top speed of 85.3 mph and reached 0–60 mph in 21.4 seconds, and the test car cost £767 including taxes. It was replaced in 1954 by the Wolseley 6/90.
Collectors Spotted in the Wolseley 6/80 Lineage
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/80 2.2 SOHC six (2215 cc, 72 hp) | 1948–1954 | 2.2 L Inline-6 | 72 hp | — | 21.4 s | RWD | — | — |
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Rivals
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