The UK doesn’t have a particularly deep history with rear-engined cars. Off the top of my head, let’s see, what do we have? The Trojan RE, the Heinkel Trojan, the DeLorean, and not a whole lot else, except for the UK’s most-famous ass-engined car, the Hillman Imp. I really like the Hillman Imp, as I think it’s a really cleverly-designed little car with a wonderful engine. But mostly I want to call attention to that incredibly sassy redhead in that Imp up there.
Is it possible to look at that expression and not think holy crap, that’s a hell of a lot of sass! I bet you can feel the radiant pressure of raw sass energy just beaming out of your monitor, pounding against your face, infusing your pores with weaponized sassium. It’s impressive as all hell.
Other Hillman Imp advertising sticks with a bold red Imp, but loses the bold redhead inside. Still, this image of six people gathering in fellowship around an Imp does show one of my favorite features, the opening rear window that gives access to the Imp’s rear luggage compartment, in addition to its front trunk.
But damn, that’s a sassy look.
Don’t forget the Bond 875 on the list of illustrious British rear engine cars
If Aqua Net is flammable, those two are living on the edge.
Well, thanks a BUNCH Jason. When I tried enlarging that photo, the SASS processor on my graphics board overheated and blew and took the Devil May Care shielding with it. Now I have the choice of going without sass and being open to any old Devil-may-care look out there, or getting a new graphics board with a more powerful SASS processor and upgraded DMC shielding. Pricey.
I had a Hillman Vogue, but would have much preferred an Imp..
Big Car did a pretty good video about this little fella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT8K26FnCs4
Jason, it’s understandable. As an art historian and not a lexicographer you glossed over the most obvious thing. The name Imp. There is no other and never will be another Imp name for a vehicle.
What a stupid name?!!! Why not call it the Hillman Urchin or Rapscallion?!!! This not a proper British motor vehicle for taking the children to grandmum’s house or anything else for that matter.
Definition of Imp: Noun: “A mischievous child” or “A small demon” Verb: “to graft a wing or equip with wings”
Synonyms: devil, hellion, mischief, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scamp, urchin
Wait…check that…there has been a Scamp and a Rogue. I stand corrected. Please accept my apologies.
There’s also been the Edge Devil kit car (and Devel Sixteen if you’d allow vapourware & spelling mistakes) , Hyundai HCD-10 Hellion concept, Citroen Saxo Mischief, and Bedford Rascal van; couldn’t find anything for Rapscallion or urchin, so maybe there’s a gap in the market there?
As the life partner of a sassy redhead, I both agree and endorse.
Seconded. Never know if they are going to kill you or bang you.
I typed that sentence and now many of my questionable car decisions are beginning to make more sense.
Imagine how much of a pain it was to white out the background of that photo in the days before Photoshop.
Probably shot it in front of a white backdrop with some super high power lighting. You can’t tell, but the guy in the suit already has heatstroke and is only standing through sheer English stiff-upper-lippedness.
She is serving Joan Holloway. We stan.
I assume this was before the Jaguar deal.
My father owned not one, but two, Hillman Minx(es?). Are you trying to say that if he bought an Imp that redhead would have come with it?
Hillman Exec: Were you successful in stealing the blueprints for the Corvair?
Spy: Yes. Well, no. Well, half of them.
Hillman Exec: (evil laugh) That will do. That will do.
I always loved how much it looked like the first gen Corvair, but cartoonish.
“…the opening rear window that gives access to the Imp’s rear luggage compartment, in addition to its front trunk.”
OK, now I’m impressed.
I kid, Jason, you probably wrote this at 2 a.m. I’m just feeling sassy this morning.
She’s got that Kathy Griffith thing goin’ on
IIRC, magazine articles of the time said that the original Imp engine was based on a Coventry Climax fire pump engine.
I actually own 3 firepump engines for my Lotus Eleven race car and I never knew that. Thank you for making me smarter.
https://www.imps4ever.info/tech/fw_imp.html