Rootes Australia was the Australian affiliate of the Rootes Group, a British motor vehicle manufacturing company.The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 413
The company was formed immediately after the Second World War initially operating as an importing and distribution firm.The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 216 In 1946, it began assembling Hillman Minx vehicles at Port Melbourne, Victoria.Pedr Davis, Wheels Across Australia, 1987, page 208 This was the first instance of a British motor manufacturer establishing a production line in Australia.Shaun Birney, A Nation on Wheels, 1987, page 187Rootes Group at Motoring Weekly (UK) By 1954, the company had gained a 5.4% share of the local market and subsequently announced plans to create a full local manufacturing facility. A 35-hectare site was acquired for this purpose at Harrisfield (now known as Noble Park), near Dandenong in Victoria. However, the proposed plant was never built.
Hillman, Humber and Singer models were assembled successfully for a number of years. The company also produced models which were hybrids of the three makes. By the mid-1960s, falling sales and an ageing model line-up meant the Rootes Group was in trouble both in Britain and Australia.Shaun Birney, A Nation on Wheels, 1987, page 188
In December 1965, Rootes Australia was merged with Chrysler Australia. Assembly operations were continued at the Port Melbourne facility Gavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946-1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 428 and Hillman cars, Humber cars and Commer trucks were now sold by Chrysler dealers. Chrysler was quick to phase out the Humber brand,Gavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946-1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 280 however assembly of the Hillman Arrow and Hunter range was commenced in early 1967. Chrysler Australia also utilised Port Melbourne for assembly of the Dodge Phoenix from 1968 and Mitsubishi's Galant from 1971. The last Hillman Hunter was produced in November 1972,Gavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946-1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 282 and, with Dodge Phoenix and Galant assembly transferred to Tonsley Park in South Australia at the end of 1972, the Port Melbourne facility was closed.
Vehicles produced Significant models produced by Rootes Australia included the following:
Hillman Minx - assembled from 1946. Humber Super Snipe - assembled from 1953.The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 226 Sunbeam Mk III - assembled circa 1955 Advertisement for Sunbeam Mk III and Alpine "Produced in the factory of Rootes Australia Limited", Modern Motor, March 1955, page 34 Sunbeam Alpine - assembled circa 1955 Humber Hawk – assembled to 1964 Australian Humber History Retrieved from web.archive.org on 23 January 2009 Singer Gazelle - assembled from 1957 to 1961.The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 436 Hillman Super MinxGavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946-1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 365 Humber Vogue - assembled from 1962 to 1965. Hillman Imp - from 1964Gavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946-1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 273
References
External links http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/BV_ADLbrochure01a.htm Hillman Minx Series IIIC Special (1962)sales brochure - Retrieved on 21/6/08 https://www.webcitation.org/5knp1zFjy?url=http://www.geocities.com/tazydevilbear/hmhumbervogue.html Humber Vogue Mk2 image - Retrieved on 21/6/2008 http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/RootesFactory.htm Rootes Australia Factory - Retrieved on 22/6/08 http://www.sunbeam.org.au