Princess Special Six Automatic

The Princess Special Six Automatic was launched in desperation in March 1978 after the manual gearbox 2200’s developed a healthy appetite for drive shafts. The problem became so epidemic that Leyland was forced to remove manual gearbox versions from sale while they tried to sort it out.  Launching the Special Six Automatic enabled Austin-Morris to fill the showrooms and give dealers something to sell as well as using up the stock of HLS seats that were building up at Cowley as there were no cars being built to put them into.

 

Based on the 2200HL, the Special Six Automatic received some trim upgrades from the HLS version as follows: - 

 

• HLS seats available in all colours.

• Rear passenger courtesy lights.

• Wood dashboard insert.

• HLS wheel trims and bright rim embellishers.

• Standard black paintwork.

• Unique silver coachlines and badging.

• Full length Webasto sunroof.

• Limited to a production run of 1200 cars.

 

Remounting the 2200 engine, which effectively reduced the angle at which the drive shafts were rotating, rectified the premature wear problem in the manual 2200 versions and were reintroduced with the Princess 2 in July 1978.