01
Origins
The 4/44 of 1953 showed how good badge engineering could look when a single gifted engineer controlled it. Gerald Palmer — who also drew the MG Magnette with which it shared its handsome Italianate body — gave the 4/44 flowing lines, a well-located rear axle and rack-and-pinion steering, then trimmed it with the leather, timber and illuminated grille badge that Wolseley buyers expected. Power came from a mild 1.25-litre four of MG ancestry, so the car was serene rather than swift, which suited its clientele exactly. In 1956 it became the 15/50, gaining the BMC B-series engine. The 4/44 era marks the last time Wolseley felt like a marque with its own engineering personality rather than a trim level; within a decade the badge would mean a grille and little more.
Wolseley 4/44 · Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0
