Nash Metropolitan Walkaround

Ages ago when I was attending the University of Washington, one of my fraternity brothers had a Nash Metropolitan, a very small car with tiny wheels.   I never drove it nor rode in it, so I have no personal basis for evaluating its automotive qualities.  But then, I'm here to discuss its styling.  I also did that around ten years ago in this post.

In brief, the Metropolitan was styled in America, but produced in England using Austin components including the motor.  The first link above indicates that Metropolitans were intended as secondary cars for two-car families -- a growing market segment in the prosperous, post- World War 2 United States.

Metropolitans were marketed model years 1954-1962.  Nearly 100,000 were sold in North America, and others were sold in Europe.

Images below of a 1955 Nash Metropolitan coupe are via Bring a Trailer Auctions.

Gallery

Front view.  Later facelifts featured a mesh grille.

Styling features came from the 1952 Nash playbook.  Those included the high-fender, low-hood configuration, the short wheel openings at the front, and pressed-metal ribbing on the door.

1952 Nash Statesman - Mecum Auctions photo
For reference.  Again, note the wheel openings, fender shape, side chrome strip, and that sculpting below the windows.

The Metropolitan version in side-view.

Tail lights are similar to those on big Nashes.

The backlight window is a three-segment affair.  In the USA by 1954, this could be done using one piece of glass, but perhaps not in England.  Or maybe this was more economical to produce.

The dashboard was pretty Spartan -- all metal, no vinyl or padding.
Designing attractive small cars is not as easy as designing large cars.  One approach is to avoid having the small car look like a shrunken large one.  I suppose the original VW Beetle might be an example, even though it was not professionally styled, as best I know.  Another example is the original Austin Mini.  The alternative is to produce a shrunken version of a large car.  Sometimes, these can look pretty odd.  The Metropolitan is that kind of design.  Yet, though it isn't beautiful, isn't even very attractive, it sort of "works" in a strange way.  Especially the early, pre-facelifted ones.