When the Hillman Imp was proudly made in Scotland

By The Newsroom
Published 30th Apr 2019, 13:34 BST
Updated 30th Apr 2019, 14:40 BST
Evening Dispatch Concours D'Elegance - Hillman Imp and Miss D Falconerplaceholder image
Evening Dispatch Concours D'Elegance - Hillman Imp and Miss D Falconer

The Hillman Imp rolled off the production line for the first time this week in 1963.

Coventry-based Rootes car manufacturers were given a handsome state subsidy to set up a plant at Linwood in Renfrewshire with the Hillman era becoming an essential chapter in Scotland’s industrial heritage.

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The Hillman Imp was the first car to be built in Scotland for 35 years and became a popular choice for drivers on home turf.placeholder image
The Hillman Imp was the first car to be built in Scotland for 35 years and became a popular choice for drivers on home turf.
Coventry-based car manufacturers Rootes received a substantial state subsidy to create its new plant in Linwood, Renfrewshire, in a bid to reverse the impact of deep industrial decline.placeholder image
Coventry-based car manufacturers Rootes received a substantial state subsidy to create its new plant in Linwood, Renfrewshire, in a bid to reverse the impact of deep industrial decline.
The factory employed 9,000 workers at its height, many who had come from the Clyde shipyards.placeholder image
The factory employed 9,000 workers at its height, many who had come from the Clyde shipyards.
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