The A135 Princess first appeared alongside its smaller sister the Sheerline in 1947, its position being more of a flagship than a serious production model. Like the Sheerline, the Princess first used a different Austin model code for the first batch of cars, in this case it first appeared as the A120 but became the A135 after receiving the bigger, 3995cc engine.
Essentially the A135 Princess was a coachbuilt saloon or limousine version of the Sheerline offering similar styling and interior appointments. Some early cars used triple carbs to overcome the cars heavy weight, this tuning arrangement gave 135bhp which helped performance somewhat.
The A135 Princess stayed in production until 1956 in which time it had undergone many improvements and had passed through Mk I, Mk II and Mk III phases, including some long wheel base limousine versions. The model was eventually replaced by the new Princess IV in 1956 which sold as a Vanden Plas from 1957. Practical Classics June 2009 - Featuring Buyers Guide Austin Sheerline and Princess. Click Here to view in our shop.
