Miguel Sánchez
PHOTOS: UNAI ONA
If the rarity of a vehicle can be measured by its VIN… Imagine the importance of one bearing 00001. That is the case of Authi nº 1 that today we bring you to the pages of The Escudería. A vehicle so primitive that it even predates the Landaben factory itself. Origin of the current VW Navarra and previously the scene of the assembly lines of Automobiles de Turismo Hispano Ingleses SA
Founded in 1966, this company of Cantabrian origin and factory in Navarra produced until 1975 models for the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The first was this Morris 1100 marketed in Spain under the name Authi. And not only the first as a model ... But as a unit itself. Since this vehicle was the first of all those produced by the Spanish-British union.
Preserved for decades by a family very close to the origin of Authi, unit 00001 was presented in the museum of the VW Navarra after years of painstaking restoration. A happy ending for this story of recovery of our industrial heritage, which began back in 2005 verifying the origin of the unit thanks to Sergio Romagosa's insurance brokerage and Piel de Toro foreros.
AUTHI: VERY SPANISH BRITISH
Nueva Montaña Quijano was one of the steel companies in northern Spain. After being founded in 1899 with the participation of Banco de Santander its activity went through several phases until in the 50s it began to manufacture engines for the FASA of Valladolid. Already specialized in mechanical matters, its turnover is going from strength to strength until Grupo Fierro takes control of the factory dedicated to Renault licenses.
At the beginning of the 60s, his situation became critical. You have to look for new markets. For this reason it sets its objective in the manufacture under license of English passenger cars for the Spanish market. Thus, the Marquis of Huidobro -representative of Authi- gets a agreement with English motor giant British Leyland and its subsidiary British Motor Corporation.
Although the company was definitively formalized in November 1966 -after the assembly of our protagonist- Authi's activity began in 1963 with the development of the first prototypes. Obviously the differences are not great with respect to the English models, but testing the manufacture in Spain from plans arrived from the United Kingdom took some practice. And all this while the Navarre factory in Landaben.
DECADES IN THE FAMILY MARTÍN LANILLO, TESTER OF THE AUTHI Nº 1
After not a few inquiries It has been possible to reconstruct what happened in the months prior to the launch of the first series Authi. During the summer of 1966 at least three Morris 1100 units circulated through the Pyrenees in extensive test days. Most of its components were of British manufacture, so we cannot consider them Authi vehicles.
The first of the brand is this Morris 1100, which is related to the telegram issued on September 30, 1966 by the Marquis of Huidobro shortly before midnight. It gave part of the assembly of unit 00001. Tested by Martin Lanillo -who went from head of the mechanical team of Nueva Montaña Quijano to head of testers in Authi- this unit remained in his property and later in that of his family, which has kept Authi number 1 for decades.
According to the investigations carried out, this vehicle did not leave the powerful Landaben assembly lines - they had more than 1400 workers just at the beginning - but from a humble barrack in which the tests for the series manufacture of the Authi were centralized.
AUTHI 00001, YEARS OF RECOVERING A MORRIS 100
In June 1969 British Leyland acquired 51% of the shares of Nueva Montaña Quijano. Authi continued to operate but the truth is that penetration in the Spanish market was not as expected. Process that received the lace when in 1974 the Landaben factory suffered a serious fire. Since May 1975, Authi has simply dedicated itself to liquidating the cars in stock, while the INI has been working in favor of the factory being acquired by SEAT.
Thus Authi signed the end of its brief years of history, remaining with a brand appreciated among the most developed fans in the history of motor racing in Spain. It is because of that The recovery of unit 00001 is an achievement not only for fans and owners, but also for the preservation of the industrial legacy of our country.
After years of work, the result speaks for itself: an impeccable restoration with which this Authi MG 1100 from 4 cylinder y 59CV shines again in all its splendor. Good job! Now, to sleep the sleep of the righteous in the Landaben factory museum and go out to celebrate on special occasions 😉
If you have been wanting to know more about this story, we encourage you to click here.
