Austerity Motoring 1939–1950

As Britain entered the Second World War in September 1939, so too it entered the bleakest period in the history of its motor car. The 1940s was a time of war, deprivation and austerity, and, for almost a decade, car development stood still. Wartime motorists faced petrol and tyre rationing, the hazards of the blackout and restricted areas, but they provided invaluable service to the community. Peace in 1945 brought further austerity measures and restrictions as the British economy was dominated by the need to export. Most new cars were sent abroad, petrol rationing continued and the black market thrived. The British public was eager for new cars, however, and the 1948 Motor Show marked a turning point; twenty-one new models were exhibited, including the Jaguar XK120 and the Morris Minor.