The Hillman Minx is a classic car with a long and varied history. Produced by the Rootes Group under the Hillman marque, the Minx went through various phases during its near 40 years of production. Indeed, there have also been various alternative versions of the car which were marketed under numerous marques including Singer, Sunbeam and Humber.

The original Hillman Minx appeared in 1932 with a relatively conservative design. It featured a pressed-steel body that was attached to a separate chassis; the engine was a simple 1185 cc that produced a mere 30 bhp. Two years later the car was slightly upgraded to include a four-gear transmission in addition to styling modifications that included a defining V-shaped grill.

In 1936 however, a completely revamped version appeared that even received a new name -- the Minx Magnificent. The body was now considerably more rounded, the chassis stiffened and more passenger room was offered by shifting the engine further forward. In addition, the previously vertical rear panel became set at an angle. In 1938-9 two more modified versions appeared including a De Luxe model that featured leather trim and other comfort features and a modification of the Magnificent, which featured an entirely new, upgraded mechanical system.

While the Hillman Minx was produced during the Second World War it was only in the simple Utility load carrier form that every British manufacturer adopted during this period. In 1945 however, production proper began again with a model, now known as the Minx Mark I, that actually was very similar to the pre-war model. Mark II and III appeared in 1947 and 1948 respectively and both versions were considerably more modern in appearance than their predecessor. In particular, the protruding boot of the mark III was a significant change, although things remained pretty much the same under the bonnet.

1953 saw the introduction of the Hillman Minx Mark VI, otherwise known as the Minx Californian. Essentially the Californian was a hard-top, two door coupe that featured an unusual three-piece wrap-around style rear window assembly. A new 1390 cc engine was also installed in both the Mark III and the Mark VI.

From 1956 until 1967 the Minx was produced with a new Audax-designed body. This version actually went through several changes and the various models are referred to as the Series I through to the Series VI (although there was never a Series IV). The engine was also to change significantly with the introduction of overhead valves and an increase from 1390cc to 1725cc. An automatic transmission was also introduced.

Finally, in 1967 the final version of the Minx was produced which was essentially a stripped-down version of the Hillman Hunter. Both estate and saloon versions were available and the 1496cc 4-cylinder engine that produced 54 bhp was upgraded a year later to a 61 bhp, 1725cc engine. In 1970, production of the Minx ceased with a very similar looking Hunter De Luxe replacing it.