Donald Healey, who had previously worked with American car company Nash, introduced the Nash president to Leonard Lord of Austin. The result was an agreement to produce the Metropolitan in Birmingham using Austin components.

Introduced in the USA and Canada in 1954, the Metropolitan was a two-seater convertible or hardtop with the 1200cc engine from the Austin A40 car.

In 1956 the larger 1489cc B-series engine was fitted. In 1957 Austin obtained the licence to sell the car in Britain and other foreign markets not covered by Nash.

The car was never badged "Austin" and remained really only a novelty in this country. With the introduction of other competitors' compact cars, the last Metropolitan was last built in 1961.