The ‘New’ Austin Twelve was introduced in September 1939, a matter of days before the outbreak of WWII. It was a four-door saloon, similar in appearance to the small Austin Eight and Ten models. It had a 1,535 cc 42 BHP side-valve engine’ (the postwar HS1 version of the HRB had its power reduced to 40 BHP, to cope with ‘Pool’ petrol, etc.)

As with some of the other cars, production ceased during WWII, and the model was re-introduced in 1945, though none of the pre-war panels fit the post-war car, apparently due to the body jigs having been lost or destroyed during the hostilities.

The post-war (H.S.1) Twelve shared the same body as the more powerful Sixteen, and was felt to be somewhat under-powered by comparison. Very few examples of the model (in either HRB  or HS1 form) now survive. Production ceased in 1947.