IN the 1950s badge engineering was spreading like a bushfire through the halls of BMC but one design that remained forever Morris was the Isis. This was a six-cylinder development of the Oxford series II but the Isis's 2.6 86bhp six-cylinder gave the design the wings it deserved. The Series I Isis was launched in 1955 as a replacement for the Morris Six and was a prime example of how modernism was sweeping through the halls of British car design. The dear old Six was very much 1940s inspired, although a very handsome car. But the Isis drove in with sweeping curves and a juke-box style radiator and everything was on course for a new era. The smooth engine was the same as that used in the Austin Westminster, but with a single carburettor which limited the Isis's capabilities somewhat. However, it was still a very refined set of wheels for its day and featured a four-speed gearbox with a column change and was available with an optional Borg-Warner overdrive unit. The was based on the four-cylinder Oxford Series II sharing its almost unibody-shell and torsion-beam front suspension. The bonnet was stretched to accept the larger engine, and a "woody" two-door estate version was introduced. With the Westminster's engine, the Isis could hit 90mph but struggled against rivals from Ford and Vauxhall, with just 8,500 being sold. With changes to the corresponding Oxford line, BMC redesigned the Isis for 1956 with a more elaborate mesh grille, chrome side strips and small fins which looked as though they would rather not be there. Power was upped to 90bhp and an automatic transmission option was also added. The column change was also abandoned in favour of a four-speed box operated by a short gearstick located on the right-hand side of the front seat.. But even the smart update did not do the trick because sales remained weak with the line ending in 1958. A deluxe saloon with overdrive tested by a British motoring magazine in 1956 could accelerate from 0-60mph in 17.6 seconds, returning a fuel consumption of 26.2mpg. But the car did seem to be very expensive for its day at £1025 including the £63 extra for the overdrive. When you bear in mind that years later in 1961 a powerful Vauxhall Cresta was cheaper at £1,014 then one of the reasons why the Isis lacked friends becomes obvious. | 
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