after BMC's Chairman, Leonard Lord, bought the design of the Austin based Healey 100 prototype Donald Healey's company showed at the October 1952 Earls Court Motor Show. Eventually the Austin 2.6-litre big four used in the 100 was superseded in BMC's range by the 6-cylinder 2.6-litre C-Series engine, so the car was substantially redesigned to take the new power unit; creating the Healey 100-Six of 1956. The iconic Healey 3000 was launched in 1959 when the 3-litre version of the C-Series was installed. The model then continued in production until 1968.