The Imp started life as a very tough youngster indeed. It had undergone years of severe and intensive testing, in snow and in tense heat and dust. It has been left out in blizzards, driven hard and non-stop on the Silverstone race-track, stood up to the notorious Belgian pave, and tested to destruction over the East African Safari Rally course. It lived for some time as an Ottawa commuter, being driven 15 miles to and from the city each day and left out at night in sub-zero temperatures.
For months before its announcement, teams of Rootes apprentices and pupils drove production-line models up and down between Glasgow and Coventry to test the cars' reactions to different handling and driving styles.
Garret Walker remembers
Ken Sharpe remembers
Alan Lane remembers
Matthew Lambert (March 16, 2008):
"Alan spoke of an Edward Vaughan - test driver - with some fond & funny memories."
"He says when they were driving the prototype around in '62/'63, when they pulled into the petrol stations, if people asked about the car they would say it's from Germany."
Tested and Proven (Rootes booklet; p. 14)
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