1964 Vermillion Athena Special 138
1964 Vermillion Athena Special 138 Estate
1964 Vermillion Athena 276
The fourth generation of the Athena debuted in 1964, and like the Mk1 Athena (the first Vermillion ever), it brought several firsts to Vermillions history. First off, this compact sedan was the very first Vermillion to be built on a unibody, and, following the example of The 1961’s Best Sedan, was the first Vermillion to adopt the new radial tyre technology.
Not only that, it was the first Vermillion to be offered with an inline 4 engine. Inspired by the success of the Birmingham’s 4-banger three years earlier, the Vermillion Straight Four was derived from the RT V8, had 138 cubic inches of displacement, and a measly 91 hp, which was apparently deemed adequate.
The I4 was only offered with the base variant of the Athena (which was offered both as a sedan and a station wagon), the Special trim.
On the other end of the scale was the performance variant of the Athena, the 276. Powered by the proven V8 design, this time improved to develop 206 HP, it reached 62 mph in less than nine seconds and got the car up to 130 mph. Even though it was a sedan, it nevertheless is considered to be one of the precursors of the pony car.
There are also I6 versions in the lore, but those will have to wait until this body’s engine bay is fixed.