matchboxpaul
Well-known member
1973 - the BIG design change is revealed!
MARCH
Having been late onto the front loader market, with a machine that was proportionally very wrong for what the modern fitted kitchen was dictating and which had the controls in the wrong place, Hotpoint engineers had been working away behind the scenes in the early 1970s on their new series of appliances.
Their new machines would be to the new compact size - even shorter than Hoover's machines, though taller than what Servis had to offer.
The cabinet would be of a strange, virtually unique design, with an all one piece wrap-around top and bodysides and removable front panel, to give full frontal access to the insides of the machine.
Round the back of the machine was a full cover back, though unfortunately made of plastic which over time would crack - definitely an area where costs were cut.
Stylewise, Hotpoint made the brave decision to go with a bold new colour scheme for their machines.
A standard bright white bodshell, with a silver fascia panel and white powder drawer front would be finished off with the addition of switches and a dial in various shades of lilac, mauve and purple.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the series would be the door, which featured a dark purple door bowl, with a thick chrome surround.
The official name of the colour scheme was 'Amethyst' and the series was officially christened 'LIBERATOR', reusing the name of the laundry products of the English Electric company which, along with Morphy Richards, had just been merged under the name of Hotpoint.
From that point BDA large appliances and vacuum cleaners would be branded Hotpoint, with small appliances being sold under the Morphy Richards brand. English Electric was to be consigned to the history books, though not permanently!
There would, for the first time ever in Hotpoint UK's history, be a tumble dryer too!
MARCH
Having been late onto the front loader market, with a machine that was proportionally very wrong for what the modern fitted kitchen was dictating and which had the controls in the wrong place, Hotpoint engineers had been working away behind the scenes in the early 1970s on their new series of appliances.
Their new machines would be to the new compact size - even shorter than Hoover's machines, though taller than what Servis had to offer.
The cabinet would be of a strange, virtually unique design, with an all one piece wrap-around top and bodysides and removable front panel, to give full frontal access to the insides of the machine.
Round the back of the machine was a full cover back, though unfortunately made of plastic which over time would crack - definitely an area where costs were cut.
Stylewise, Hotpoint made the brave decision to go with a bold new colour scheme for their machines.
A standard bright white bodshell, with a silver fascia panel and white powder drawer front would be finished off with the addition of switches and a dial in various shades of lilac, mauve and purple.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the series would be the door, which featured a dark purple door bowl, with a thick chrome surround.
The official name of the colour scheme was 'Amethyst' and the series was officially christened 'LIBERATOR', reusing the name of the laundry products of the English Electric company which, along with Morphy Richards, had just been merged under the name of Hotpoint.
From that point BDA large appliances and vacuum cleaners would be branded Hotpoint, with small appliances being sold under the Morphy Richards brand. English Electric was to be consigned to the history books, though not permanently!
There would, for the first time ever in Hotpoint UK's history, be a tumble dryer too!
