The Wolseley 4/44 was originally designed under the Nuffield Organisations control but by the time it was released in 1953 Wolseley was part of BMC. Much of the design was shared with the MG Magnette ZA which came out later in the same year. Unlike the MG, the 4/44 used the 1250 cc XPAW engine a version of the XPAG engine previously seen in the later MG T-type series of cars but detuned by only having a single carburettor. The power output was bhp (kW) at 4800 rpm. The four speed manual transmission had a column change. It was replaced in 1956 by the similar Wolseley 15/50.