That's right..60 MPG!!! The Bantam was the successor to the American Austin, built at Butler from 1930 to 1934. Both cars were small, fuel-efficient and attractive in design. Bantam branded its cars with names like 'Riviera' and 'Hollywood' in direct contradiction to its shoestring budget. Perhaps Bantam's most enduring achievement was the production of the first successful 'Jeep' for the U.S. Army in 1940. The huge military contract, however, went to Ford and Willys. Bantam ended car production in 1941.