British car design was different to European design because it developed largely in isolation from other design influences. The British car industry thrived until the late 1950s, with so many different manufacturers that they numbered more than all the European makers combined. With healthy sales into the British colonies, Britain could afford to design for itself and not compare with foreign trends. However, by the late 1930s there was increasing interest in America and companies like Austin and Morris were adding 'transatlantic' flourishes to their designs. After the Second World War Morris and Standard plagiarised American designs, whilst Ford and Vauxhall produced scaled down versions of its American products. Rootes employed an American design company to get 'transatlantic' style.