161-706: The Austin Maestro is a five-door hatchback small family car (and two-door van derivative) that was produced from November 1982 to 1986 by British Leyland , and from 1986 until December 1994 by Rover Group , as a replacement for the Austin Maxi and Austin Allegro , with the van version replacing the corresponding van derivative of the Morris Ital . The car was produced at Morris' former Oxford plant , also known as Cowley , with 605,000 units sold. Today,
322-516: A "sporty" interior with red seat belts, red carpets and a sports-style steering wheel. Early Turbo models also benefitted from a boost pressure gauge: in pre-84 models this was an in-dash LED gauge, relocating to an LCD gauge mounted in an overhead console for early Mk. 2 facelift models (with the boost gauge subsequently being deleted from production in post-85 models). The Turbo also received alloy wheels, wheel arch extensions and front spoiler, and prominent "Turbo" branding. While it retained rear drums,
483-470: A 'Countryman' version of the Austin A40 Farina two‑box economy car in 1959. Just like its A30 and A35 Countryman predecessors, it was a very small estate car — but instead of regular, sideways opening rear doors, it had a horizontally split tailgate, having a top-hinged upper door and bottom-hinged lower door. The 1959 A40 Countryman differed from the 1958 A40 Farina saloon, in that
644-591: A 16-valve engine was available in the GTi (early variants are 95 bhp (71 kW) SPi while the later MPi version has 103 bhp) and the early GTa. All models used end-on gearboxes designed jointly by Rover and Peugeot . In 1992, a 1.4 PSA TUD diesel from the Citroën AX and Peugeot 106 was launched; this was the first time the Metro had been available with a diesel engine. At the same time an automatic version
805-469: A 5-door hatchback or a 5-door station wagon. Often the hatchback and the sedan shared the same wheelbase and the same overall length, and the full rear overhang length of a conventional sedan trunk was retained on the five-door hatchback version of the car. The 1989-2000 Citroën XM and second-generation Skoda Superb (2008-2015) are cars that blur the line between hatchbacks and sedans. They feature an innovative "Twindoor" trunk lid. It can be opened like in
966-455: A 5-door more horizontal hatch, for which the term Liftback was used. Saab called similar body style of their cars combi coupé , starting from 1974. The first production hatchback was made by Citroën in 1938: the (11CV) "Commerciale" version of their 1934–1957 Citroën Traction Avant series. The initial target market was tradesmen who needed to carry bulky objects, like butchers, bakers, vintners, and grocers. Before World War II ,
1127-461: A batch of 621 Maestro cars and vans in CKD kit form. These had been stored at Cowley, Oxfordshire , since their production in mid-1996, when they became surplus to requirements. The company built up the cars and converted the majority of them to RHD form using up Rover's supply of parts. The National Database for Motoring Insurance has records of models registered between "R" and "51" number plates, meaning
1288-605: A bonded laminated windscreen , homofocal headlamps , body-coloured plastic bumpers , an electronic engine management system , adjustable front seat belt upper anchorage positions, an asymmetrically split rear seat, and a 12,000-mile (19,300 km) service interval. Another noteworthy point of interest at the time was the 'white lamp' indicators, rather than the traditional orange; the norm today. The MG and Vanden Plas versions had solid-state instrumentation with digital speedometer and vacuum fluorescent analogue displays for tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges, trip computer and
1449-425: A choice of 998cc (1.0 litre) or 1275cc (1.3-litre) petrol engines. The 1.0 and 1.0L cars, and the van that came out later, had recessed headlamps with indicators and sidelights in the bumper, whereas the 1.0HLE, 1.3S, and 1.3HLS had headlight and indicator as one unit, which was flush-fitting. The name was chosen by a ballot of BL employees. They were offered a choice of three names, "Match", "Maestro" or "Metro". Once
1610-661: A cruise ship, the MS Vistafjord . This launch event took place over a three-week period in September 1980 sailing between West Gladstone Dock in Liverpool and the Isle of Man, where guests could drive the car, so long as sea conditions allowed them to land by tender as there was no dock facility for the ship. The news broke in the national newspapers a full year ahead of the public launch with The Sun , among others, carrying
1771-604: A five-speed gearbox on larger-engine models. The Austin Metro was a huge seller in Britain, with more than 1 million being sold over a 10-year production run. The Mk. 3 Ford Escort (1980–1986) was the only model to outsell it in Britain throughout the 1980s, and by December 1989 only the Mk. 3 Ford Escort was a more common model on British roads. However, the first three generations of Ford Fiesta combined outnumbered it by this stage. It remained on sale in automatic-only form alongside
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#17328011078191932-511: A flexible seating arrangement which gave the option of forming a double bed. Created by the same designer as BMC's Mini, sir Alec Issigonis – accountants had determined that the car had to use the same set of doors as the Austin / Morris 1800 , but would be marketed below it in the model range, so needed a shorter rear body. A curtailed rear end with a big hatch resulted. The Austin Maxi operated in
2093-521: A full model line-up, completed by a station wagon, as well as panel van versions. Also in 1967, Citroën released the Dyane , a redesigned 2CV with a large rear hatch, to compete with the Renault 4. The Simca was closely followed by Mini's larger stablemate, the Austin Maxi . Counting the rear hatch made it a five-door saloon. It featured a transverse-mounted SOHC engine , a five-speed transmission, and
2254-515: A high risk of injury to all body regions for the driver. Meanwhile, the side impact test also showed high injury risks. The Rover 100's dismal safety showing was not its only problem by 1997. It was fast falling behind the best cars in its sector when it came to design, build quality, refinement and specification, although it remained strong in terms of fuel economy and affordability. Unlike the Ford Fiesta , Volkswagen Polo and Vauxhall Corsa ,
2415-514: A highly respectable third, behind two Lancia Delta S4s . This good start was unfortunately not repeated, and although a 6R4 was entered in rallies at Monte Carlo , Sweden, Portugal and Corsica during the 1986 season, none of the Metros managed to complete a course. The majority of these problems were related to the V6 powerplant which suffered teething issues. Halfway during the 1986 season, Group B
2576-714: A joint venture with a Bulgarian company to produce Maestros at a new factory in Varna , using CKD kits sent from the UK. Production began in July 1995 and 2,200 cars were assembled before the factory closed in April 1996. The venture failed because of competition from other cars and the Bulgarian government's failure to honour agreements to reduce tariffs on imported parts and buy thousands of Maestros for government departments. Around 1,700 of
2737-694: A multi-piece construction, and gained a reputation for being flimsy and prone to squeaks and rattles, so in February 1986, this was replaced with the more conventional dashboard from the Montego and in the change the voice synthesis unit (prone to reliability issues) was dropped. At the same time more minor equipment upgrades were made across the range. The City X gained door bins and rear wash-wipe. The L and LE gained tweed trim. The HL and automatic gained velour trim and additional brightwork. The Vanden Plas gained leather trim and uprated electronic stereo system. BL
2898-465: A new rounded instrument binnacle and instruments (although the 1984 dashboard moulding remained), new steering wheel, new seats (from the successful Rover 200 series), new door casings and other detail improvements. General build quality, fit and finish was improved enormously from the old Metro and went on to win What Car? "Car of The Year" in 1991. In many export markets, including Italy and France,
3059-624: A new, specially constructed factory in Qingdao , China. The QE6400 used the hatchback bodyshell of the Maestro, but the frontal styling of the Montego, while the QE6440 was a panel van variant. Both cars used Toyota engines and transmissions. In 2003, Etsong exited the car-making business and sold the Lubao factory to First Automobile Works , one of China's biggest car-makers. FAW continued to market
3220-566: A particularly long top gear), while the MG's closer ratio five-speed box derived from that of the Golf GTi. A trip computer with a voice synthesizer was standard on the MG and Vanden Plas models, with the Vanden Plas also benefitting from bronze-tinted windows, power locks, and power windows for the front doors. The car was a reasonable success, but not as much as beleaguered BL had hoped. It
3381-404: A raised fuel filler, this also coincided with the cars being able to run on unleaded petrol due to hardened exhaust valve seats, three years before EEC regulations made it compulsory for all new cars to have a catalytic converter or fuel injection. A rear spoiler reduced drag coefficient to increase the Metro's already good fuel economy, and the hydraulic clutch (often berated as the cause of
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#17328011078193542-433: A rear door (often called a tailgate in the case of an estate/wagon) that is hinged at roof level, similar to hatchbacks. Liftback cars are similar to hatchbacks from a functional perspective in having a tailgate hinged from the roof, but differ from hatchbacks from a styling perspective in having more of a sloped roofline. The term " fastback " may sometimes also be used by manufacturers to market liftback cars. A fastback
3703-545: A recorded output of over 410 bhp (306 kW; 416 PS) At its launch in 1985, Rover announced that it would complete the necessary number of cars required for homologation by November of that year. This was undertaken at the group's large manufacturing facility at Longbridge . The car was to participate in the Lombard RAC rally in November 1985, and an example, driven by works driver Tony Pond , finished
3864-524: A replacement for the Metro, it was not marketed as such after its launch. The Rover 100 finally ceased production in 1998, being outlived (by three years) by the original Mini that it was meant to replace. 2,078,218 Metros of all types were built. Plans for a replacement for the Mini had been afoot within BL since the early 1970s, but none of the concepts conceived got beyond the initial design stages, largely due to
4025-550: A result, the hatch is lifted more upwards than backward, to open. The term was first used by Toyota in 1973, to describe the Toyota Celica Liftback GT. Toyota called the new body style a Liftback, signifying that it was a three-door hatchback rather than a two-door coupe. With its sloping fastback roofline, the Celica Liftback was, if anything, even less habitable for rear-seat passengers than
4186-460: A saloon version, this niche being filled by the Mini remaining in production; also because only a few of the Metro's competitors were available as a saloon. BL's last all-new mass-produced car before the Metro's launch was the 1976 Rover SD1 . One of the consequences was that there was enormous public interest in the car from well before its launch. The company chose to stage the launch presentations for dealers and major company car buyers on board
4347-463: A sedan, using the hinges located below the rear glass; or together with the rear glass, like in a hatchback, using the hinges at the roof. Audi and BMW introduced hatchbacks in 2009, but marketed them as "Sportback" (Audi) or "Gran Turismo"/"Gran Coupe" (BMW). In the 2010s hatchback versions became available on luxury cars such as the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo , Porsche Panamera , and Audi A7 while
4508-517: A semi-monocoque seam-welded tubular chassis. The development of this vehicle had been entrusted to Williams Grand Prix Engineering . The resulting car was shown to the world in May 1985. It was powered by a David Wood designed bespoke 3-litre V6 powerplant which used some of the engine architecture of the Cosworth DFV . It featured twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. The engine
4669-470: A shortage of funds at British Leyland, and its eventual bankruptcy and government bailout in 1975. The modern supermini market had evolved during the 1970s, with earlier small cars like the Mini and Hillman Imp being followed mostly by cars of a two-box hatchback configuration, beginning with the Fiat 127 in 1971 and Renault 5 in 1972, with the next five years seeing the arrival of similar cars including
4830-458: A two-piece tailgate as per the first Citroën 11CV Commerciale. The Vagabond and Traveler models also had folding rear seats and a shared volume for the passengers and cargo. The design was neither fully a sedan nor a station wagon, but the folding rear seat provided for a large, 8-foot (2.4 m) long interior cargo area. These Kaiser-Frazer models have been described as "America's First Hatchback". The British Motor Corporation (BMC) launched
4991-587: A variety of optional extras such as trip computer , leather trim, remote boot release, and front fog lamps. The changes between the MG engine (taken directly from the Mini Cooper) and the standard 1275 included a modified cylinder head , with larger valves and improved porting, altered cam profile and larger carburettor leading to a 20% increase in BHP to 72 bhp. At the October 1982 Birmingham Motor Show
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5152-671: A voice synthesis warning and information system. The analogue instrument pod fitted to lower models was later used in the Range Rover from 1985 onwards. The Maestro was launched in March 1983. In its summing up of the new car the Consumers' Association , in the June edition of its Which? journal, described it as roomy, comfortable, and nice to drive, and said "If you are considering buying one now, our advice, based on our first impressions,
5313-519: Is a broad automotive term used to describe the styling of the rear of a car in having a single slope from the roof to the rear bumper . Some hatchbacks are notchback three box designs , bearing a resemblance to sedans/saloons from a styling perspective, but being closer to hatchbacks in functionality by having a tailgate hinged from the roof. This is featured on cars such as the 1951 Kaiser-Frazer Vagabond, Simca 1100 , Mazda 6 GG1 , and Opel Vectra C . As such, notchbacks are not fastbacks, as
5474-557: Is a perfectly suitable substitute, but it had yet to become available on forecourts when the cars were current. In 1997, three years after production of the Maestro ended in the UK, the Chinese tobacco company Etsong acquired the tooling and intellectual property rights to the car. In 2001, the company placed it back into production in two variants; the Etsong Lubao QE6400 Ruby and Etsong Lubao QE6440 Laird, built in
5635-425: Is hinged at roof level (as opposed to the boot/trunk lid of a saloon/sedan , which is hinged below the rear window). Most hatchbacks use a two-box design body style, where the cargo area ( trunk/boot ) and passenger areas are a single volume. The rear seats can often be folded down to increase the available cargo area. Hatchbacks may have a removable rigid parcel shelf, or flexible roll-up tonneau cover to cover
5796-417: Is safe to push from when moving the vehicle, so as not to damage the bodywork. The 6R4 appeared in two guises. There was a so-called Clubman model which was the road going version which developed in the region of 250 bhp (186 kW), of which around 200 were made and sold to the public for £40,000 (the homologation version). A further 20 were taken and built to International specifications which had
5957-687: Is the Mini-Camper Kit for the AMC Hornet, a low-priced canvas tent that converted an open hatchback into a camping compartment with room for sleeping. The "Mini-Camper" was a weatherproof covering that fitted over the roof section from the B-pillar back to the rear bumper that was easy to set up. Ford Motor Company 's first hatchback was the Ford Pinto Runabout, introduced in 1971. The Pinto-based 1974-1978 Ford Mustang II
6118-441: Is to go ahead". In January 1984, after testing the car, they concluded: "In comparison with opposition of a similar price and body size, the Maestro has a clear advantage on room for passengers, with few cars equalling it for comfort either in the front or back". They also considered it to be a serious rival to the higher-segment Vauxhall Cavalier and Ford Sierra , apart from its smaller boot space. The original lineup consisted of
6279-528: The A-Plus , while the new car would feature 12-inch wheels, and all LC8s would have servo-assisted four-piston front disc brakes with fully split hydraulic systems, as opposed to the entry-level, standard Mini which at the time still had 10-inch wheels and drum brakes all-round. These new drivetrains, wheels, brakes and many other featured developed for the LC8 would be introduced on the Mini not long afterwards, updating
6440-633: The AMC Gremlin . Although the Gremlin has the appearance of a hatchback, it is frequently called a Kammback coupe instead, with only its rear window being an upwards opening hatch, that gives access to the rear cargo space. The Gremlin was based on the AMC Hornet , but its abrupt hatchback rear end cut the car's overall length from 179 to 161 inches (4,500 to 4,100 mm). AMC added a hatchback version to its larger compact-sized Hornet line for
6601-590: The Austin Maestro ). The ADO88 project had experimented with new engines and suspension systems, but, with limited time and budgets, LC8 would reuse much of the Mini's engineering (the A-Series engine , front-wheel drive via a sump-mounted four-speed transmission, front and rear running gear carried in steel subframes separate from the unitary bodyshell) and borrow the Hydragas suspension system developed for
Austin Maestro - Misplaced Pages Continue
6762-713: The Ford Escort and Sierra outsold it. This was despite the arrival of a host of new superminis on the British market that year – the Ford Fiesta received a major facelift, and four all-new superminis (the Vauxhall Nova , Fiat Uno , Nissan Micra and Peugeot 205 ) went on sale in Britain between April and September. A major TV advertising campaign was created by the London agency, Leo Burnett which came up with
6923-756: The Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo , as well as the Vauxhall Chevette from General Motors (known in West Germany as the Opel Kadett ) which was also available as a saloon and estate in addition to the hatchback. These cars gained a decent-sized market share in Britain and most other European markets. On 8 October 1980, BL introduced the Austin Mini Metro. The roots of the Metro lay in an earlier project denoted as ADO88 ( A malgamated D rawing O ffice, 88 -inch wheelbase), which
7084-664: The Golf GTI and Escort XR3i . It had a claimed output of 115 bhp (86 kW), a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of 8.5 seconds. It was also mated with a Honda PG1 gearbox for improved gearchange, in preference to the Volkswagen box as supplied to the rest of the range. With the Rover Group only a few months away, the limited edition (500 + 5 press cars) MG Maestro Turbo (displayed at Birmingham in October 1988 and launched in early 1989)
7245-686: The MINI . The gap left by the Metro as a city car was not filled until late 2003, when the Rover CityRover was launched – it was a 1.4 engined city car built in India alongside the Tata Indica . This model was nowhere near as popular as the Metro or the Rover 100. The 100 was not included in the revived product range by Nanjing Automobile following MG Rover 's bankruptcy in 2005. Created for
7406-774: The Mini . Coupled to the A- and R-series powerplants was an end-on transmission (as pioneered by Fiat with the Autobianchi Primula ), bought from Volkswagen . The sophisticated Hydragas suspension system used on previous BL models was sacrificed on cost grounds, with a conventional MacPherson strut system at the front and a Volkswagen Golf -style torsion beam at the rear being used instead – but with long travel rising rate springs. While easier to build, this suspension did compromise load space. Prototypes were even tested with actual Golf suspension components. This may have led to
7567-841: The Princess and Morris Marina . Since all but the Allegro were made at the Cowley plant, this rationalization would give the cost benefits of production automation and flexibility. This common platform was given the project name LC10, using the Leyland Cars project sequence (LC8 became the Austin Mini Metro on its launch in 1980, LC9 became the Triumph Acclaim when it was launched in 1981). Preliminary design work for LC10 began in 1977, with production scheduled to begin around 1980 – which would have seen it go on sale around
7728-455: The Range Rover and the Rover SD1 ), where the main dashboard moulding consisted of a shelf onto which the instrument binnacle was simply mounted on the left or the right hand side: this arrangement saves the tooling cost of two separate dashboard mouldings for right and left-hand drive models. Initially, the Metro was sold as a three-door hatchback only (as were most of its competitors), with
7889-580: The Renault 4 as a moderately upscale alternative to the Citroën 2CV . The Renault 4 was the first million-selling, mass-produced, compact two-box car with a steeply raked rear side, opened by a large, one-piece, lift-gate hatch. During its production life cycle, Renault marketed the R4 calling it a small station wagon , just like Austin's series of small Countryman estate models from 1954 until 1968 – even after
8050-536: The South African -born corporate troubleshooter, Michael Edwardes , was recruited as chairman to sort out the troubled firm. Part of Edwardes' plan was to introduce a completely new range of mass-market models to replace the current offerings, designed and built using state-of-the-art technology. The new range eventually decided upon consisted of a new vehicle for each of the small, lower-medium and upper-medium market segments. The first of these cars to be launched
8211-551: The Volkswagen Golf and Peugeot 309 . Sales fell lower still afterwards, as the latest Rover 200 was firmly established as the Rover Group 's best seller in this sector, and the Maestro remained on sale as a cheaper alternative until the last ones left the showrooms in the mid-1990s. Some prototype versions have a 1.8-litre petrol or Volkswagen 's 1.9 diesel engine; these were never used in production. The Maestro
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#17328011078198372-432: The normally aspirated MG model to give an additional 21 bhp. Aside from the turbocharger and exhaust system itself, and what was (at the time) a relatively sophisticated boost delivery and control system, the MG Turbo variant incorporated stiffer suspension (purportedly with engineering input from Lotus ), and an uprated crankshaft of nitrided steel and sodium-cooled exhaust valves . Both MG variants were given
8533-406: The 1.3-litre base, L, and HLE models, the 1.6-litre L, HLS, and Vanden Plas, and the sporty MG Maestro. The HLE model had a somewhat downtuned engine and received Volkswagen's "monstrously long-geared" 3+E transmission to maximize fuel economy, at the cost of severe performance loss. To further improve the HLE's economy, it was fitted with an econometer and the same black rubber fins along the sides of
8694-449: The 1.6 Ls gained five-speed gearboxes. The 1.3 HLEs gained five-speed "4+E" gearboxes with overdrive fifth gear ratios, side mouldings, tweed cloth upholstery and remotely adjustable passenger's side door mirrors. The HLS and 1.6 automatics gained tinted glass, central locking, electric front windows, velour upholstery and upgraded radio-cassette players. The MG Maestros gained electronic fuel-injected 115 bhp (86 kW) versions of
8855-409: The 100 called the 114 GTa was available from launch. The main differences over the 114 SLi three-door – which has the same engine – were sports seats, red seatbelts, a rev-counter, sports suspension, a slightly higher top speed, faster acceleration, GSi alloy wheels and GTa badging. It was only available as a three-door. In 1997, the Rover 100 gave a poor performance in Euro NCAP crash tests (despite
9016-468: The 100 was a full leather trim, a rarity in a small car and coupled with the standard wood veneer dashboard inserts, a tinted glass sunroof and the optional wood veneer door cappings, the 114 GSi made for traditional luxury motoring; an image Rover was trying to retain. The only safety efforts came in the form of an optional drivers airbag, an alarm, a passive engine immobiliser , a removable radio keypad, central locking and side intrusion beams. A version of
9177-457: The 1958 DB Mark III , also offered a folding rear seat. The 1954 AC Aceca and later Aceca-Bristol from AC Cars had a similar hatch tailgate, though only 320 were built. In 1965, MG had Pininfarina modify the MGB roadster into a hatchback design called the MGB GT, becoming the first volume-production sports car with this type of body. Many coupés have 3 doors , including the Jaguar E-Type and Datsun 240Z . In 1961, Renault introduced
9338-412: The 1970s led to the release of models such as the Austin Ambassador , Austin Maestro , Fiat 127 and Renault 5 . By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the majority of superminis and compact cars had been updated or replaced with hatchback models. Hatchbacks were the mainstay of manufacturers' D-segment offerings in Europe in the 1990s (they were already popular in the 1980s) and until the late 2000s. It
9499-411: The 1973 model year. The design and fold-down rear seat more than doubled cargo space and the Hornet was claimed to be the "first compact hatchback" manufactured by U.S. automaker. The 1975 Pacer featured a rear door or hatchback. A longer model with a wagon-type configuration was added in 1977 with its large rear "hatch" as one of the car's three doors, all having different sizes. The 1979 AMC Spirit
9660-429: The 1978 Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon models, which were based on the French Simca-Talbot Horizon . These were followed by the 3-door hatchback Dodge Omni 024 / Plymouth Horizon TC3 which were later renamed Dodge Charger and Plymouth Turismo . The first Japanese hatchbacks were the 1972 Honda Civic , Nissan Sunny , and Nissan Cherry . The Civic and Cherry had front-wheel drive powertrains, which later became
9821-409: The 1990s during open days. It appeared as a 'Scoop' photo on the front cover of CAR magazine in the mid-1980s. Project R6, as it became known, would be a more modest update of the 1980 car – the basic bodyshell was retained, but was improved with the addition of new plastic front and rear bumpers, new front wings, new rear lights and bootlid, new front headlamps and bonnet. The interior was altered with
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#17328011078199982-424: The 2-litre O-series engine, uprated suspension and ventilated front disc brakes, colour-keyed exterior trim, tinted glass, central locking and leather-trimmed steering wheels. The new MG Maestro offered much better performance and refinement than its predecessor. Also in October 1984, the existing Maestro line-up was joined by the 1.3 HL and 1.6 HL. These models fitted between the L and HLE models. August 1985 saw
10143-402: The 2.0 fuel-injected engine from the MG Maestro EFi, was unveiled at the Motor Show in October 1988 and went on sale on 17 March 1989. It was one of the fastest production hatchbacks in the world with a top speed of 129 mph (208 km/h), making it faster than the Ford Escort XR3i and RS Turbo, as well as the Volkswagen Golf GTI. After the launch of the new Rover 200 in October 1989,
10304-405: The 30-year old design at minimal extra cost, and providing highly desirable economies of scale , given the anticipated sales volumes of the new car. This would make it cost effective for the more basic versions of the Mini to remain in production as an entry-level model for BL, continuing in the market niche originally intended for ADO88, while allowing the LC8 to aim higher, and compete head-on with
10465-408: The 4-cylinder A-Series engine, in 0.85-, 1.0- and 1.3-litre options. Outputs varied depending on year and trim level, with a low-compression 1.0-litre option available on lower-specification models suitable for 2-star petrol, an 0.85-litre option available in some South American countries; no other market existed for this engine size. At the end of 1987, the Austin marque was shelved. The Austin badge
10626-403: The Allegro. The floorpan and core structure of ADO88 was retained largely unmodified, but every external panel was changed as part of its transition into LC8. However, while much was shared conceptually with older BL models, LC8 would see these design elements heavily re-engineered and modernised. For instance the A-Series drivetrain was extensively updated with new materials and tooling to become
10787-417: The Automobile Association road tested the turbo diesel. Their verdict: "You're hardly likely to buy a Maestro diesel to improve your street cred! For turning heads, the 218 / 418 diesel is a much better proposition. However, disinterested passengers love the back seat, while the driver can relish the model's marked reluctance to visit filling stations. Here's a hatchback for buyers who are really serious about
10948-400: The Automobile Association (AA) came to the following conclusion in the car magazine Your Car Magazine: 'The Maestro is a reliable vehicle which has improved over the years.' In 1993, What Car? buyers' guide section said: "Yes, its old, but nowadays it's also very cheap. Popularity of noisy but economical and surprisingly rapid turbodiesel is what keeps this roomy car going." Also in 1993,
11109-482: The Brazilian market, for example, the Fiat Premio and sedan versions of the Opel Corsa and Ford Fiesta . The vehicle is classified as a B-segment marque in the European single market, a segment referred to as a supermini in the British Isles. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applied to the rebadged Suzuki Cultus in numerous export markets since 1984 and for the Japanese-market Suzuki Ignis since 2000. The Swift became its own model in 2004. Currently,
11270-438: The Cruze Hatchback. Austin Metro The Metro is a supermini car , later a city car that was produced from 1980 to 1998, first by British Leyland (BL) and later by the Rover Group . It was launched in 1980 as the Austin Mini Metro (styled AUSTIN miniMETRO ). The Mini Metro was intended to complement and eventually replace the original BMC Mini , and was developed under the codename LC8 . The MG version of
11431-537: The F12 (2012). The Maestro sold over 605,000 units, although it failed to match the success of the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Astra . A survey by Auto Express magazine, conducted in August 2006, revealed that the Maestro was Britain's ninth most scrapped car of the previous 30 years, with just 11,574 examples still in circulation and in working order in the United Kingdom . By 2009, that number declined to 777 units, and only 116 were still operating in 2023. [1] Despite only going on sale in early March 1983,
11592-686: The Ford Escort (61st). In September 1995 production was transferred to Varna , Bulgaria, in complete knock down (CKD) kit form. Around 2,000 vehicles were produced before the company (Rodacar AD) ceased production in April 1996 due to high import costs of the components and little demand for the cars. The majority of the Maestros produced were exported to other countries, including the UK. A small number of these were sold by Apple 2000 Ltd of Bury St Edmunds, and registered on an "N" prefix. In 1997, Parkway Services of Ledbury , Herefordshire, purchased
11753-546: The MG Metro Turbo variant was first shown. With a quoted bhp of 93, 0–60 mph in 9.9 seconds, and top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) this car had few direct competitors at the time, although the growing demand for "hot hatches" meant that it soon had a host of competitors including the Ford Fiesta XR2, Peugeot 205 GTI and Renault 5 GT Turbo. This model had a few addition modifications bolted on over
11914-468: The MG Turbo (and the owners' handbook) advised drivers to use only 4* leaded petrol. This was because unleaded petrol was only available with an octane rating of 95 RON. The turbo engine was tuned for the higher 97 RON octane rating of leaded petrol, which improves combustion and reduces the chances of 'pinking' and running lean on boost: both very harmful to turbo engines. Modern high-octane unleaded petrol
12075-688: The MGF and Lotus Elise sports cars, as well as various Rovers and MGs). In December 1994, the revised R6 model appeared. In the United Kingdom, Rover finally scrapped the Metro nameplate, replacing it with a new name, Rover 100 , which had been adopted on continental Europe on the Rover Metro's launch in 1990, due to the weakness of the Austin marque in Europe. The mechanics of the car remained much
12236-423: The Maestro was Britain's sixth best selling car in 1983 with more than 65,000 sales. Its first full year on sale, 1984, brought more than 83,000 sales – which would be the Maestro's best year for sales in any country. As had happened the previous year, it was Britain's sixth best selling car in 1984. However, it had fallen to 10th in 1985; although Austin Rover managed to keep up a strong presence in this sector due to
12397-498: The Maestro was repositioned as a budget entry-level model, with only the base specification models remaining in production while the MG variants were discontinued in 1991. Production had peaked at more than 101,000 units in 1983, and as late as 1989 nearly 60,000 were made. Most sales were in the United Kingdom , where it peaked as the sixth best selling car with more than 80,000 sales in 1984, but by 1989 sales had halved and it
12558-515: The Maestro were Featured on the front page. In the Motoring section James Ruppert reports "FANCY a brand new Maestro?" you can have one for just £4299 and all remaining cars are appropriately finished in black. The tooling was then sold to First Automobile Works (FAW) in China, where the Maestro was available to the Chinese motoring market in both hatchback and van models. A new addition to the range
12719-460: The Maestro's launch. Production of the MG Maestro finished in 1991, as Rover had launched GTi versions of the new 200 and 400 models, though the standard Maestro remained in production until 1994. Production of the Maestro, which was already suffering from a decline in sales, was pruned back by autumn 1989 on the launch of the second generation Rover 200, which was aimed at the higher end of
12880-691: The Maestro/Montego series continued to be used in various Land Rover models well into the late 1990s, for instance the Maestro instrument pack and switchgear were fitted to the Range Rover Classic from the mid-1980s onward, as well as on the Series I Discovery from launch until the 1995 facelift. The Series I Discovery also used the tail lamp cluster from the Maestro van until 1998. Like most pre-1989 Austin Rover cars, 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre Maestros cannot run on unleaded petrol without
13041-670: The Metro range would soon be expanded with more luxurious and high performance versions. The Metro range was expanded in May 1982 to include the luxury Vanden Plas trim level on the Austins and higher performance MG Badged versions; the MG Metro marked a quick comeback for the marque previously used on sports cars until the Abingdon plant making the MG B closed in 1980. The Metro Vanden Plas featured higher levels of luxury and equipment, while
13202-685: The Metro was named "Car of The Year" 1983 by What Car? magazine, and later once more, as the Rover Metro, in 1991. During its 18-year lifespan, the Metro wore many names: Austin Metro , MG Metro and Rover Metro . It was rebadged as the Rover 100 (full name: "Rover 100 series") in December 1994. There was also a van version, known as the Morris Metro , and later, the Metrovan . At
13363-431: The Metro's front end including much needed colour-coding such as body coloured bumpers on MG versions, wider suspension subframes, along with a new dashboard design featuring the switches and instruments matching that of the Maestro and Montego. The new dashboard was constructed from fewer but larger plastic mouldings, making it easier to assemble and reducing the potential for rattles and other fitting issues. A major part of
13524-487: The Metro's particularly harsh gearchange) was replaced by a self-adjusting cable-operated mechanism. The lack of a five-speed gearbox would become a major drawback as time went on; the BMC sump-mounted gearbox was never developed to accommodate an extra gear ratio , which was a severe handicap against the opposition – by the mid-1980s the Ford Fiesta , Peugeot 205 , Fiat Uno and Opel Corsa /Vauxhall Nova were all available with
13685-488: The Montego was launched, in the now reduced Maestro range (after the launch of the Rover 200/400), as a Clubman with steel bumpers or DLX with plastic bumpers. The turbo improved refinement, as well as performance, at no cost to fuel economy. It was very competitively priced, it was about the same price as the Rover Metro and Peugeot 205 non-turbo diesel superminis that were a size smaller. The only other engine option
13846-621: The Rodacar-made Maestros were exported, including 550 to Uruguay , 400 to Argentina and 200 to North Macedonia . Two British dealers, Parkway Services in Ledbury and a company called Apple 2000 in Bury St Edmunds , acquired unsold Maestros from Bulgaria and sold them in the UK, converting most of them to right-hand drive . (Please see the ' Later Developments ' above for more information.) Many interior parts from
14007-485: The Rover 100 could still provide sub-£7,000 motoring. Facing a complete collapse of sales, Rover withdrew the 100 from production – marking the end of nearly 18 years of production with the last car built on 23 December 1997. There was no direct replacement for the Metro/100, although the 1995 Rover 200 had been developed inside Rover Cars to serve as a replacement for the 100 as well as the previous 200 model, which
14168-551: The Rover Metro was badged as the Rover 100 series, with the 1.1 known as the Rover 111 and the 1.4 called 114. Latterly this car has attracted an enthusiastic following including use as a low-cost entry to motor racing. The basic just-over-100 bhp (70 kW) engine for the GTI can be boosted to over 130 hp (97 kW) at the flywheel. For ultimate performance the 1.8 K-series engine, with standard cams or VVC (Variable Valve Control) system can be fitted (these engines are found in
14329-469: The Rover Metro, and in the cases of the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Nova/Corsa, replaced with all-new models twice). It was criticised by the press for its lack of equipment, with front electric windows only available on the range-topping 114 GSi. Rear electric windows were never an option on the 100. Neither were Anti-Lock Brakes, Power Steering or a rev-counter (except the GTa and later manual 114 GSi models) One for
14490-526: The Skoda Octavia was always available as a hatchback. Meanwhile, three-door hatchbacks have seen a fall in popularity, compared with 5-door models. This has led to many models no longer being offered in 3-door body styles, for example, the Audi A3 and Renault Clio . In 1970, American Motors Corporation (AMC) released the first North American subcompact car since the 1953-1961 Nash Metropolitan ,
14651-737: The Swift is positioned between Ignis and Baleno in Suzuki's global Holden produced the Torana Hatchback from 1976 to 1980 across the LX and UC generations. Up until recent years, buyers in Australia have preferred the station wagon body style, with the big three Australian manufacturers; Holden , Ford Australia , and Chrysler Australia all producing station wagon models of their sedan models. Australia started moving to hatchbacks partially in
14812-459: The Turbo variant, due to the undeniably increased performance and handling when compared to the non-MG models. From 1983, the MG badge also found its way onto higher performance versions of the Maestro, and shortly afterwards it was adopted for higher-performance versions of the Montego . A Mark II version of the Metro was introduced in 1984. The October facelift saw revised styling modifications to
14973-404: The arrival of the 1.3 City and 1.3 City X. The 1.3 City was similar to the previous 1.3 base model. The 1.3 City X added full carpeting, cloth upholstery, head restraints, a rear parcel shelf, a radio and a manually operated choke. These models also did without the plastic bumpers, having more conventional steel bumpers with plastic end caps similar to the Maestro van. The original dashboard was of
15134-420: The arrival of the similar sized Rover 200 saloon in June 1984. By 1988, it was merely the 14th best selling car in Britain, dipping further to 19th place in 1989, the year that the second generation Rover 200 was launched. The Maestro was now not only behind the all conquering Ford Escort and Vauxhall Astra (which first outsold it in 1985) in the sales charts, but also behind some foreign competitors including
15295-491: The body configuration can be traced to the 1930s, the Merriam-Webster dictionary dates the term itself to 1970. The hatchback body style has been marketed worldwide on cars ranging in size from superminis to small family cars , as well as executive cars and some sports cars . They are a primary component of sport utility vehicles . The distinguishing feature of a hatchback is a rear door that opens upwards and
15456-399: The cargo space behind the rear seats. When describing the body style, the hatch is often counted as a door, therefore a hatchback with two passenger doors is called a three-door and a hatchback with four passenger doors is called a five-door . Estates/station wagons and liftbacks have in common a two-box design configuration, a shared interior volume for passengers and cargo and
15617-690: The common configuration for a hatchback. Along with the Honda Civic, other Japanese hatchback models included the Nissan Pulsar , Toyota Corolla , and Suzuki Swift . Almost all Japanese Kei cars ("city cars") use a hatchback body style, to maximize cargo capacity given the overall vehicle size is limited by the regulations applicable to these vehicles. Kei cars include the Mitsubishi Minica , Honda Life , Suzuki Fronte , Subaru Vivio , and Daihatsu Mira . The first Soviet hatchback
15778-480: The cylinder head being converted (remachining of the cylinder head ), or the use of fuel additives. FBHVC (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs) tested and approved lead replacement fuel additives, work out at only a couple of pence a litre. The 1994 cc O-series engine in the MG EFi, 2.0i and Turbo has sufficiently hard exhaust valves and seats. Muddying the water slightly, contemporary sales literature for
15939-585: The early cars being prone to front wheel bearing issues. The Maestro was larger and heavier than the first VW Golf. It was decided that the five-door hatchback version would be engineered first. It was given its own project designation, LM10, with this version to be launched as the Austin Maestro. The name "Maestro" had been a finalist when the Austin Metro was being named, with the third choice ("Match") never picked up. The booted notchback version
16100-495: The early part of its production life, it was the best selling mini-car in the UK, before being eclipsed by the updated Ford Fiesta in 1984. Its clever interior design made it spacious considering its dimensions, and Hydragas suspension gave surprisingly good ride and handling. Its updated A+ series 1.0 and 1.3-litre OHV engines hardly represented the cutting edge in performance, but they were strong on economy. In its best year, 1983, more than 130,000 Metros were sold in Britain, only
16261-427: The facelift was the introduction of a five-door Metro: This provided another strong selling point for the Metro in the 1980s, since not only did it already boast a spacious and practical cabin for its size, but some of its slightly larger competitors, such as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, did not offer the option of five doors at the time. From 1989, just before the Metro was replaced, three-door versions were given
16422-456: The footsteps of the 1959 BMC Mini with front-wheel drive, a more space-efficient transverse engine layout, unitary bodywork, and independent suspension (features which became key design concepts used by almost every mass-market family car since) - and it was the first hatchback with these features. The Simca 1100 also came in both three and five-door variants, and the hatchback models took a central position, traditionally taken up by saloons, in
16583-407: The front disc brakes were changed to ventilated discs, with ventilated front disks being standardised and adopted by all variants from Mk. 2 onwards. Later MG variants were emblazoned with MG branding both inside and out, which only served to fuel claims of badge engineering from some of the more steadfast MG enthusiasts. Others believed that this sentiment was unfounded, particularly in the case of
16744-519: The generally longer bodied superminis of other brands. Following the Ryder Report, which prioritized the ADO88/LC8 project, Longbridge was expanded in 1978 with a £200mn robotised body assembly line (known as the "New West Works") to enable it to produce the new model, which it was hoped would sell 100,000 or more units a year in Britain alone. Production of the smaller Mini and larger Allegro
16905-766: The hatchback as the Jiefang CA6400UA and the van as the Jiefang CA6440UA. Production for the FAW based cars ended in 2006 then in 2008 the Maestro Van was relaunched as the Yema SQJ6450 by Sichuan Auto Industry Group Company Ltd , who had purchased the tooling from FAW. Yema Auto have since reskinned the car and is currently selling SUV-styled wagon versions as the Yema F99 , F10, and most recently
17066-577: The headline "a British car to beat the world". The advert also featured the similar-sized Fiat 127 , Renault 5 , Volkswagen Polo and Datsun Cherry as "foreign invaders " and the voiceover spoke of the Metro's ability to "send the foreigners back where they came from". Following the launch of the Austin Maestro in 1983, less of British Leyland's advertising was focused on the Metro. The Maestro initially sold very well, but within five years sales were declining sharply, although it remained in production until 1994. During 1981, British Leyland confirmed that
17227-422: The improved safety features, including side impact bars in the doors and an optional driver's airbag, the 1970s design was showing its age) – it was at the time the only car tested to receive a one-star Adult Occupant Rating. Other small cars tested at the same time received two or three stars out of five. The passenger compartment was subjected to severe structural damage in the frontal-offset test and results showed
17388-632: The larger Chevrolet Nova became available in a hatchback body style. The Nova hatchback was also rebadged as the Chevrolet Concours , Pontiac Ventura , Pontiac Phoenix , Oldsmobile Omega , Buick Apollo , and Buick Skylark . In 1980, General Motors released its first front-wheel drive hatchback models, the Chevrolet Citation and Pontiac Phoenix . Both AMC and GM offered a dealer accessory that turned their compact hatchback models into low-cost recreational vehicles. An example
17549-545: The last one rolling off the production line in December. The chassis development for the Maestro and Montego's rear suspension was used as a basis for later Rover cars, and was well regarded. In 1994, the Maestro finished in 26th place in the JD Power Survey broadcast by Top Gear. This clearly left the model above more recently appeared competitors such as the Volkswagen Golf (52nd), Vauxhall Astra (59th) and
17710-432: The length was 4,050 mm (13 ft 3.4 in). Aerodynamic drag factor stood at 0.38 Cd for most models, bar HLE and MG models which were 0.36 Cd respectively. The rear strakes on the tailgate of these models enabled a cleaner break away of the air flow round the back of the car. This is what largely contributed to this improved figure. The Maestro incorporated many novel and pioneering features for its class. It had
17871-537: The lower panels of the Peugeot 205 , and incorporating the blacked-out pillars and 'floating roof' of the 1989 R8 Rover 200 . However, this was cancelled by chairman Graham Day, because British Aerospace (then the Rover Group's new owners) refused to fund it, and the disappointing sales of the Maestro and Montego had not produced expected profits to reinvest. A mockup could be seen at the Canley, Coventry design centre in
18032-677: The mid-1990s with relatively cheap offerings from Hyundai and Honda . Australia now sells mostly hatchbacks, after the last domestic-built wagon, the Holden Commodore Sportwagon ceased production in October 2017. The Ford Laser hatchback was produced in Australia. Nissan produced the Pulsar and Pintara hatchbacks and Mitsubishi built the Colt hatch. Toyota produced the Corolla hatchback, and more recently Holden produced
18193-492: The overall period of Maestro availability, new in the United Kingdom, was from 1983 to 2001. In 1998 the Maestro was relaunched in the UK, by Wheeler International Ltd. Sold by Apple 2000 in Bury St Edmunds , Maestros were imported from Bulgaria and sold in the UK, France & Spain, these were the last factory examples available for sale. On 10 February 2001 in The Independent 's Edition of Your Money, Apple 2000 and
18354-466: The rear window was marginally smaller, to allow for a frame that could be lifted with roof-mounted hinges and side support struts so that the car now incorporated a horizontal-split two-piece tailgate. The lower panel was now flush with the floor and its bottom-mounted hinges were strengthened. In 1953, Aston Martin marketed the DB2 with a top-hinged rear tailgate, manufacturing 700 examples. Its successor,
18515-429: The rear windshield as was the MG Maestro. The base model forwent the other versions' plastic bumpers, instead being fitted with black-painted steel units. The plastic bumpers were the first of their kind, being made from polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), allowing them to be painted and then oven cured at the same high temperature as the car's steel body. The 1.6 HLS and Vanden Plas received a 4+E gearbox (a five-speed with
18676-601: The redeveloped factory builds the BMW Mini . An MG -branded performance version was sold as the MG Maestro from 1983 until 1991. Although later models were sometimes referred to as the Rover Maestro, the model never wore the Rover badge. The Austin Montego saloon was a variant of the Maestro. British Leyland was created in 1975 when the bankrupt British Leyland Motor Corporation was nationalised . In 1977
18837-513: The result was announced, the train-and-bus manufacturer Metro Cammell objected to BL's use of the Metro name. The issue was resolved by BL promising to advertise the car only as the "Mini Metro"; however, after a while "Mini" was dropped from the name. From late 1982 there were also van versions, known as the Morris Metro . From late 1985, after BL discontinued use of the Morris name, the van
18998-415: The revised Rover Metro in order to cater for this market need until an automatic transmission version of the newer car was available. Some Mk2 Metros therefore have known to be registered on a J-prefix registration plate (indicating an August 1991 registration date). October 2010 marked the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Metro, by now a very rare sight on Britain's roads. All Metros were powered by
19159-488: The same market segment as the Renault 16, and the two competitors were closely matched in specifications and exterior dimensions, although the Maxi had significantly more interior space due to its transverse engine. In 1974, the Volkswagen Golf was introduced, intended to replace the ubiquitous Beetle . In 1976 British Leyland introduced the Rover 3500 , a rear wheel drive executive car five-door hatchback. Increasing demand for compact hatchbacks in Europe during
19320-485: The same time as the Ford Escort MK3 and the original Vauxhall Astra . LC10 was styled by Ian Beech under the direction of BL designer David Bache . Two main body variations were provided: a five-door hatchback and a four-door notchback . It was a departure from previous front-wheel drive cars from the company in dispensing with the famous Issigonis transmission-in-sump powertrain that had been pioneered in
19481-528: The same time, some minor equipment upgrades were made across the range. The 1.3-litre base model gained head restraints, a passenger door mirror and a radio. The 1.3-litre HLE, 1.6-litre automatic and 1.6 HLS all gained a radio-cassette player. In October 1984, there were more equipment upgrades made across the range. The 1.3 base models gained reclining front seats, door bins, locking fuel filler caps and clocks. The L models gained cloth door trim, upgraded upholstery, and remote-adjustable driver's side door mirrors;
19642-557: The same with 1.1 and 1.4 petrol engines and Hydragas suspension, but there was now the option of a Peugeot -sourced 1.5 diesel rather than the previous 1.4. The exterior was altered in an attempt to disguise the car's age, meet the increased cooling requirements of the Peugeot motor and offer a reduced-format Rover family grille. This was achieved through fitment of new front and rear bumpers, sill covers, rear boot handle and headlamps, bonnet and grille. A variety of bolder paint colours and
19803-409: The short-lived Group B rally category, the 4WD mid engined MG Metro 6R4 of 1984 (standing for 6 -cylinder, R ally, 4 -wheel-drive) was a world away from the best selling city car to which it only bears a superficial cosmetic resemblance. The competition car effectively only shared the name of the production Metro as it featured a mid-mounted engine with four-wheel drive transmission enclosed within
19964-590: The slightly more powerful MG Metro 1.3 sold as a sports model (0–60 mph in 10.9 seconds, top speed 103 mph). The Vanden Plas variant received the same MG engine from 1984 onwards (with the exception of the VP Automatic, which retained the 63 bhp (47 kW) 1275 cc unit). The luxury fittings marking out the Metro Vanden Plas took the form of a radio-cassette player, electric front windows, an improved instrument panel with tachometer , and
20125-410: The slope of the roofline on a notchback is interrupted by its three-box design. An estate/wagon typically differs from a liftback or hatchback by being longer (therefore more likely to have a D-pillar ). Other potential differences of a station wagon include: "Liftback" is a term for hatchback models in which the rear cargo door or hatch is more horizontally angled than on an average hatchback, and as
20286-421: The small family car market, with the Maestro being kept on sale as a cheaper alternative with more basic versions available. The arrival of the Rover 600 in 1993 saw the closure of the Maestro/Montego assembly line, but small-scale production in complete knock down (CKD) kit form continued until 1994, when BMW 's takeover of Rover saw production cease almost immediately. In 1994, Rover established Rodacar,
20447-558: The story. It was finally revealed to the public on the press day of the British Motor Show with the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher , in attendance. The Metro quickly proved popular with buyers, a 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer buying one of the early examples, and was regularly seen in it being hounded by the paparazzi just before her marriage to Prince Charles in July 1981. Even then, during
20608-464: The substance rather than the image – and with a price tag that's thousands of pounds lower than most of its rivals (shown in our comparison chart), you start saving even before your first forecourt stop. Unless you're averse to gearchanging, this unpretentious Maestro turbo-diesel, at its competitive price, can't seriously be faulted." In 1993, however, production fell to just over 7,000 units and in its final year, 1994, just over 4,000 were produced,
20769-601: The tailgate had two pieces, a top section hinged from roof level and a bottom section hinged from below. When production of the Commerciale resumed after the war, the tailgate became a one-piece design that was hinged from roof level, as per the design used on most hatchbacks since. In 1949, Kaiser-Frazer introduced the Vagabond and Traveler hatchbacks. These models were styled much like a typical 1940s sedan, fully retaining their three-box profile; however, they included
20930-480: The term "hatchback" appeared around 1970. The company only offered one two-box body style. The Renault 4 continued in production through 1992, selling over 8 million cars. In 1965, the R4 economy car was complemented by the D-segment Renault 16 , the first volume production two-box, hatchback family car . Its rear seats were adjustable, would fold down, or could be completely removed. The Renault 16
21091-487: The time of its launch, the Metro was sold under the Austin brand, and from 1982 MG versions became available. During 1987, the badge lost the Austin name, and the car was sold simply as the "Metro". From 1990 until its withdrawal in 1998, the Metro sported the Rover brand name. Although the R3-generation Rover 200 (introduced in 1995 and smaller than previous 200 models) had originally been designed as
21252-478: The under-developed S-series unit was not yet ready for production. R-series units suffered from hot starting problems and premature crankshaft failure. This was particularly evident in the MG Maestro 1600, which was included in the original 1983 model range but discontinued the following year. The new S-series engine eventually appeared in July 1984, and was fitted to all existing 1.6-litre Maestros. The new S-series engine also came fitted with electronic ignition. At
21413-405: The use of chrome trim helped give a more upmarket appearance. The interior trim was revised to give a greater impression of quality and luxury, but since the basic architecture had remained unchanged since the original 1980 car, it was considered by many as being short on space and outdated in comparison to its most modern rivals (most of which had been replaced with all-new models since the launch of
21574-402: Was Britain's sixth best selling car in 1983 and 1984, with more than 80,000 sales in its second year. After the "boom" years of 1986 and 1987, Maestro sales went into decline. An early reputation for poor build quality and unreliability did not help. The biggest problems centred around the 1.6-litre R-series engine, which was a hurriedly modified BMC E-series engine from the Austin Maxi because
21735-528: Was also pruned back to enable the plant to produce as many units of the Metro as possible, with the Allegro finally being axed in 1982 to make way for the Maestro. The hatchback bodyshell was one of the most spacious of its time, and this was a significant factor in its popularity. The space-efficient interior was also lauded for the novel 60/40 split rear seat, which was standard on higher-specification models. The original Mk. 1 Metros also featured David Bache's signature "symmetric" dashboard design (also used on
21896-414: Was available in the following trim levels: Hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. While early examples of
22057-662: Was available in two designs, a "sedan" with a rear lift up window and a semi-fastback "liftback" version. General Motors ' first hatchback model was the Chevrolet Vega , introduced in September 1970. Over a million Vega hatchbacks were produced for the 1971–1977 model years accounting for about half of the Vega's total production. The Vega hatchback was also rebadged and sold as the 1973–1977 Pontiac Astre , 1978 Chevrolet Monza S , 1975–1980 Buick Skyhawk , 1975–1980 Oldsmobile Starfire and 1977–1980 Pontiac Sunbird . In 1974,
22218-404: Was banned (following a series of fatal crashes in which both competitors and spectators lost their lives). From that point on, the 6R4 was always going to be limited in front line competition, although they were run with limited success for the remainder of the year. A number passed into private hands and have proved formidable rally and rallycross cars. Despite the expiry of the 6R4's homologation
22379-736: Was common for manufacturers to offer the same D-segment model in three different body styles: a 4-door sedan, a 5-door hatchback, and a 5-door station wagon. Such models included the Ford Mondeo , the Mazda 626 / Mazda6 , the Nissan Primera , the Opel Vectra / Insignia , and the Toyota Carina / Avensis . There were also models in this market segment available only as a 5-door hatchback or a 4-door sedan, and models available only as
22540-499: Was finally launched in May 1990, being a heavily revised version of the original Metro and fitted with a new range of engines. The proven 998 cc and 1275 cc A-Series engines (the 1275cc unit was heavily modified and saw service in the classic Mini right up to the end of Mini production in October 2000) gave way to the all-new K-series engine. These were available in 1.1 litre (1118 cc 60 bhp (45 kW)) and 1.4 litre (1396 cc 76 bhp (57 kW)) 8-valve versions, while
22701-487: Was given the designator LC8 ( L eyland C ars Number 8 ), and the definitive Metro design would ultimately emerge under the leadership of BL's chief stylists David Bache and Harris Mann . LC8 would replace the more upmarket, lower-volume Clubman versions of the Mini and the lower-spec, smaller-engined variants of the Austin Allegro (which would be fully replaced in the early 1980s by project LC10, which became
22862-498: Was in the final stages of developing the new Rover 200 Series and Rover 400 Series models in conjunction with Honda , and it was also working on a replacement for the Metro. During the 1980s, the media had published photographs of the "Austin AR6" concept car, which would have been a completely new design, but towards the end of the decade Rover decided to restyle and re-engineer the existing Metro design instead. The new Rover Metro
23023-571: Was intended to be a direct replacement for the Mini . However, poor reception of the ADO88 design at customer clinics and the increasing dominance of superminis in the ADO88's intended market segment forced a major change in the project's focus. In late 1977, BL chairman Michael Edwardes ordered that ADO88 be given an eleventh-hour redesign to make it both larger, and less utilitarian in appearance / more upmarket in nature. It thus became BL's first supermini rather than an economy car . The revised project
23184-430: Was launched with a CVT -type gearbox. The Hydragas suspension was finally modified to accept front to rear interconnection in the way that Alex Moulton had intended, to improve handling and ride quality. A new bodyshell for the replacement car (the AR6 project) was designed. Its styling was influenced by Ital Design , with some similarity to the acclaimed Giorgetto Giugiaro -designed Fiat Punto launched in 1994, and
23345-434: Was mounted on the side of the engine sump with one driveshaft running through the sump to the nearside rear wheel. Much of the outer bodywork was made of GRP , with the only exception being the roof panels (which were aluminium), the steel doors, and the remaining panels from the original Metro shell. The doors were, however, concealed by plastic airboxes. Indeed, models now on show generally have stickers demonstrating where it
23506-440: Was not turbocharged as the majority of its competitors were, which considered the Metro as "unique." The engine was mounted back to front in the car, with the forward end of the engine facing the hatchback and the gearbox attached conventionally behind it and, therefore, in the middle of the vehicle. The four-wheel-drive was permanently engaged, and drove separate prop shafts to the front and rear differentials. The rear differential
23667-667: Was offered as a hatchback. The body style was continued for the redesigned Fox platform -based 1979 third generation Mustang and the Mercury Capri derivative. For 1981, Ford offered hatchback versions of its sub-compact Escort and the badge-engineered Mercury Lynx , which were now front-wheel drive. Two-seat hatchback derivatives were introduced for 1982, the Ford EXP and the Mercury LN-7. Chrysler Corporation 's first hatchbacks (and first front-wheel drive cars) were
23828-408: Was removed from the cars, which continued to be manufactured with no marque badge, just a model name badge. Rover management never allowed Rover badges on the Montego or the Maestro in their home market, although they were sometimes referred to as "Rovers" in the press and elsewhere. They wore badges that were the same shape as the Rover longship badge, but which did not say "Rover". By this stage, Rover
23989-528: Was replaced in July 1984 with the short-lived S-series model, which was built until October 1984 when the EFi was launched. Despite the reliability issues, more than 15,000 MG Maestro 1600s were built. After a brief interval, the MG Maestro was relaunched in October 1984 with a fuel-injected 2.0-litre O-series engine that gave considerably better performance than its predecessor. Handling and performance were both improved and gave Austin Rover its first serious rival for
24150-405: Was slightly larger. The 100 and 200 were sold concurrently until 1998, when the 100 was withdrawn. When the Rover 200 was facelifted in late 1999 and rebadged as the Rover 25 , Rover marketed this as a supermini reflecting the continued, steady growth of all car classes. The plan was for both the 100 and the 25 to be on the market until the launch of the true replacement for the Metro in the shape of
24311-449: Was sold as the Austin Metro 310 ; after the Austin badge was also dropped from the car models, it became simply the Metrovan 310 . A two-door saloon model was included in the Metro's development, which would have been similar in concept to the Vauxhall Chevette saloon and the Polo -based Volkswagen Derby . However, by the time production of the Metro began, it was decided not to include
24472-407: Was sold to British Aerospace in 1988, when the Austin badges were discontinued. The range was sustained by the noisy but economical direct injection naturally aspirated Perkins diesel unit launched the previous year. However, without a turbo this model was rather slow. The diesel had already been available in the Maestro van since 1986. The MG Maestro Turbo, fitted with a turbocharged version of
24633-409: Was successful in a market segment previously exclusively populated by notchback sedans and, despite making only one body style for 15 years, consumers purchased over 1 3 ⁄ 4 million R16s. Unlike the Renault 4, which had a semi-integrated body, mounted on a platform chassis , and a front mid-mounted and longitudinally placed engine behind the front axle, the 1967 Simca 1100 , which followed in
24794-619: Was the Austin Metro in 1980. The new cars for the lower and upper medium segments were to share a platform, with various trim and styling differences to distinguish the two different models. The two models would in effect replace four existing vehicles in the British Leyland range – the Maestro would simultaneously replace both the Austin Allegro and Maxi , whilst the Montego replaced the Austin Ambassador and Morris Ital , these latter two having been recent facelifts of
24955-406: Was the 19th best seller. However, production figures fell to 38,762 for 1990, more than halving the following year to 18,450. 1991 was also the year that the MG-badged versions finished production, their place effectively being filled in the Rover range by faster versions of the 200-series hatchback. In 1992, the 81 bhp (60 kW) high revving Rover MDi / Perkins Prima turbo diesel unit from
25116-547: Was the FAW Lubao CA6410 – a Maestro hatch with a Montego front end. A handful of Chinese-made parts were imported into Britain whilst these cars were in production, which itself ended in 2005. Rushed into production against engineers' advice at the launch in March 1983, the original MG Maestro was under-developed. Its 1.6-litre R-series engine ran roughly, was difficult to start when warm, and its Weber twin carburettors could not always be properly tuned by dealership workshops, who were used to SU carburettors. The R-series model
25277-451: Was the elderly 1.3-litre A series . In 1987, after an endurance test of 50,000 kilometers with an Austin Maestro 1.6 Mayfair, the Dutch car magazine Autovisie wrote that they 'can state without reservation that today's Austins have the same level of quality as other, more selling manufacturers. The Maestro appears to be a good alternative for someone who wants to distinguish himself from the average Escort/Golf/Kadett brigade.' In June 1987,
25438-457: Was the final car from ARG. It made use of the 2.0's already impressive engine, but the combination of carburetor and turbocharger gave it a top speed of 128 mph (206 km/h) and a 0–60 mph time of 6.7 seconds. It was faster than the majority of its competitors, but the high performance, Tickford designed bodykit and alloys did little to disguise the fact that it was very much still a Maestro. Sales were slow, as it appeared six years after
25599-400: Was the hardtop, but the hatchback roof and folding rear seat made the Liftback more versatile for quotidian chores or the sort of "active lifestyle" pastimes that so fascinate advertising copywriters. Later, Toyota needed to distinguish between two 5-door versions of the Toyota Corolla , one of which was a conventional 5-door hatchback with a nearly vertical rear hatch while the other one was
25760-431: Was the rear-wheel drive IZh 2125 Kombi , which entered production in 1973. This was followed only in the 1980s by the front-wheel drive Lada Samara in 1984, the Moskvitch 2141/Aleko in 1986, and ZAZ Tavria in 1987. In 2014, four of the top five selling models in Brazil were hatchbacks. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, hatchbacks were less popular than sedans, leading manufacturers to develop compact sedan models for
25921-405: Was to follow and it was designated as LM11, although its development was to diverge from the original path, it was later launched as the Austin Montego on its launch in April 1984, following British Leyland's decision to discontinue the Morris marque. Production began in November 1982, and the car was officially launched on 1 March 1983. The wheelbase was 2,510 mm (8 ft 2.8 in), and
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