Rover - Product Insight - The New Metro (1990)

[@mikewestwood567]

Ride on Time, patio furniture and manequins. What random placement.

[@Tallandcharming]

Mike Westwood isn’t it “right on time” rather than “ride”?

[@michaelgrace1298]

@@Tallandcharming ride on time, black box 1990

[@joebloggs1691]

Oona kirsch is gorgeous

[@rovamota]

These improvements made it the class leader for a few years; you only have to read the contemporary road tests. The 1.4 GTi was a very desirable small hot hatch.

[@mcmcolm]

Class leading outside of the UK press?

[@wojciechmatyszkiewicz1068]

@@mcmcolmGreat remark. I think British automotive media still live in the past (1960s-1970s) when the UKs car industry was the force to reckon with. Even today any small car must be obligatorily compared to the Mini and a luxury Mercedes to a Jag.

[@edword7195]

@@wojciechmatyszkiewicz1068 it was good and better than the cars for same money but was not as desirable it had image issue

[@jbenekeorr]

"They’ve re-badged it, you fool!” Alan Partridge - 1997

[@Irishmuffcabbagyurt]

I'm not driving a Mini Metro, i'm not driving a Mini Metro!. It couldn't compete with Lexus, the Japanese Mercedes.

[@martytdd1606]

This comment is on every Metro/Rover 100 video now I think lol. Classic! A buddy of mine actually bought one in 1997

[@nwo4life708]

I will just talk over the top of you

[@bensmithkent22]

My dad hired one in 1993 a basic 1.1 k reg like the white one here. It felt so new, smooth and modern and smelt of that 90s new car smell. Bear in mind the last family car we had was an Allegro which died in 1989.

[@TheCatBilbo]

Lovely Oona & Sean are still around. Sean did lots of films & TV, in particular.

[@Salman-sc8gr]

Oh! And soo beautiful, what is her name?

[@boxingmonthly]

@@Salman-sc8gr Kirsh

[@daveslife9486]

I love these UK automotive sales videos, better than Saturday night TV. Also Oona Kirsch.....yum 😍

[@soperdiact838]

5:45 Even the car they're using for the promotion has an ill fitting wing alignment with the bonnet.

[@Robert_B_445]

“Just don’t bore us with the technicalities” “It’s simply a question of translating the technical jargon into facts which I can understand” They’d never get away with that now, god, how times have changed

[@matthewc.419]

She's fit though

[@Robert_B_445]

@@matthewc.419 You can just imagine the conversation in the marketing department A - "Oi lads, we got to flog this shit car. Yeah, I know it's a lightly improved version of the last model but we gotta convince customers that it's a brand new car. What are we gunna do? B - "I gotta great idea, lets put a fit looking bird in the promotional material. That way, management's going to be too distracted to notice what a crap job we've done trying to sell this pile of scrap." A - "problem solved, get on with it."

[@matthewc.419]

@@Robert_B_445 I would of loved taking her to a rave !!!!!!

[@James28R]

@@matthewc.419 would have* i dont think you are in her class my friend.

[@bob90347]

I still own 3 later rover Metro's till this day, the k series was a engine ahead of it time the early wet liner engines didn't seem to overheat. Can't fold the metro for being nice and simply engineered by old proper old fashion Midlands engineers

[@bigmedge]

Indeed Metro was very well engineered, as were many BL cars. The problem with the Metro, as well as most BL cars, was not with the engineering, but the execution of what was engineered. In otherwords, the weak links were with the slothful assembly line workers who were constantly on strike , & the incompetent management who refused to invest money in proper tooling that would've given the cars a far higher build quality.

[@abbottfamily6317]

I am a big Metro fan have owned and driven many models, all the way from the early A series cars to the late 90's K series ones. They have many faults, but boy do they make you smile as you're driving them. The first time I drove a K series I was gobsmacked how much better it was; the engine far more refined and gutsy and the gearbox - an extra cog and a lack of whining! Yes, the design was getting on for a quarter of a century old by run-out, but I think that BL did a decent job re-packaging the car on the money they had. They have a fantastic following now - that speaks volumes.

[@edword7195]

the 80s one would out corner all the competition

[@chriswathen9612]

I had a 1991 1.1S about 15/16 years ago. Paid £275 for it, decided to scrap it when the clutch went as didn't think the car was worth enough to bother fixing. Great fun to drive. Wish I'd kept it now based on them regularly selling for a good few grand these days. I don't understand how they've made such a big deal about the interior...aside from the driving position the interior is pretty much carried straight over from the MK2 Metro with only a few superficial changes.

[@mattw8332]

This model looks like a decent re-engineering of the old one. However, the Metro was already a 10 year old design by then. Actually15 years old taking into account the lengthy research and development before it's original launch in October 1980. A brand new design would have been better. The basic 1.1 C (& maybe the 1.1 L) had wheel trims at the beginning but from 1992 these were ditched in favour of steel wheels with black centre hubcaps for a while, reminiscent of the original mini Metro. /anorack mode off.

[@flashbeaster]

I do not know about car back then but if you take this metro and replace the interior parts ( dashboard, buttons, vents ) you can sell it as peugeot 106 or citroen saxo from 00s. As for trims - skoda did the same with octavias and it was way better. Why plastic when you can simply paint them to match the color of the body or your wheel brakes

[@car9723]

When they tried to do so - in forms of AR6 and R6X - BAe management said 'no investment', then this became the ultimate result. Yes, it required the whole new generation, but were ignored in favour of Rover Metro.

[@edword7195]

The polo was based on an even older desgin the nova was no spring chicken granted the 205 was better but metro was 2 was good 2 until head gasket failed but had the rep of rusty and ruff from the old one

[@tanyaandelvis2698]

That she can understand,,,brilliant

[@Tallandcharming]

State of the art braking with rear drums, two wing mirrors on almost all models and futuristic hydro gas suspension, gee sign me up, these things are from the future!!!

[@suws315]

That intro music goes HARD

[@flashbeaster]

Iam shocked how informative and appliable to this day standarts and needs this video is. Small cars - small engine 3dr coupes are still a good starting point for young drivers or cost efficiency/utility vehicle drivers. Utility meaning something to get you cheaply drom point A to point B. The chasis of the metro looks very up to date by 2000s standarts also ( check french hot hatches back then ), front and rear anti roll bar ( even thou more important for back seat passangers comfort is the fact how far from the middle of the car they sit - rear rollbar is just trying to minimalise physical impacts of sitting almost above the rear wheels ). I simply cannot understand why rover ended up the way it did and people talk about it as it was a childhood popband. Meaning "yes I did listened to it but then I grew out of it and realised how crappy it was and silly me for listening to it". Well guess what that popband wasnt bad and set you on certain course and influenced you and every other band back then. Hate it, dislike it but they were banging and came with stuff - just like any other british engineering, first and as a pioneers.

[@kyle8952]

"It's still got that individual, gritty style" Nurse!

[@lanehogger1532]

These k series engines were plagued with head gasket problems. The outgoing A series were actually quite bombproof. Ford have a similar problem with their 1.0 eco boost. A few years down the line thousands of them have gone bang.

[@brendanbradyfan02]

Lane Hogger my elderly neighbour used to own a metro also had the head gasket problem and for some reason a faint smell of petrol in the car not sure if that was a common problem or not

[@robfuller7841]

I had a Rover K Series engine with the crap head gasket. Now have an Ecoboom lol

[@lanehogger1532]

Juan Moorechants no!! So sorry to hear that. Both engines we very modern and promised a lot when released.

[@fraggit]

@@lanehogger1532 I have a K series in my Elise. As long as I let it get up to heat before I boot it, I've had no problems in 17 yrs.

[@lanehogger1532]

Paul b nice one glad it’s been reliable. How many miles are on it?

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

The one Metro which finally had added a crossmember/crossbar/whatever it is called to improve the suspension system.

[@daveslife9486]

Anti roll bar 😉

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

Incredible, that they actually offered a base model with only a driver's door mirror, *in 1990!*

[@sutherlandA1]

Was gobsmacked to find that stereo systems weren't even standard on lower spec models into the 90s, even today with dacia

[@TheYorkMan]

I wouldn't like to bump into that bloke in a greenhouse!

[@bensmithkent22]

Deserves way more likes. Tbh didnt know it was him until later down in the comments.

[@jacamo1993]

Just been given one, be interesting to see what it's like today

[@jacamo1993]

@@Aaron-tf3iv it has the famous HGF . I've done a few should be back on the road in a few days

[@ryanwilliams6526]

@@jacamo1993 Have you got it running yet?

[@jacamo1993]

@@ryanwilliams6526 yes it's running well I have just got a 45 aswell as a zr

[@ryanwilliams6526]

@@jacamo1993 Good to hear of another being saved. I have a 1991 1.1L. Sounds as though you have a nice collection though. You just need a 75/ZT now!

[@jacamo1993]

I have had a 75 but never a zt I have also had a montego all I need now is a maestro

[@misled1982]

Intro music: Cutting Edge reharsal scene

[@Smithy67]

The raunchy GTi turns in a wicked performance at 0-60 in 9 seconds .......

[@edword7195]

quicker than an xr2i then

[@astonmate9603]

That was properly quick for 1990, mate!

[@brendangarvin7787]

What could have saved BMH, BMC, BL, Austin-Rover, Rover Group? Other state owned car companies which had dodgy reputations at the time are still going in one form or another. If you were to change just one thing in, say the 1960s, what would it be?

[@robertmcmahon5094]

I had a 1.4si great car loved it thing took many of car at the traffic lights

[@nw8000]

Passed my driving test in one of these. I thought it was a great car

[@fraggit]

Me too, BSM. Mind you I did my lessons in my local area and I used to cringe when I saw anybody I knew. So I can't say the styling was cool. I'll agree it was a very easy car to drive though.

[@Arltratlo]

i was in a Golf MK2, 54hp Diesel.... and now i am in a Hyundai i10, lol... but it was a good idea, because i drove allways midsize cars, like a BMW 3series or MB 230E, last was a Laguna Grandtour, so with my now car i can park everywhere where i couldnt before, and traveling i do by airplane or my motorbike...lol

[@BennysBenz]

That song at the beginning was great I use to listen to it while driving my Z car as i was passing metros. The metro the car to conquer the world. OK! In all seriousness i wish Rover had build a radical hot hatch they really could of miss the brand.

[@RinksRides]

...but it's still a fvckin metro.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Strange how they call it the Metro yet when it was released it was renamed as the Rover 100.

[@kyle8952]

Rover 100 was a few years later, with a different front end and more paint coloured bits.

[@user-lx6bl2wd8g]

This was a case of too little, too late. I was looking to buy my first car in 1986, at that time I felt the Fiat Uno was the best all round car. I looked at the Metro but it just couldn't compete on price or spec. I bought the 60s 5 dr Uno. Wonderful car, a little fragile but looked after well, it was excellent.

[@chrispenn715]

Agreed - I bought a new Fiat Uno in 1984. It was better than the Metro at the time, but I doubt you can find one still on the road now......

[@1911olympic]

Question: would a new car industry be possible in the UK now? Why or why not?

[@MarthaMansbridge]

What do you mean? We have a high end car industry right now - Jaguar, Land Rover, MINI, Nissan, Toyota, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin…

[@CorentinRichard-lecanu-zi4vc]

C'est quoi la chanson svp

[@kractopus7383]

Unrelated to the video, it’s that hottie from Hellraiser, Sean Chapman

[@valeriewise9903]

Yes! Sean was so hot in Hellraiser! 😍

[@xrayjosh]

So on the base models, a radio was an option? How cheap are you if you spec a car like that?

[@hoffwell]

That's how it was done then. Volkswagen were worst of all for low standard spec. Everything was a paid for optional extra

[@Chris-ln6so]

It still happens now. The £9995 entry level Dacia Duster doesn’t have a radio system.

[@user-lx6bl2wd8g]

Very much the norm then.

[@dglcomputers1498]

Little tip, don't go putting prestige marques on cheapo cars, not only do people see right through it but it ends up cheapening the marque, should have stuck with Austin for the cheaper ranges and only used Rover for their own higher class models. Even more so when the marque doesn't have the best of reputation as the reputation will get even worse if plastered on a cheap/crappy car.

[@Arltratlo]

in 1990, i bought my first car, a VW Santana GX, 1.6l turbodiesel, 69hp... moonroof, central locking, power steering and a lot more...it was from 1982, so why buying a small new car from England, if i can get a bigger car from Germany, for the same price... i owned it for 3 years, after this i bought me a Mercedes 230E, same grey metallic colour...but nearly double HPs...lol

[@TheCEDZIOR]

Diffrence beetwen metro and 111?

[@alexandreb.1101]

So much improvement just to keep the same 10 year old body. R6X should have been a thing back then

[@ethanlyon5458]

I’m getting severe whiplash from the fact that the bloke in this plays Frank in Hellraiser. Think of that sea change in your career. From Barker to Rover...

[@stevehillier7018]

K Series . 🤔 Head Gasket , Head Gasket 🤔

[@daniel-ino]

can somebodyy explain why "cool" air ito the face s so important in the uk ?

[@MrPhobart]

It's something old British cars all did well, even though they lacked air conditioning. It means your feet can be warm without warm air drying your eyes out or making you drowsy. Most cars can manage it now but that wasn't always the case.

[@stephenburke8019]

She was in only fools and horses

[@pclm]

Holy shit it's Frank from Hellraiser!

[@Georg_Murmann]

A nice girl :)

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

I couldn't see her under the makeup.

[@edword7195]

she has a date demeanour even for 1990

[@bensmithkent22]

Shes def been in some terrible post terry mcann minder or something like that.

[@taebert]

A carburetor in 1990?

[@stevegreen9460]

yep not that uncommon back then. had a 1990 astra that still had manual choke ! and carburetor.

[@rhysturner8462]

"Go on, start talking, I'll just speak over you....I'm not driving a mini metro I'm not driving a mini metro I'm not driving a mini metro I'm not driving a mini metro I'm not driving a mini metro"

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

Why am I watching this? Help me!

[@brudenell27]

You can see the down fall of the company by just watching these info videos through the years. You have 2 robots here that have no clue about the car or how to bring a potential customer there way. Watching for eg the videos from 5 years earlier presented by John thaw.. he presented the car, customers, service centres, sales and everything in between. Nobody’s left out and all have a place and personality and purpose, giving an all around good service. This is embarrassingly poor. They could have still been a success story but as with most Britain’s manufacturers ........ And that rover badge did used to actually really mean something.

[@sarjim4381]

Even for 1989, the music is just awful. I'm surprised that at least the GTi didn't have a center console. Still, the Metro was the top selling car of all time in Britain, even with the pre-1990 models self destructing from rust and the post 1990 models self destructing from engine failures. If Rover had concentrating on improving crash safety and better engines, it could have been a bigger export success. Like so many British cars, it started life as a leader in its field but then, with no money to fund updates and improvements, limped along as a good car because it was cheap, not because it was good.

[@johnathanryan2117]

Ties in nicely with this stage of Rovers decline....limped on after this but writing was well on the wall. The Metro was a crock of shit. If you bought it as such and knew what you were getting then great...if you thought you were getting summat then you were in for a shock. Wouldnt get made now. Very much of its time and Metro can have the dubious honour of being associated with car makers that were on their arse at the time.

[@abingleyboy]

So they got the guy from Hellraiser to sell us a Metro. The Metro a perfect car to have a horrible crash in, if didn't disolve into a pile of rust beforehand.

[@sutherlandA1]

Always hated how the rear bumper looked tacked on as an afterthought, they redesigned the tailgate and tail lights but couldn't properly integrate the bumper?

[@Aaron-um6jj]

👌

[@needleontherecord]

What is it with British car manufacturers never updating their cars. Pigs and lipstick and all that.

[@annabellaandrewkingdon7972]

Ohhhh oooo ooooohhh ooonaaaa!

[@mattclerehugh2639]

Debbie,,,

[@Bosslady189]

Frank cotton

[@simonjohnhinton1938]

Rich hall - it's a rover the engine won't turn over......

[@seamusoflatcap]

Just an attempt by Rover to polish a turd.

[@Retro_Rich]

Lipstick on the pig.

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

I wonder if either of these two bought a Metro, so convinced were they by their own propaganda.

[@daniel-ino]

apre s i ate :D

[@soundseeker63]

There is some weird cognitive dissonance going on here. The music, the set props, and the presenters, all trying desperately to create an image of youthful modernity - the exact opposite of what the car it's self projects, or the people actually likely to buy it! It was a 10 year old model even then, yet they were to milk it for a further 7 years after this... Crazy! No wonder it became the butt of jokes.

[@bensmithkent22]

Theyve re badged it you fool

[@JohnnieE1961]

Too much lippy - and her's wasn't much better.

[@anthonyperkins7556]

rehashed design, poor crash safety, optional driver airbag, dreadful injuries, cramped rear legroom, small boot = Rover Metro

[@darrenmeears4667]

Sorry but the metro was as dull as dishwarter poor old rover always missed the mark .cars always looked dated you should lead and not follow

[@edword7195]

@@TomAlter1000 its image was but would drive better than a fiesta, polo or a nova on the corners they would really hang on. I recall being stuck behind a hard driven 911 for 4 miles in my metro on the very twisty Scottish borders roads The 911 slipping in sliding while i relaxed smoking regal waiting for the road to straighten so it would get out the way

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

LMAO X INFINITY

[@dominicmackrill5953]

Love it. Metros are so shit.

[@andrewmay1041]

Creepy, just creepy.

[@benbiggey]

It seems really sexist at 10:02