The history Of The Austin Maestro

[@jeff4362]

R519 RVJ is still running today and taxed till Feb 2020! I hope its owner keeps it going forever, as these are a rarity now and should be preserved.

[@chrisvarney6857]

car’s currently for sale! ad had a link to this video

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

chris varney yes, on Facebook

[@simonroyle2806]

MOT expired in Jan 2021, The last test mentions rust!

[@SnickersTS]

This video had nothing to do with the history of the maestro.

[@kjellhmyhre2374]

What lovely cars they were and still are !!

[@leopold7562]

I had one of these as my first car - a Maestro City X in chocolate brown. It was the only version to come with proper bumpers and not those stupid thermoplastic ones that cracked if you gave them a good, hard stare. It had a 1.3 litre A+ series engine, which was the old lump from the Austin 1300, but fettled with an automatic choke system that consisted of little more than a few vacuum chambers and a load of rubber piping. The idea was that the engine would manage it's own fuel to air ratio, but in practice it was a bit rubbish. When it was cold, it would inject too much fuel and burble until it warmed up, or just not start at all. When it was warm, it would stutter a bit, then hunt for a while. Or just not start. It generally worked okay, except in the wet. There was no protection from water thrown up from the wheels in the engine bay, so the bulkhead used to catch it all. And some berk decided the best place for the distributor was on the bulkhead. So in wet weather you'd get nice, wet HT leads that glowed prettily from the sparks arcing down them. And, of course, it would stall and then not start. It did have some good points, though. One of them was very odd: The top speed was supposedly 89mph, but if I hit that speed (and it took some doing) then the engine note would suddenly drop and I'd get another 10mph out of it. I never found out how or why this happened. In the end, it was written off by some moron in a Vauxhall Cavalier.

[@clivewhalley4008]

I used to have a Maestro HLE, loved the spacious good all round visibility, particularly when reversing in car parks.

[@charlesmacgilchrist3648]

To think the Dacia Sandero is of almost the same size and barely £995 more 20 years on shows how more affordable basic cars have become. And thats alot safer than cars 17 years before.

[@unclealbert7689]

I had a maestro it was a nice car very reliable, the only thing I didn't like was the heater didn't work too well

[@Clavinovaman]

Add some daytime running lights, new paint colours and infotainment system, and - hey presto - VW Tiguan.

[@antman5474]

Bulgaria never knew what they were missing.

[@rovercoupe7104]

I had a few drives of a VP and it was lovely. It had a very smooth ride and leather seats. M.

[@darrentysoe1390]

How many parts fitted the early disco's,from maestro

[@martf8014]

lovely panel fit on the bonnet at 4:39

[@jjmcrosbie]

1 - As Snickers says, this video has nothing to do with the Maestro history. 2 - The hottest Maestro was the Austin-Rover 2000E and not the MG or the GT. It was for a time THE hottest hatchback. 3 - Bulgaria - city of Varna - was a story of betrayal. The Bulg government agreed to give Rover immunity from import tariffs in return for setting up an assembly plant in Varna. Rover did this. The Bulg workers were keen and wanted to learn. The Bulg officials were lazy, didn't attend meetings, didn't perform their allotted tasks ..... and then the Bulg government reneged on the tariff deal and gave it instead to Skoda. This cost Rover their investment in the Varna factory. They took back their cars and in 1999 sold those already constructed to small trading companies who weren't allowed to use the Rover name. 4 - I've bought two Varna models since then, one new in 1999, and in 2014 one which had been privately stored with 4500 recorded km. I can tell you that the steering is OK once the car moves but is very heavy at manoeuvering speeds. 5 - An interesting point is that these cars have 14" wheels and the suspension is raised 15mm above standard production. The result is a car with quite high ground clearance - look again at the car in the video, you can see it. 6 - These cars are totally lacking in sophistication and all the better for it. I'm 79 now and have done all my own servicing on these two cars. My first one did 150,000+ km and its only problem then was with plastic and rubber trims perishing. My second one has done a little over 40,000km and has had no problems yet.....

[@jimmy1395]

Finally someone who has a short explanation on why Rover failed in Bulgaria. There's more info to the story. Since the new Bulgarian government came to power, they didn't do what the old government promised. Instead of purchasing Maestros for the government needs, they purchased 500 Ladas and also they lowered the tarrifs of Skoda by 50% and increased by 10% of Rover's. During the second half of the 90s Bulgaria was experiencing a severe economical hardship thanks to Jean Videnov's corrupt government. Since most of the companies and banks around the country were declaring bankruptcy they decided to drag Varna's manufacturing plant along with it.

[@jjmcrosbie]

@@jimmy1395 Thank you for the info, Jimmy. Stay well.

[@isaacmacca8745]

0-60 6.7sec top 150mph n stick like glue MG Rover Meastro Legend

[@antman5474]

150mph Meastro, I know that with its 2ltr turbo engine the Meastro had power and that sort of power in a lightweight car equals the speed you quoted but you just dont expect to see "150mph" and "Meastro" in the same sentence. Was it any quicker down hill or was it held back by the gearing?

[@dravalanche1997]

Drop dead gorgeous!!

[@deanwalker3710]

Are you partially sighted?

[@C345OFR]

He obviously should've gone to SpecSavers.

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

Great looking cars

[@69Phuket]

There's a Ledbury Maestro knocking about Salford... Peculiar! The reg looks familiar...Could be that one...It's black too!

[@honeymonster5589]

I had a ex AA maestro van e434ggm great van perking prima 2 litre

[@stuffanthings]

History of the Maestro this video should have something on the Maestro Turbo

[@ewaf88]

Still looks quite modern

[@brendangarvin7787]

I always think that the Evoque has something of the Maestro about it.

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

This explains why there are so many Maestros in Sofia.

[@周晖捷]

我有一辆，现在还在正常上路行驶~！回头率爆表~！！

[@rodneyperkins2952]

Do they still drop oil like a real Austin Maestro?

[@jacklee7104]

Great video, love that "LOW OIL PRESURE" Simple little car but much more interesting than Korean muck now landing on our shores.

[@Samspianopage]

Yep, only real problem with the Maestro was that build quality and rust protection, like most BL/Austin-Rover cars of the same era, were quite poor. Real shame as we really were on the ball at that time with technology and car design, I'm sure a lot of the people involved in the design and engineering were very intellegent and wanted to make a stonker of a car, but management issues, and budget problems stifled it abit. One thing that never gets talked about, whilst modern cars are safer in many ways, things like all-round visibility is brill on the maestro, just look at the rear quarter windows, most modern cars, have huge piller, which affect view and visibility, and it was spacious, practical and the Vandan Plas was very plush and well-equipped.

[@theelectrichobo829]

ive owned a few BL cars and my Hyundai i30 beats them all ...give me Korean muck over British shite any day of the week.

[@dreamdiction]

The video was made is 2008.

[@ELPaso1990TX]

Just a shame VW Brazil could not sell kits of the T2 Campervan to allow self assembly.

[@MegaBoilermaker]

The diesel was very good, I have also "marinised" a few of these engines..

[@marshalllucky]

always these asutin mastro it is there favorites car of there jermy clackson :-O

[@stephenlarking7177]

Everyone will be driving these after brexit!

[@chrisredfield3240]

I remember a few of these on a T reg 1999 £5k is cheap but the cars didn't last any longer than a £5k used escort would of.

[@rory455]

Clearly not true seeing as you can still buy t Reg ones now unlike the escorts

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

This will explain why there are so many Maestros in Sofia.

[@jimmy1395]

Wait, what ? There are like more Rolls-Royces registered in Bulgaria than Maestros. The first time I've seen a Maestro was when I was passing through a village near Primorsko and the car was abandoned.

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

@@jimmy1395 I've never seen a running one, but I've seen several in Sofia and a couple in Pernik. Always parked under a tree with moss growing on the rain sills.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

The alternator bearings were noisy on mine so got a 2nd hand one and fitted it in 5 mins on zero mechanical expertise. Modern engine bays are so cramped, try even finding the alternator!

[@townmann5563]

I liked this car

[@anthonyperkins7556]

My sister learnt to drive one of these and it drove like a tank

[@isaacmacca8745]

People slate rover n what makes me laugh is range rover drivers smirking at me in my rover I told one once we drive the same car but also a little known fact is the first BMWs n AUDIs where based on rovers Honda owes its engineering know how n handling to the rover guys who sorted so many problems for them in the early 1980s

[@Inthemixmedia]

Nurse

[@hermanmunster3358]

The Maestro can hardly be described as a Rover though, or the Metro come to that. Regardless of what badge adorned those cars, they were truly BL/Austin. Rover had an air of refinement and class that these cars never had.

[@KarlHamilton]

Grim. Imagine being seen dead inn one of those.

[@supertrix101]

The Maestro looks like a shrunken Rover SD1 from a wash.

[@btnled357]

I had one around 1989. I liked it but it rusted in no time

[@markd8799]

That thing is still on the road. 😂

[@thetruthk5138]

"The nightmare returns".

[@simonmd2000]

What on earth has this to do with the 'History of the Maestro'??? Not a single original car is even shown!! I expect better from 'Men & Motors', clearly dont have a clue what youre posting.

[@stevek3036]

Looks like this video was made after Gris Coffey left Top Gear (when he was getting 'brown paper envelopes' from Austin Rover to talk up the cars)

[@jusb1066]

and clarkson took money from abroad to destroy austin rover

[@jaggass]

If its anything like Rover, Lada far too long.

[@bedfordcrusader]

Low oil pressure

[@theymusthatetesla3186]

Maestro....good, reliable car. You Brits DO do yourselves down, don't you?

[@Samspianopage]

For what it WAS in 1983, it was way ahead of the Vauxhall (GM), Ford and Peugeot rivals. In the same size category you had the ageing mk2 Vauxhall Astra, the Mk3 Ford Escort which whilst a good car didn't look anywhere near as modern. The Golf was still at the Mk1 the Mk2 was just launched I think and looked very similar with an equally sparse specification though it was much better made. The Chevette was getting very old. Peugeot had just launched the 205 which was fabulous though the Maestro was bigger inside. Renault had the old Mk1 R5 (our version of the Le Car) which again was a nippy little bugger but very tinny and felt like a biscuit tin. What else, Fiat had the Panda which was very basic by comparison to the Maestro. Erm, Citroen didn't have much besides the ancient 2CV (an iconic car imo), and the Visa which was tiny. Compared to everything else BL/Rover had at the time it was much better too, the ancient Allegro, Maxi, Princess were all replaced by the Maestro. You get where I'm going. What did America have at the time? Pinto, Chevette, Chrysler had the Horizon which was a decent little car I suppose. You can't really compare much of the US industry to the British because the size categories are fairly different as is the styling and engineering. The rest were all Japanese rebadges or something As far as reliability well the US had it's fair share of issues aswell. The main issue with our cars was the lack of attention to detail which led to wee problems with trim falling off or something like that, major mechanical problems were quite rare though unless you had one of the troublesome engines like the S or the E-Series and alot of that probably had to do with owner upkeep aswell. Plus in America they never had much luck with diesel engine as we did, atleast in passenger cars mainly due to the rushed nature of the Olds 360 diesel which could've been a great motor had the top brass made sure it was built properly. It was bang on for it's day, but it gained the image as Chris says of being an old farts car, despite it being very competent and in Vandan Plas form, pretty damn luxurious too, alot better than Ford's Ghia versions of anything else. But it was in production too long, some of the engines like the 1.6 S-Series were initially abit problematic. And as with all the Rover cars in them days, the build quality was rather hit and miss. However like I say it had alot of modern features for it's time I still think it looks smart, the only thing spoils it is them chunky side rubbing strips down the doors make it look stodgy. That's probably what killed the image LOL.

[@leeenglandland2978]

The original BL built Maestro had panel gaps not quite visible from the moon, all down to the "don't give a shit" build quality that was standard with al BL cars !!

[@hermanmunster3358]

No thanks, I think I'd rather spend £5k on a beautiful 2nd hand Saab 9-5 from 2011-2012.

[@SA2180]

great choice the NG 9-5 is a very underrated car

[@jjmcrosbie]

Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice! I'm 79 and can service my Maestro. And yes, it's very basic. I expect your Saab is much smoother. Can you service it?

[@jotyers7845]

The Maestro is the 1980s Autin Allegro just as bad as the 70s cars and they actually look the same .

[@jusb1066]

yep most of the leyland era was recycled, the marina was a glorified morris minor too (all the marina bits retrofit a minor , to give it disc brakes and strut suspension)

[@btnled357]

My British built Maestro rusted to nothing in months. IT WAS SHITE !!!

[@nozislam]

5 grand for that crap.

[@luinesharpuines192]

Soon THE Brexit car for the UK

[@kevjards]

Horrible car.I had one and after i turned the engine off the car engine used to judder all over the place.Took it to a garage and the mechanic said to me .You really wasted your money there didn't you.2 grand i paid for it and trust me i would have been better with a go kart.

[@thedeadstig123]

so because you did a bad job buying a 2nd car its the manufacturers fault lol

[@ethelmini]

@@thedeadstig123 That's just a side effect of the A Series' amazing fuel burning capabilities, possibly with a bit of shite quality modern fuel action thrown in. Easily fixed by getting the anti run on valve working.