The Launch of a British Car to Beat the World - the Austin Metro

[@jamessergeant2136]

My mother got a base model miniMetro in April 1981 - the orange vinyl interior was memorable! She loved it - her first brand new car - and people were still excited to see one in real life.

[@russellhammond4373]

Your enthusiasm is infectious and I can see your love for the Metro. This brilliant little car never came to Australia because it simply was too small for the Aussie market - and Leyland Australia had other issues to deal with at the time. Keep up the great work.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Russell 🙂 Leyland Australia had such a hard time of it. I wouldn’t envy them trying to sell Rovers and Land Rovers against BMWs and Land Cruisers!

[@danielrussell446]

@@TwinCamand the local ford falcon and Holden commodore

[@shawardara]

I was at the NEC for the Metro unveiling in 1980. It looked like the future.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another brilliant Video Ed, loved learning the history of the Metro, my late Grandfather owned a Rover Metro 1.1c just like yours so brings back memories for me.

[@alwardryan]

Yet another amazing video! This Canadian is hooked on your channel, your knowledge, and your love of the automobile. Thank you.

[@batuksri]

Came out tops in every British car magazine comparison at that time.

[@veritasvincit2745]

The first one I saw in the metal was on the Savacentre carpark in Oldbury immediately after launch. Shoppers were walking around and rubbernecking it. It drew more attention than a supercar such was the media hype in the Midlands prior to launch. I ran an MG for a while and it held no unpleasant surprises. I enjoyed it.

[@johnf5817]

I always wanted a Metro HLE. Mainly for the lovely big analogue clock; it was the only model to feature this as higher spec models had a rev counter and digital clock and lower ones awkwardly filled the round space with the fuel and temperature gauges leaving swathes of blank space on the instrument pod. But the styling of that analogue clock was just beautiful. Teenage me also dreamed of one modification, replacing the HLE bumper with one from a poverty spec model, in order to double up on indicators and side lights! Thanks for a lovely trip back in time Ed.

[@markpaul1154]

I remember my mate getting a 1l version as his first car, it was just 5 years old and within weeks the battery fell through the wing which was rotten and locked the front wheel. In those days, 6 years was seen as a good lasting car

[@TwinCam]

I have no idea how that was managed considering there was the inner wing, a battery tray, and a spreader plate between the battery and the wheel! Someone must have coated it in salt for that to have happened!

[@bimble7240]

@@TwinCam Depends which part of the country the car was used in. Even now, vehicles from the hillier parts of the country: Wales, Scotland, Lake District, Peak District et al suffer accelerated corrosion as the local councils are gritting the roads every week in the winter.

[@TwinCam]

Barring big cities, the whole country is salted every day in the winter.

[@bimble7240]

@@TwinCam I must disagree. Here in the Thames vally the roads are only gritted when very cold weather is forecast, which isn't very often. This is one of the services which has been cut right back.

[@philhealey4443]

​@@TwinCam I spent hours Waxoyling my mother's new Metro in 1984 and was rewarded by the front wings perforating 4 years later. And I was never impressed by its rumbling bottom end at tickover.

[@user-s1o3nr532]

The business model hasn't changed much judging by the amount of taxpayer's money promised to the builders of new gigafactory in that hotbed of technology, the South West of England. We just don't call it nationalisation anymore - and it's only the losses that are nationalised as the profits are privatised.

[@gc7820]

Basically the shape of it except with BL and it’s successors there were never any profits

[@TwinCam]

I’ve long postured along those lines. We used to have nationalised losses and profits, now we just have nationalised losses. See 2008 too.

[@STEVENSCOTTFERGUSON]

When I was in high-school in 1980 my parents went to Ireland and brought back the brochure that you featured plus a brochure for the Mini. I till have them both to this day. This was yet another enjoyable video for me. I spent hours going through the pages of that brochure 43 years ago. Thanks again!

[@roberttaylor6295]

The excellence continues in terms of script, research, delivery and freshness! The beleaguered Conservative and Labour parties, who continually mess about with state education would serve our youth well by using one of your brochure videos as lessons in crisp writing, delivery and youthful but knowledgeable and researched delivery! Rob

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always Rob 🙂

[@markc1921]

I remember an interview a while back with Harold Musgrove. He had banned overtime at the factory as they were hard up. He went into work to find guys working on getting the car ready for launch. He kicked off at them saying "you're not supposed to be working overtime." They replied, "we've clocked out, this is OUR car." The workers knew it was important the car launched on time for their jobs. Different attitude from some of the early days at BL.

[@jh565bb]

The metro was technically the late days of BL given they were formed in 1968, but none the less an interesting comment, thanks for telling the story.

[@bimble7240]

A lot of people were killed in Mini crashes though. Think Marc Bolan and many more. They were great fun but no crumple zones at all.

[@tricialyn4645]

That was a quite interesting read! Thank you for sharing your descriptions, thoughts and views. I've never known a car brochure to be made such an interesting piece of work! 🚗😊

[@TwinCam]

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say :)

[@helenlloyd6564]

I've owned many metro's - city X, 1.3 H.L.S., M.G.,and 3 Van den plas models. They were good little cars. I loved them.

[@danielrussell446]

Have always loved the metro since it launched my uncle worked at longbridge at the time and transferred from CAB1 to west works and worked on controlling the robots he was amongst the workers who showed prince Charles and lady Di around the metro works and worked there until 1987 until he retired and also owned two metros an early silver HLE with paprika interior and a later 1988 1.0L lipari blue with the interior you have in melody Well done Ed on a lovely video I have the same brochure which came from longbridge family day and can still remember the reception the metro got at the time and how popular it was

[@garyallsopp6369]

My wife (then girlfriend), had a 1988 1275 Sport Metro, white with a Red (faded to pink) stripe. It was sort of a "stripped out MG" special edition; it had the MG engine seats & steering wheel (minus the badge). It was really fun to drive and felt much quicker than it was on paper. We loved it so much, that 2 Rover Metro 1.1Ss followed. 😁

[@JamieRead3dArtist]

So good. My first car was a '97 Rover 100 Knightsbridge, bought it for £350. Loved it. Still one of the most fun and comfortable cars I've driven in the last 15 years.

[@stevecoinitin7521]

Great little car. Had a 1.0L I think and it was reliable. 2nd one was a 1.3 City X, which was reliable again, but I did give it a hard life! Think it was 12 yrs old by the time I paid £250 for it with 54k on the clock. I commuted 165 miles a day, 6 days a week for about 6 months, from Brixham to Bideford, often up the M5. Also through a number of big floods that year, one flood was liver an 8 inch river flowing down the long hill I drove up. I could feel the hitting of rocks underneath, but the car just kept going and completing the remaining 40 miles of that journey from Weymouth to Brixham without missing a beat! A quick check underneath at home and all was well! One flood in Dorset, was about 880 metres long and I did sort of float at the half way point, then forward motion brought the steering back to me, lol! Any water inside the car? Not a drop!!

[@hermitageboy]

Great early 80s vibes. I was five when the car came out. My mum had a city x

[@jezchazania1336]

Cheers Ed for another great review. My first car was a metro, a 1.0litre HLE 1982 on an X plate. The year 1986 and it was 4 years old, it is still to this day the newest car I've ever owned 😅 At the time it was a popular choice for a first car and I still have fond memories of it. All the best Jezza

[@gwheregwhizz]

Thanks for another review. I used to own as a first car a battered 1985 Metro City X five door. There weren't that many five door superminis around in 1980 but by 1984 almost all superminis offered the option. If it had been launched as a five door earlier with a split seat, the practicality over the Fiesta, Chevette, Polo etc. would have made it a huge success with downsizers.

[@TwinCam]

They had a 5 door in mind from the start, but saw next to no demand, so didn’t bother until ‘84. Cost them more in the long run to change the tooling!

[@peterthwaites5891]

This really brings back the memories for me, in 1980 i was an apprentice car body repairer for the Kennings motor group in Rotherham... i remember seeing loads of the new Merto`s arriving and being made ready for sale leading up to the launch day...

[@MarcusTDM]

Great video. As always very informative and interesting.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Marcus :)

[@willswheels283]

Thanks Edd, another interesting and well delivered video, in the 80’s the Metro was a very popular car, as common as Fish n chips, and that A series gearbox whine was a common sound on uk roads, it was a pretty good little car but I think the Mini’s charm is one of the reasons the Metro didn’t eventually replace it.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always mate 🙂 In reality, the Mini was very nearly killed in the ‘80s. When the Metro launched Mini sales collapsed overnight. It took them 20 years from then to make 700,000 Minis, whereas they’d made 2,000,000 in the preceding 9 years!

[@willswheels283]

@@TwinCam Wow! The Metro was “the new kid on the block” in the early to mid 80’s and you couldn’t knock it from a practicality point of view, more load space for luggage and passengers, the Mini must have seemed like “Yesterdays news” at the time, but the cheeky little Mini ended up outliving the Metro by 2 yrs.

[@jetsons101]

When I think of the little Metro there are two other cars (in the US) that are similar, but didn't do as well as the metro. The famous Ford Pinto, more commonly known as the Firebomb, and the equality famous Chevy Vega, known for getting body rot before they made it to the dealership also more commonly known as the Rust Bucket. Ed, another great watch....

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always :) That being said, the Pinto et al were all so much bigger than a Metro!

[@jetsons101]

@@TwinCam They "Pinto---Vega" were pretty small. Vega was only a 97.0 inch wheelbase & the Pinto was 94.0 Ed, you and your channel are really coming along.

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Really enjoyed your episode on this wonderful little car :) Brilliant knowledge Looking forward to the next episode Thank you

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Jonathon :)

[@martinjones5560]

I’ve got a Corgi model in a Union Jack launch box. Also I thought I remembered seeing minimetro on the back of them, that clears that mystery.

[@TwinCam]

I have one of those too. At times they verged rather too far on the side of nationalism.

[@keithmartin1328]

There was a series of 4 books , published in July 1984, called the "Little red metro". I saw one in a charity shop for £10! Considering that it was only 80p back in the day. Must be as rare as the actual car is now.

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

My Dad had one of the first MiniMetro, X reg, HLE. It was a nice car, but they had their problems. One of the biggest problems was that you need something to Jump Start from in the Winter. I often wondered why he was making me late for school in the mornings, as the car would not start again.

[@shankarbalan3813]

Good old cars all of these. Sadly nowadays all cars are like fridges and washing machines. They are merely consumer electronics/ white goods. Thanks Ed as always for your weekly instalment for us enthusiasts of all things ‘venerable’ and ‘experienced’ and ‘veteran’ and ‘senior’.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@mikep4566]

Amazing, air conditioning was unheard of at this price point in the 80s. As a company car user in the 90s, the Renault Laguna cleaned up thanks to its standard fitment air conditioning, which soon became the norm.

[@plym1969]

This should be a TED talk. Brilliant!

[@DigitalJunior2003]

We had exactly the same blue Metro 1.3HLS that’s on the brochure. Great car and very post seats!

[@rogerking7258]

Sadly, they did themselves no good at all with the ridiculous 83mpg claim. They seem to have fed this figure to the press without any qualifying data about the conditions under which it was achieved; and there were a lot of disappointed buyers. Then a mate of mine bought a new one and it was a quality control disaster, spending long periods off the road being fixed; he compounded the problem by trading it in for an MG Metro and that proved to be even worse, so that was another customer lost permanently. My parents also bought one and it rusted away at about the same rate that paint dries. Shame - it was fundamentally a great, though in some ways archaic design. By the way, you briefly mentioned the Austin 1100. Yes, it was a huge seller, but when I started driving in the early 70s, if you got stuck in slow traffic running at about 35mph on an open road, there was always one of them at the front, driven by a bloke in a trilby hat. It just didn't appeal to anyone interested in driving, which is why they are now worth very little, but early Escorts sell for stupid money.

[@TwinCam]

That’s really not true. The AA published its test and results a good few weeks before Austin Rover did, and in all advertisements, had clear sources for the independently ran experiments alongside the conditions it was achieved at. If anyone was misled, that was due to a lack of their ability to read. It’s the same reason bleach has a ‘do not drink’ label on the back of it. That being said, of course, the brilliant results were unachievable on public roads, and Austin Rover were relying on that boneheadedness I referred to.

[@rogerking7258]

@@TwinCam Yes, you're correct. When I said "press" I should have made it clear that I was meaning the Daily Mail, etc in their headlines and not official adverts or such august bodies as the AA. The Papers ran headlines referring to the car's "astonishing fuel economy of 83mpg" which made no reference to the test conditions at all. The cynic in me says that BL fed the press the data knowing full well that they'd just choose to print the big number and ignore the details. Believe me, I have plenty of experience with the press and motoring matters and there was only one journalist who I could trust to a)understand what he was being told, and b) write a technically accurate piece.

[@TwinCam]

In that case, standard UK press! ;) I'm sure BL were perfectly happy with the press of the time. I mean, they piggybacked off the massive nationalist sentiment behind the car's development.

[@iantovey7132]

Excellent review on an awesome car, thank you!

[@mattw8332]

An early memory I have is my late mum's friend who owned a white Mini Clubman estate replacing it with a Metro. I'm a little surprised that Leyland Cars/Austin Rover didn't offer front head restraints to the HLE and S spec Metros.

[@TwinCam]

They did eventually, from 1982 I believe.

[@philipashton1443]

Interesting video. I had the 1.3 hls as my first car. Back in 1989.

[@jamesecroucher]

When did the City trim level launch? I ran a 1983 one on a Y plate back when I was a student

[@bockersjv]

Passed my driving test in my mums 1.3HLS in 1983. The early models lacked side window air vents so the windows always steamed up. Great fun to drive though.

[@stuartsaunders4518]

I remember there was a chocolate bar called Metro at the launch of the car you could buy in the shops

[@stuartsaunders4518]

@@TomBartram-b1c definitely Metro

[@bimble7240]

The gearbox was the most obvious deficiency in the Metro. I'm surprised that they specified 12,000 mile oil changes with this design.

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

Long service intervals, especially with oil changes, was done to limit the environmental impact fees against the cars. The fewer recommended oil and coolant changes, the fewer environmental penalty fees. This idiocy was driven by the EPA in the U.S. Granted, the oils and coolants ARE better than 40 years ago but, not THAT much better. The car is still suffering accelerated wear at such long intervals.

[@TwinCam]

With careful driving, the 12,000 mile interval would be alright, but we’re talking 6 or 7 years before failure. No sweat off BL’s back at that age. But with frequent oil changes, I’ve seen A-Series gearboxes do 150,000 miles easy. It’s a weakness, but not a guaranteed failure. Just a conditions-based failure. That isn’t to say it’s acceptable, of course!

[@bimble7240]

@@TwinCam For the benefit of some readers it should be borne in mind that the gearbox is running in the engine oil, and the original Mini design would not have been feasible without the availablity of 20W50 multigrade oils which had been developed in the UK in the 1950s and were capable of coping with the gearbox demands, but only with 6,000 mile oil changes. Gears are very effective at breaking down (shearing) the long molecule chains which provide the multigrade functionality and these were mineral oils, as Synthetic oils were not widely available when the Metro was launched, so 12,000 mile change intervals really was unrealistically ambitious at that time.

[@TwinCam]

Second to that, BL recommended 10W40 for the Metro and Minis from now on. It's no wonder they had issues.

[@bimble7240]

@@TwinCam When you say "from now on" when is that?

[@Doc0wer]

What I always find odd when looking at pictures of the metro is the windscreen. The whole car looks so modern for 1980, but the windscreen looks as if it's been taken out of a 60s car.

[@MiniMattTV]

Really loving looking into metros and enjoying your videos, now owning both, I’m curious which you’d recommend? A series or k series?

[@chrisslater3174]

Twin Cam...your spectacles are indeed KZbin's most rose-tinted. But I keep coming back for more...? 😁

[@TwinCam]

If they were rose-tinted, that whole section about the Metro’s outdatedness wouldn’t be there.

[@chrisslater3174]

@@TwinCam True, but you know I'm right, as underneath your nostalgia beats a petrolhead heart. Like yourself and others, I too am 'crippled' by the love of certain marques and models. It's what makes us so diverse. PS I had a girlfriend with a Metro back in 1988 (back in it's day), and it was fairly awful and unreliable. But each to their own, I can now with some confidence say.

[@bondbug73]

I do enjoy your brochure reviews. I don't remember seeing a Metro with the optional vinyl roof. Probably too 1970's for potential buyers back then?

[@TwinCam]

I’ve seen one or two. But they’re very rare because, as you say, they were a bit too ‘70s.

[@spitfire1962]

Had a van version of the Metro. A nice canary yellow.

[@freemenofengland2880]

My brother in law rushed out and bought the MG version when it came out - that was quite a car in a humble way with very stable handling.

[@TwinCam]

I think those Mk1 MGs are by far and away the best trimmed hot hatches of their era. What a transformation from an Austin.

[@freemenofengland2880]

@@TwinCam Yes lovely interior for the time. He could also induce reliable front wheel understeer seemingly at will, which kept him entertained as I think he considered himself a budding Martin Brundle. 😬

[@TwinCam]

The later Rover Metros really benefitted from proper, beefy wishbones at the front. Totally neutral handling, and can be coaxed into oversteer if fitted with GTi anti-roll bars.

[@peterriggall8409]

Did quite a few miles in my Aunties Metro in Scotland. Unusual for an Aussie to have experience of a Metro. 12k Mile service interval would have been very unwise.

[@roberthoey8944]

Well done ....super little car ....long time since seen one on the road ....Robert

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Robert :)

[@adampowell5376]

So the Metro HLS had as many options as a VP Rover. Why didn't they give all models so many option?

[@Haffschlappe]

Why did BL not produce the very moder Bertone styled Innocenti as global Mini replacement?

[@TwinCam]

There are numerous reasons why the Bertone Innocenti Mini was never built in Britain, the centre of which is that it made zero sense. For starters, Bertone charged Innocenti a royalty on every single car. That, in a single swipe, pushed BL in Britain away from it. Their financial position was poor enough as it was, never mind having to pay an external company for use of their intellectual property. Then there are the practicalities of building them. As it was designed very quickly and on a small scale, the Bertone body was heavier and more complex than the original, meaning BL would have had to spend more money on materials and labour in building them. This would have wiped out any profit, never mind the licencing required. Plus, when on the road, it was slower and used more fuel than a standard Mini. Unforgivable when met by modern competition. Finally, the Bertone Mini may have looked good, but it actually wasn't. It was smaller than the original Mini, and though it had a hatchback, rear legroom was poor and the boot was even smaller. With the rise of the supermini class around that era, the Bertone Mini would have been an expensive and retrograde step in terms of development. The Metro was a vastly superior body shell design, even if it wasn't as stylish.

[@thebigcheese6606]

Didn't know you could get aircon. Brother had a metro and bent it in the middle. Great, for the time.

[@colrhodes377]

This car really saved BL. At least for the foreseeable future. A brilliant carvand i had two. Should have hone 1275 instead of 998

[@davidmbell]

I wonder if a mk1 Metro exists with air con and cruise? What a car.

[@PeterYeadon-js7ou]

I was just thinking that. Would be interesting to know if theres one about somewhere? A barn find!

[@TwinCam]

I know of three with cruise. One with the trip computer and one with electric mirrors. None with air con. One of my best mates has electric windows in his MG 1300, and he’s selling a NOS trip computer!

[@PeterYeadon-js7ou]

@@TwinCam Cheers for the answer! To show my age I had MG Maestro's 1600's with inherent hot start problems and the diff grinding it's way out of the housing! The trip/voice control was iffy at best. One had the R series engine the other the S. Both cars very underated. I've owned MG 2.0l Maestro's again underated. Also, MK3 Spitfire that I put the GT6 power train in, 2 dolly sprints (one expired on the M6 due to head gasket, MGB, MGB V8 plus the Roadster. Keep up your great work, you bring alot of great memories back! If Leyland had got it right, who knows? Regards Pete

[@safirahmed]

A larger 5 door Metro hatchback based the high end Metro HLS at launch without the other models could have reduced production costs by rationalising the nunbers of models and saved British Leyland money.

[@mikeenglish6401]

Great, as always Ed!

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always Mike 🙂

[@sameyers2670]

When did the base Metro become badged the City? My now ex stepdad had a E reg City when he met mum.

[@TwinCam]

From 1983, the City joined the range to sit below the Standard Metro.

[@andrewclark891]

Nice video I'd buy one today

[@paulc9588]

As a youngster at the time I can remember the hype surrounding the Metro in 1980. Local dealers had them on display in shopping centres and you had to queue for a chance to sit in one and collect a brochure and price list. Big excitement around the launch of a little car . . . this was most definitely a very big deal for BL. I can remember the price lists had been altered in pen as there had already been a price increase! Don't agree about the recessed headlights on the more basic models though, I think they look fine and add character to the car.

[@TwinCam]

Ahh, Britain in 1980! I have a cutout from a rundown of the most popular cars in the country in 1977. Each one had a percentage price increase from '76 next to them. They were all over 10% up. Some of the Japanese cars had a 30% price increase.

[@TwinCam]

That being said, we're heading back to that with these current inflation levels!

[@DavidT-Mallorca]

I'm so nerdy that I rarely discover new facts about motor industry history, but I didn't remember that options list. Hard today to emphasise how rare air con was in 1980, and non-existent away from top-end execs. Chrysler Europe and the French manufacturers put electric windows in their flagships and top of the range models from mid-size up over, but on a Metro in 1980?!! I wonder if there's a Metro left that had the full factory options list ticked back in '80/'81?

[@TwinCam]

I don’t know of any with the full suite, but I know of many with one or two of the options. If you go back and see my ‘Metros to the NEC’ video, you’ll see a 1983 MG with electric windows. Another friend of mine has one with the trip computer, and I know of Metros with air conditioning and cruise control.

[@DavidT-Mallorca]

@@TwinCam I did the NEC each year until COVID. Hopefully heading back this year. I was there each year for the British Motor Show back in the '80s. I've got your videos on 'notification', but I'll definitely go back and check that out! And there are Metros still around with factory air con and cruise control?? Amazing! Still thinking about those options. I remember as a kid back then, getting excited because my dad's latest Cavalier Mk1 had a clock in it 🤣, and there were Metros running around with a trip computer, cruise control, air con and headlight washers!🤣 Love the Metro by the way, in spite of its faults, the Mk1s especially. Absolutely right to highlight its importance.

[@franktaylor7617]

😎👍🇺🇲 I have little interest in the Metro and never knew it existed until I bought my Mini. The Mini's engine number came back as a 1984 Metro. Of course I didn't know what that was until I looked into it. The rest of the car is the S model. Not sure if the trans is Metro or original. Probably doesn't matter. I haven't heard about any significant upgrades to the later motors. If there was any. It be nice to hear about them or any identifying differences I could check to confirm it's Metro transplant. I only had one information source. I'm not 100% sure at this point. Nevertheless, I don't enjoy learning about unusual vehicles many that were not imported or very rare in the States. Whether I have any interest in the particular car or not. The videos are great 👍 Cheers from the PNW Seattle WA area. ✌️

[@TwinCam]

There are a lot of differences between genuine Cooper S engines and A+ engines when the blocks are studied. Even the cylinder heads have a different number of studs. There are plenty of information sites on the internet today for this kind of thing though, much more than I’d ever know!

[@franktaylor7617]

@@TwinCam Yes. I up to speed on the S and standard 1275.👍 I knew from the first look that my car didn't have the original S motor. Otherwise the car would have cost a fortune. I got a decent price on it. I was wondering if they updated the the later Metro engines from the early standard 1275? I haven't heard anything yet. I know the original S is an 11 bolt block with different main journals, rods, cylinder head, valve sizes, cam and compression. Also came will twin carbs. Mine is a basic single carb 1275, listed as 8.4 (if I remember correctly) compression ratio, 1984 Metro. I think it's a stock bore due to the fact that it still has its tag on the deck. It's nice to know which parts you have when ordering replacements. For instance. Is it a 1971 distributor or the 1984? The original carb or the later one? I know a lot more about motorcycles than I do about the slight difference in Mini parts.😁

[@TwinCam]

They changed the clutch setup in 1981 to a 'Verto' clutch, but apart from that, they stayed fundamentally the same through to 1989. That's when they fitted hardened valve seats to suit unleaded fuel, introduced to the UK that same year. However, they did make very small changes every few months for the sake of reliability or refinement. The consequence is that a 1990 Metro had a much more refined power unit than a 1980 Metro. The parts used though are so inconsequential on their own that information is scarce. No major changes though. If it's a 1984 Metro engine, chances are it'll still be on the points ignition. 1275cc Metros went to electronic ignition in 1987, but 998s stuck with the points. However, BL fitted whichever distributors they had in stock. Some could be Lucas, others Ducellier. There are lots of little bits on BL cars that could be of multiple specifications, it all needs individual part numbers to be taken! However, carburettors on a 1275cc would all have been an SU HIF44.

[@franktaylor7617]

@@TwinCam Yes it is a points unit. I was going to get a electronic conversion but of course I couldn't be certain which distributor it is. Thought it was just me😏 It is a cracking little car. Really fun and pretty reliable so far. I've replaced tons of stuff. Did some rust repair it fix a lot of little annoying things. Even built my own air filter setup. The stocker wasn't exactly pretty. Next is swapping out the seats, full exhaust and some wiring that's pretty sketchy. Fun little project.👍

[@ciatangallaghe2485]

They alway looked cool.

[@matthewweinle8639]

Great video but such a shame that Austin Rover had a policy of sourcing the lowest priced parts no matter what the price to quality/reliability/longevity - I was shocked when I bought a new boot lid gas strut that failed within 5 operations....

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Matthew :) The quality of the parts was so very British - temperamental. However, Metros had no recurring reliability problems in normal service. Bits fell off and they rotted within days rather than decades, but they tended to keep running, at least.

[@The-Rectifier]

I love the superlatives used in the brochure, realwas a bit different. The Metro may been a huge " succes" for the local market, but on the Mainland....they surely weren't very popular. Mostly because the Metro was relatively expensive - also had very poor performance -the lack of a five-speed gearbox and ofcourse the poor build qualty / rust issues. However...the fuel economy was great, for such a box on wheels. Most ppl here, choose the R5/ Fiesta etc...above the Metro. Personally ive still have the impression that the politic and economic situation in Britain, has a lot to do with it. Underestimate car, probably?😊

[@TwinCam]

Up to 1983, that really wasn’t the case. In the Metro’s first few years, most superminis didn’t have five-speed gearboxes, and their performance was very similar to the Metro. For example, all equivalent Metros were faster than Fiestas. R5s were a little quicker, but the Metro did no harm to itself in those regards. Only the likes of the R5 Gordini Turbo really pulled away from it. The Metro did well in France, Portugal, and Greece, but it didn’t sustain that success. By 1984 it may as well have been dead overseas, not only because BL barely had any dealer network left in Europe due to a cull in the ‘70s, but also because the second generation of superminis came along in ‘83. The Fiat Uno, Peugeot 205, and Mk2 Fiesta all overcame any advantage the Metro had, brought widespread five-speed ‘boxes, and coupled to the Super5 and Corsa/Nova, the Metro began to look really dated.

[@samscott9395]

My mum's metro couldn't even take on a damp morning 😂

[@TwinCam]

I can’t say that’s ever an issue any of my friends or I have ever encountered. The first port of call would have been an ill-fitting distributor cap.

[@stephanweberoso]

Danke!

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Stephan, that’s very generous of you 🙂

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Have you reviewed a Vanden Plas spec yet?

[@TwinCam]

I have not, yet!

[@aria_aradhea]

I wonder if the air conditioning option on the Metro was what later adapated to become the Japanese specifications air-conditioned Minis...

[@TwinCam]

Different systems. The Mini system is very specialised as it’s rather compact. The later Rover Metro air conditioning system does share some parts with the Mini system though.

[@Danny_Boel]

5:39 that kinda looks like a Citroen LNA

[@TwinCam]

I see that to a point.

[@robertkimber822]

The Metro certainly was a well-deserved success and could have been the start of a "product-led recovery". Sadly, it was followed by Maestro and Montego. Still, thank you for another gresat video.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Robert :)

[@gc7820]

The metro just about squeaked into the marketplace in time to not look and feel completely outdated by the time it launched from its overly long gestation unlike the maestro & montego. If they got the metro out about 2 years earlier and managed to get the maestro and montego out by 1980 (81 at the latest) I think they’d have had real success and been able to update the cars better in the mid 80s to follow the design trends of the day rather than launching cars designed to compete with other manufacturers mid to late 70’s products. For goodness sake in the early 80s David Bache was trying to get an opera window in the montego C-pillar which was already old hat in the US where they started doing them in the 60s.

[@TwinCam]

It’s a shame for all three of those cars. The delays were due to the reorganisation needed post-nationalisation. There was a fair bit of time while they scratched their heads, wrote reports, and figured out what to do.

[@a11csc]

i had a brand new metro in 1983

[@Plattyboys]

I'm sure if BL had somehow made it to the modern day, they would still be running some sort of iteration of the A-series

[@TwinCam]

They’d replaced the A-Series in all their new cars by 1990. It’s replacement was called the K-Series.

[@Plattyboys]

My dreams of what could have been have been utterly smashed...

[@TwinCam]

@GlennShimmin Now Ford, they kept using the Kent through to 2004 in the Ka, launched in 1996. The last BL car launched with the A-Series was the Montego in 1984.

[@Plattyboys]

@@TwinCam You will have to do a trip to the Isle of Man some time, you will be spoilt for choice in cars to showcase. The Island is also home to one of two prototype Vauxhall motorbikes.

[@MakerfieldConsort]

I believe it was the train manufacturer Metro-Cammell who cried foul over the use of the name Metro. That being the case, didn't they notice when Austin quietly dropped the 'mini' part?

[@michaelhart895]

Ironically Metro - cammel went the same way as Austin Rover . Sold off to the French Alstrom who asset stripped it , after the government had awarded it a large contract. Shut down and the work taken over to France . Not a whimper from the Blair government ,at the time, just like when Rover when it went to the wall .

[@TwinCam]

Yes, it was them indeed. They came to an agreement.

[@TwinCam]

Blair's government would never have bothered. In fact, neither would Michael Howard's Tory Party of the time. By that point, Rover had become so small that it was inconsequential to the wider country's economy, and it had barely any image worth saving. As soon as they went under, Ford had use of the name, and they didn't even think about reviving it.

[@asa1973100]

I brought one new in the late 1980s it was called the mini Metro principles styled by the very famous fashion house of principal clothing that was very avant-garde in the 1980s / Absolutely loved it .

[@andrewroberts4736]

My dear departed Uncle had a brand new Metro when they first came out. I remember as I had to wash and wax it. It was in metallic dark brown (yuck) but he enjoyed diving it. My cousin had one 3 years later (ex demo) that was quite high spec and had stripes on it!!!! I had a brand new Rover Metro gta 1.1 litre. in 1993 . Probably the best car I ever had and I really regret selling it when I did. My family were all Metro fans!!!!

[@TwinCam]

Those K-Series Metros are criminally underrated. Austin Rover always prioritised engineering over appearances, and that came back to bite them with the Metro. Those later cars were totally different beneath, but people couldn't come to terms with that.

[@brianknowles1727]

Country to what people say about the metro my wife had a brand new one in 1987 and another new one in 1993 both cars were absolutely fantastic smooth quiet and good handling much better than any ford at the time.

[@TwinCam]

Britain's relationships with its own products is ever so confusing. The Metro was always rated by motoring journalists as a decent car up to the best in its class depending on the era in which they were writing. Anything Britain does, its own self-deprecating nature goes far more than a joke. It in turn destroys its own products. The French and Germans, for example, always buy their own. Britain doesn't do that.

[@nthnmonkey]

A74LJT my first, A132NFV my second, both MG versions. Great Video thanks.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@paulthesquid3595]

Well a Metro said to the VW Golf see you in the scrapyard in 20 years time the Golf replied i don't think so you will have rotted away in 5 years time.😂🤣😂

[@TwinCam]

Have you ever seen a Volkswagen from the ‘80s? A Golf would very much hold its own in the rust stakes. The vast majority of surviving Mk1 Golfs have severe structural rust, while although a number of surviving Metros are rusty, they aren’t structurally unsafe.

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

Errrrrrrrr We do like test drives.

[@TwinCam]

With what car?

[@Jay_Tanner]

Wasn’t this the car that had one of, if not the worst, NCAP safety rating ever?

[@minbannister3625]

The main problem was it wasn't as cheap as it looked.

[@jh565bb]

Same with the mini.

[@TwinCam]

I'd absolutely argue that the Metro *looked* like the most expensive supermini in 1980.

[@minbannister3625]

@@TwinCam Did you buy one?

[@simonf8902]

The taxpayer paid for every BL car till the end of the British car industry.

[@TwinCam]

That’s not true at all. The Maestro and Montego were, but from then on, all the BL/Rover cars were internally funded, and after privatisation in 1988, naturally the state had no involvement.

[@simonf8902]

@@TwinCam if the BL/River was so self sustaining ; then why the end game and sale ? First to Brits. That was a fumble. Then the fatal blow and so to BMW ? The Phoenix group was dodgy as all hell. The British car industry was a dead duck from the 1950s. Admit it.

[@TwinCam]

Because everything was privatised in the 1980s. BL was a car company. The government privatised basic services too.

[@mikeg8835]

Good video and narration...but please stop the dancing hands

[@TwinCam]

A little passion and expression never hurt anyone.

[@drewstewart9016]

It was more than up to the competition at the time, but shame they didn't do it 5 years earlier in mid 70's !

[@TwinCam]

Had the Metro launched in 1978, I think it would have trounced the Fiesta in the UK. Reason being, the Mini continued to outsell the Fiesta until 1979, despite being an objectively substantially worse car.

[@drewstewart9016]

Ford were on a roll in the UK car market in the 1970's and Fiesta would have done well regardless of any competition. Just a shame BL messed up product planning so badly and trashed some really strong brands !

[@jh565bb]

@@drewstewart9016 Yep they cut so many corners with the metro, my biggest gripe was how they took great cars like the triumph stag, rover sd1 and triumph tr7 and ruined them so badly. They were beyond incompetent at times lol.

[@arvymajid4424]

🌺 "promo sm"