#Red mg metro manual

The 1100 was discontinued in 19, in 1973. The 1100 / 1300 cars turned out to be very popular, and they remain much loved in the UK.

#Red mg metro manual

A 1275cc version of the A-series came along later, as the 1300 model.Īn optional four-speed automatic transmission became available but proved to be less than durable unlike the manual gearbox, the automatic wasn’t happy sharing oil with the engine.

There were two- and four-door versions available the two-doors proved to be more popular with the buying public. The 1100 brought MG a bit of racing success in the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally, with a fourth-in-class finish. Essentially, they’re a big brother to the popular Mini, with front-wheel drive, a transversely mounted A-series engine and Hydrolastic suspension. These really deserve an article all to themselves ( ED: Coming soon, as I’ve found one). A somewhat predictable trend, but who could have guessed the most quintessential British brand would end up in China?įirst up is the MG 1100, which along with its many badge-engineered siblings, is also known as the ADO16. Despite this, bespoke saloon designs were no more, as every car was based heavily on the offerings of the current parent company. They even attempted to go high-tech in the early 1980s with digital dashes and voice control. This time we’ll watch MG try to spice things up with front-wheel drive, hatchbacks and turbos. Regardless, the Metro Turbo is still a great fun drive and worthy competition to its GTi and Turbo peers.ĭo you have happy memories of window-down whooshing turbo noises from your Metro, or are you a Maestro or Montego Turbo fan? Or perhaps you could never forgive the brand for shunning its sportscar roots? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.( first posted ) In MG Sporting Saloons Part One we saw the more traditional interpretations on the sporty family saloon. Hydragas suspension was fitted, of course, and rumours persist that Lotus was originally involved with fine-tuning the setup for the Turbo. This ensured that peak boost of 7.5psi was only achieved at higher engine speeds. To control boost at lower revs and limit the strain on the gearbox, MG designed a primitive electronic boost controller – a solenoid-controlled bleed valve that would limit the build-up of boost (literally as it sounds, leaking air through the diaphragm that regulates boost pressure).

MG, however, had a genuinely revolutionary method for protecting the ‘box. Nowadays, rebuild kits with uprated components are available and five-speed conversions are also not uncommon. Never designed to withstand the power of a turbocharged engine, they soon garnered a reputation for being a bit fragile. The updated, ‘Octagonal’ side graphics were added in ’89.īeneath the A-Series lived the originally Mini-derived four-speed gearbox. The front end received a visual tweak of the bonnet line in October ’84, when the interior dash was also lightly revised. The three-door shell was treated to a deep front spoiler, wheel spats, rear spoiler and model-specific 13-inch wheels, behind which lived servo-assisted brakes with four-pot calipers and vented discs at the front. Very strong figures for a hatchback in the 80s. This enabled 0-60mph in under 10 seconds and a 112mph top speed. The by-then already legendary 1275cc A-Series engine ran with a specially-developed head designed to maximise the potential of turbocharging, and with a single SU carb and Garrett T3 turbo made at least 93bhp in road trim (there were rumours of many engines making closer to three-figures). When it came to the drivetrain, in many ways MG kept to a tried and tested formula – which would end up being bother a strength and (literally) weakness. When it went on sale in ’83 it provided everything any discerning hot hatch buyer could want: bodykit, exclusive alloy wheels, red seatbelts and a digital boost gauge. It built on the go-faster pretentions of the naturally-aspirated MG and was one of the earlier adopters of turbocharging. It was a far cry from MG sportscars of the past, but the country was at the cusp of a hot hatch revolution and the Metro was a forerunner. The Metro Turbo was unveiled at the Birmingham Motor Show in October 1982 and was an important model for the brand: it confirmed MG’s commitment to making cars for 80s buyers instead of buyers in their 80s.