MG Metro
MG Metro, MG Metro Turbo and MG 6R4
With Austin Rover looking to increase sales of their cars, the defunct MG badge was brought back into circulation with MG models of all the current Austin Rover cars to be released as brand leading models. The MG Metro was the first MG car since 1980, and was followed by the MG Maestro and MG Montego, although the MG Metro was arguably the greater success, although all enjoyed strong sales in the UK market.
Visually the cars differed little from the standard 3 door Metros of the time, receiving alloy wheels, MG branding, sports seats, rear spoiler and red seatbelts and carpet. The Engines were the 1275cc A series engines as found in the Minis of the time.
The MG Metro turbo received additional treatment with black wheel arch covers, differing front air dam and larger alloy wheels.
The MG Metro 1300 was actually voted car of the year in What Car? Magazine in 1983, and was well received by the motoring press of the time. The standard MG Metro boasted impressive performance figures with its 72 bhp engine and recording the following performance specs, with a 0-60mph time of just 12.2 seconds and a top speed of 100mph.
Less then 6 months after the launch of the naturally aspirited MG Metro, the MG Metro Turbo was launched, boasting impressive performance figures from its 93 bhp engine, including a 0-60 mph time of 9.4 seconds and a top speed of 110mph.
As the standard models received overalls as did the MG Metro, inheriting any styling changes and specification improvements from its sister Austin cars, most notably in 1989 the cars received a major overall as the Metro shape subtably changed with the Rover rebranding exercise, sadly the MG Metros production ceased in 1989 with the full Rover rebrand and the introduction of the Rover Metro's with their own 'sporty' models.
During the period the most radical Metro of all was launched, with Austin Rover looking to move into the Rally market, the MG Metro 6R4 was launched, a radically re-engineered car with four wheel drive and mid engine, the 6R4 was launched in 1984 after nearly 4 years of development. As a requirement of entering the Rally in the class B, at least 200 road vehicles had to be built within a period of 12 months for the car to be eligible for competition.
The car was badged the 6R4 because it was a 6 cylinder (engined) Rally (car with) 4 wheel drive. The 6R4 was launched to the motoring press in early 1984 to much acclaim and early tests in the York National Rally of 1984 resulted in the car setting the fastest times in 8 stages and gaining a lead of over 3 minutes before a alternator fault resulted in the car retiring from the race, the car continued to appear at numerous national rallies as the team continued to develop the car towards the final homologation model. In February 1985 the 6R4 tasted its first rally win at the Skip Brown Cars Gwynedd Rally. The specification was nearly complete with the only stumbling block being the wait for the development of a full rally spec engine designed to pump out a full 410 bhp in full race tune. It was at the time, and quite possibly still is the first engine to be specifically designed purely for rally. Most manufacturers tended and indeed continue to modify existing engines to suit.
The final homologation spec was announced in May 1985, and Austin Rover produced 200 cars between August and October 1985 to successfully successfully homologating the car into Group B as from 1st November 1985 - Homologation No B-277.
The car entered is first World Rally Championship event in 1985 and finished a very credable 3rd overall in the 1985 Lombard RAC Rally.
However reliability and technical issues plagued the car through World Rally Championship events and the car never matched its debut result.
However in International and National Rallys the car was received by private entrants with much acclaim and stormed to several fine wins, winning a total of 5 championships in 1985, the 6R4 was a success at every level bar the top.
The 6R4 was largely forced from the World Rally Championships in 1987 after alterations to the Groupd B specifications effectively ruled the 6R4 from the competition, the 6R4 continued to be sold as Austin Rover cleared there stock of the model and continues to appear at Rallys and events across the world to this day under private ownership.
