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Metro - The British Car To Beat The World! Austin 998 City & Rover 1.4 GSi Road Test
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- čas přidán 15. 08. 2024
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The Metro was one of many attempts by British Leyland to replace the Mini, a culmination of various prototypes, including the ADO74 and ADO88. Using the Hydragas suspension from the Allegro and the 998 and 1275 A-Series engines from the Mini, the Metro’s modern design allowed it to compete in the new supermini class of the 80s. However, with an apetite for rust and questionable reliability, its reputation was dwindling by the 1990s. The Rover Metro - codenamed AR6 - was Rover’s attempt to modernise the aging platform, boasting a revised interior and all-new K-Series engine. Jeff and Joe decided to chart the life and times of the British Car To Beat The World…
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My first car was an 86 Metro City in cat defecate brown, with matching interior. As unappealing as it was to the eye, the sense of freedom it gave me I will never forget.
At 29 years of age I can still remember my dad’s Metro! 🥰
He owned an E reg VDP Metro 1300 automatic that was in two tone blue so it was a dark shade of blue on the lower half and bright blue on the top half complete with blue velour interior with colour coded seatbelts and carpets, it served my dad unbelievably from 1997-2010!😱
I can say that almost every year it required welding to the floorpans and sills usually….. a major job my dad carried out was rebuilding the auto box as for a while it would sometimes skip or struggle to go into 4th gear when in auto and the kick-down function failed, good times!☺️
Being brought up with a Metro for most of my childhood had an affect on me, despite rust issues etc I adore all things BL/Austin Rover ☺️
I have a 1989 Maestro and a 1975 Allegro, both are rolling driving restorations! 👍
Good on you for keeping them going!
@@ClassicsWorldUK
Thanks!❤️😁
‘The writing was on the wall when euro ncap crashed it into one’ 😂😂😂
I too am an unapologetic Metro apologist! My Mum has a mk1 mini Metro City 1.0, My Dad had a Mk2 Metro 1.3L that I got to use after I passed my test, and the first car I bought for myself was an R6 Metro 1.4 GTi. I’d love to find another Mk2 3dr 1.3L dark blue with that chocolate brown interior again, then mod it with a turbo and 5 speed box!! 😍😍😍
I was at the Metro launch in 1980 and it was a very good car really. The 998 cc versions were a bit nicer to drive than the 1275. However, it didn't take long for a few problems to emerge and the later ones seemed to rust faster - it was common to find three or four year old examples to have rusty front wings. I always found the original cars with the SD1 style dash (box on a shelf instrument cluster) nicer than the facelift versions.
The four pot calipers came later - MG Turbo first and all cars from the 1985 facelift.
Our one and only car was a used Metro 1.0L, which we bought in 1985, as I recall. It was an A-reg.
We owned it for ten years and it served us very well indeed. We carried many and varied loads in it, and even occasionally carried our two bikes on the roof.
Yes, I had to change the wings after a few years. Yes, I had to have a welded patch to the floor under the passenger seat. Yes, the Hydragas did need an occasional pump up. But the engine and gearbox were faultless and most maintenance tasks were easy, even for a duffer like me.
In short, I loved it, and probably more than I realised at the time.
This brings back memories. I learnt to drive in and passed my test in a H reg Metro in 1991.
Yeah, remember growing up there would be metros everywhere. Along with Novas, Escorts, Sierras, Cavaliers etc.
I passed my test in a Metro in '95, this definitely brought back the memories. It was a great little car, it's such a shame what happened to Rover in the end.
Still have my 1.4 diesel on SORN. Apart from the clutch in the Peugeot made engine needing 2 replacements, extremely reliable car.
I had an '82 MG Metro 1300 many years ago, maybe the most fun car to drive I've ever had. The first buyer splashed out on rust proofing - worth it as when I looked it up it's SORN but not scrapped still today.
Rover were brilliant in the way they updated the Metro with the K Series engine and properly connected Hydragas suspension and I remember most commentators claiming it best in class. Its downfall was the old body with its skinny A pillars which seemed to have two joints in them. No wonder they succumbed miserably in those crash tests.
Its funny you should say that but we have a friend who had a K series Metro she was happy with. Then the crash test stories came out and suddenly it was crap........ nothing had changed in the construction but the reporting changed minds and sadly filled scrap yards
@@darrenwilson8042 bear in mind the car was really designed to do 30mph city driving, In london and similar you's be hard pressed to get above 40. Sure if you get hit by a lorry... but that would be the same in a Fiesta or anything built in the 80's other than a SAAB or a Volvo .. neither of which were capable of 40mpg in town
The K Series Metro was excellent - what an amazing transformation they achieved - it even looked different enough to be a new model - the improvement in ride and
handling was almost unbelievable! By far my favourite super mini from this period. What a shame they never invested in a proper replacement - Rover may not have gone had they got it right. Evidence is what MINI has become - the original 2001 MINI was after Rover developed with BMW cash.
My first two cars were Austin Metros - I wrecked them both lol. Then in the 90s I became a driving instructor and bought a Rover 114 GSi and it was stupidly fast considering the lack of safety features!
When I win the lottery I’m getting myself a 6R4 😁
I used to drive a Rover 114 SL over here in Germany. It was a really nice car which benefitted the Rover marque so well. It's been advertised as "The smallest Rover for your biggest enjoyments". I loved it and drove extra ways to prolong the journey. It's been on holidays to Bavaria, Netherlands, several times to England Belgium and other places. Always comfy, always reliable, except for three head gasket changes in 250 000 Kilometers. When sold off at the age of 12, with 189000 km on the clock it went to a friend, who travelled long distance Germany to Netherlands for years until corrosion made it no longer affordable to run and it was sold off for a few Euros to a trader. Everyone driving this car with its 1.4 litre 8V engine, or being a passenger on it, loved it. It was so different from Fiestas Corsas, Polos an the likes. It was unique, British, in some way the follow up to the 1100/1300 BMC cars, and it aired some feel of quality, that was definitely ROVER . Something we miss today and had been lost. Saying this as I have run in my life 10 different BL, Rover cars. From 114 to P6s, 214, 825s and 827, MG Marstro, 2 Allegros. Miss it still today and would go for another one, if reasonably priced in good condition. Lovely car, beautiful memories.❤❤❤❤
Are you German ? Really? 😅 joking ofc , but I totally understand your feelings towards the brand !
I had a number of Metros from the City to a Vandan Plas which had electric front windows, walnut dash and door caps, a four speed box with overdrive and the plushish seats you could want luxury on a shoestring.
I had a MINT (and very, very fast) Rover Tomcat 220 Coupe Turbo and was offered a Rover 100 Knightsbridge 1.1i for £50... Sold the Turbo.... 100 was so much more fun!!!!
Many happy memories scooting around town with my dad back in the 80's and 90's in Metros. Thanks guys, subscribed
They've rebadged it you fool!
Owned a few of Metros. Never really had a problem with them. Yes they had their flaws, but the A+ was half decent my 1985 (Face lift) 1.0L was reliable (mostly!); mine did suffer from road spray (in heavy rain) soaking the distributor causing it to conk out, but I solved that with two cable ties and a rubber mat!! Yes mine did suffer rust on the front wings (at the A-Panel) but I replaced them myself (£30 a wing) paid a panel beater mate £50 to spray them up! I believe the hydro-gas was independent on the front and connected side/side on the rear. I put 40,000 miles on that little thing. I also owned a 91 1.1S; that was also really good, the 1.1 K-Series never really had the HG issues of the 1.4, agree was a step up from the A-series and 5-speed made it a decent motorway cruiser, but again a good little workhorse. Also had 1.4 GTa which drive similar to the 1.1S only a lot quicker! And finally a 87 Turbo...that was a hoot, go-kart handling but definitely needed a 5th gear, especially on the motorway.
Happy memories, I owned a 1986 Austin Metro 1.3L, followed by a 1990 Rover Metro 1.4GTa. Both decent cars.
Yay! Love a Metro
I learnt to drive in a rover 100, (last metro model) my instructor swapped it for a Nissan Micra when they stopped making it. I honestly preferred the 100, it felt more fun and sharper in terms of handling.
Erm... drive carefully chaps. 👍😁
I keep thinking about those euro ncap videos 🫣
These were from a time people weren't wet
Sweet metro 😎
Oh God. Years ago, I bought a five year old, low mileage, good condition Metro.
A later chat with my mechanic explained that Metros were OK until they weren't. I had to replace at least one tyre or at least part of the exhaust, if not the whole thing, every year (nothing to do with my driving.) Can't remember what finally ended the car, but it was my worst car ever.
We had a late model GTi 16v limited edition car. It was great fun, but did suffer with k series hgf and some rot on the arches. Both of which we resolved.
My first car in the 90’s was an A reg Metro 1.0. It was forever breaking down but I remember it fondly.
Stil run metro as my daily work car,great fun to drive through rush hour traffic with all modern cars ..
Fantastic!
I offered 10k for this back in November where it was on show at the NEC...I love them
I'd hardly describe a C plate (1985/6 I think) facelift Metro as 'very early'. It came out 5 years before C registration (I think - I remember seeing my first one one a X suffix plate which would make it 1981/82) and had undergone a facelift when the model you drive her was made.
True. It was launched in 1980 (3-door only) and that is indeed a MK2 model. (Although they do briefly mention both those facts in the video).
@@AtheistOrphan I agree about the mention - my challenge was describing a car from 4 or 5 years into the production run as ‘very early’…
We took over my grandads 1.0L when he stopped driving and one by one the whole family ran out of fuel in it. We never thought to inform the others that it was empty when the fuel gauge read a quarter! 😂
Brings back memories of the 3 Metro I had in succession as company cars. I thought they were fine, good fun to drive/thrash. Mind you, the company sold them on at 30k miles because they didn't want to risk unreliability...
I've had 6 Metro GTi 16v's. They were absolutely superb cars except for the rate which they rusted. Oh and I never had a single head gasket failure either.
The best one was one of the limited edition GTi 16v SE's (1 of 500 with Nightfire red paint and half leather). As a 1.4 it was capable of beating cars it had no right to beat (like 205 GTi 1.6's) and for some reason was much faster than any of the other MPI GTI's I had. Yet when I stripped the engine after a timing belt failure it was completely standard.
I also fitted 1.8 K-series engines to 2 of them. One a standard 118bhp and one VVC version with the solid cam conversion. That one also was stripped out, caged, RoverSport/Bilstein suspension and went like shit off a hot shiny shovel. Had planned to get a stronger gearbox and an LSD installed but I totalled it one night in the fog.
They were unsafe, poorly built, had an horrendous image but by hell they were a lot of fun. It was always SO sweet to beat someone in a race. The look of disgust on some peoples face was epic 😂
Nice One Had a one little old lady owner B reg 1.3 5 door metallic paint £ 300 with a years MOT back in 2003 simpler times 😀😀 Thanks
I do love a metro and proud to be a metro fan. I do love the Rover but for me it's got to be a 1.3 a+ metro
I had a red mg Metro,was fast.used to love whizzing about in it
Love a Metro regardless of incarnation. RIP my Russet brown VNL460Y. Another fantastic trip down memory lane. Thanks chaps.
I have owned many Metro GTi's. I still race one. The biggest failing was not having power steering, as this was a feature that many people like/need. The 1400 k series engine is fantastic and I have never had head gasket problems. Just try to avoid crashing them.
I had a Austin metro gta 1989 . It had nice body kit and it looked better than the mg version and nice alloys . And rover metro 114 gsi , Iit was last facelift with the rover grill and plastic wood trim though , and also nice alloy. I thought they were nice cars . Great video, regards mark
I’ve enjoyed the comments regarding the crash safety issue - however, the Metro was deemed perfectly ok when launched in 1980, and again when relaunched as the Rover Metro in 1990 - it’s only crime was staying in production after the introduction of more stringent NCAPs in the mid-90s. Other than that, I think they were cracking little cars - easily the best thing produced by BL in the 80s, and they were very well received when they were relaunched with the K series engine too. However, the car should have been retired in 1995/6 - the Rover 100 was a stretch too far!
Travelling by bus is far more dangerous, as is cycling, motorcycling, walking, and possibly even sitting in a black cab (with other, possibly inconsiderate, unrestrained passengers).
Most collisions happen at FAR lower speeds an severities than the one shown in the NCAP test, and don't happen at as slow, and as elaborate a rate in real life.
The NCAP test was, and still is, a weapon of fear against motorists.
And with fear, critical thinking goes out of the window.
Of course, what the tests DON'T tell motorists, is that aftermarket (or even possibly manufacturer offered) reinforcements could be made to the body shell through "crash cages" to reduce intrusion into the cabin, an airbag fitted to ALL model steering wheels - things like that.
I wonder if any modifications were ever offered by Rover (or anyone else) to attempt to address these concerns??
I don't want to be the crumple zone of my car thanks. But I do love these charming things 😊
I had many k series engine 1.1 , 1.4 1.6 non of them had over heating issues it was only the 1.8 non turbo that had issues and this was corrected in the turbo version
Great stuff, pity Rover didn't have the money for a new larger body to go with the mechanicals as would have been a great car - learned to drive in a Rover Metro in '92 and chose BSM based on this 😃
Don't forget the HLE 3 +E 64mpg at a steady 56 MPH (:
I think you can blame Rover to a certain extent. They should have stuck to what they knew. Premium saloons cars, not dabbling in little shit box shopping trolleys. This was ROVER for god sake. It breaks the heart.
My brother had a 75 rover P6 V8, one of the best cars I've ever been in . how they went from that this these things os heartbreaking.
I bought a new 998cc Metro City X in 1985, it was an outright purchase as the dealer refused to take my smart looking, but oil leaking Marina in P/X. It was a disaster from day 0. The day I went collect it I walked in to the showroom to expect a handover only to be told they had my car were unable to supply it because the engine started making a noise as they took it for a pre-delivery run that morning. After some negotiation, I had to make do with leaving the showroom that day with the salesman's Metro demonstrator. A few days later they phoned me to say the engine fault had been identified as a faulty casting on the cylinder head causing poor oil-flow to the tappets. They said they were awaiting a new cylinder head to be delivered from Longbridge. After taking legal advice I was told I was unable to reject the car because it had already been registered in my name, even though I had not even seen the car and it had been delivered from factory with a serious engine fault. When the car was finally available for collection (they refused to deliver it) I was offered nothing more than an apology. For the first six months of delayed ownership the car returned to the dealer for attention no less that 23 times for squeaks, rattles electrical gremlins and most serious and persistent of all, an intermittent loss of power above 50mph. Lawyers got involved, engineers from Longbridge got involved, but I was ultimately told I could not refuse the vehicle because they had never refused to repair it. Two-and-a-half years later I traded it in for a new Ford Fiesta which was supplied without fault and require no warranty work. I struggled to get a fair trade-in value for the Metro has a lot of stonechip damage to the front valance and the Ford salesman was able to demonstrate there was already rust-through i.e. rust holes! That said, when it worked it was fun to drive and handled well. Edit: I've just checked online and somehow that little Metro managed to survive until (taxed until) 1995.
How to lose a customer 101. They got you locked into this one but you probably never bought another Austin or Rover ever again.
I had 2 K series Metro`s in the 90``s and both were great little motors very economical and nice to drive
Owned one.....for some reason i love these little cars.
The wood was actual wood still at this point in time, as it always was in the R8. Not until the HHR did plastic wood make an appearance. I still have a couple of pieces of the actual timber
My first car 1991 Rover Metro GTA. My second car 1994 Rover metro GTA. First was more reliable than the second, which was nothing but trouble. Brake master cylinder,then the Motorola engine management system went haywire.
The Rover Metro was a vast improvement on the A series Metro, they did rot but not as bad as the early ones.
However that singing A series and the boxy charm of the early cars does make them endearing.
Talking of rust though, it wasn’t just the Metro that suffered, most 80’s small hatchbacks suffered with rot, and by the mid to late 90’s they were all cheap cars.
Watched from Old Harbour Jamaica and I still have my Motor Magaine with the loanch and the road test of defferent models and it looked quiet promising in those days. I also remember Motor Magazine recommened it for car of the year in Europe that year but Europe choose the new FWD Ford Escort instead and they were not please for as loanch the Escort was critisized for it's handling and ride qualities. From that time till now I have only seen one Metro on the island in the late 1980's but many FWD Escort were sold hear and a few are still on the road.
even though i drive an r8 216 cabby and an r8 214 my heart is mini and metro , but no money to buy either lol , great video, jeff used to park his white mini outside my garage in bath , little did he know the mini inside was an 1100 special
My first car was a Clubman 1989. I loved it because it cost £12 to fill the tank.
Still a few of these on the road here in South Africa, well its the Tata Indica, but same thing.
You're confusing it with the CityRover which these are not.
Had a Rover 1.4li CVT as a mobility car for 3 years in 93 was a solid run about despite the grandma jokes i got lol , smashed out 40,000 miles no problem and was suprisingly rapid if you could stand the racket of the engine revving its ass off with the CVT gearbox 😆😬
I had a Rover Metro Gti 16v it was a little rocket. Loved it
Love my 111 from '97 Greetings from The Netherlands 🇳🇱
One metro I've only seen once was a metro van . I was going to buy a new maestro van in 1987 I think it was . Rostock garage couldn't get one straight away as they were in demand. The owner said he would sell me a brand new metro van for £2200 on the road . It would be no good for me as it is too small . The maestro van I brought second hand for £1400 a year old which was a really good van .
Loved this, always been a Rover and a Metro fan
My granddad suggested a Metro for my first car, I almost decked him!
Honestly can't blame you lol.
Why, was it that bad?
I had a few of the later 100 series. Great fun to drive! The rev limiter used to sound great with an exhaust
I had silver 114 gsi for a while in early 2000s, cool little cars I had mine up until the spare wheel well fell out the bottom of car 🤣
To beat the world…….I don’t think so 😂
More like your little island. 😅
I think you are unfair on the equipment in the city. We had a polo at the time and i can see from that video there is a clock in the metros cabin! What luxury!! The polo had one too but we had to buy it from argos and stick it to the dash with sticky fixers😂 That was also 4 speed. One did get an automatic choke though which was a step up until it went wrong.
Another nail in the coffin for Rover. What a way to destroy your own brand.
Exactly this.
Rust after 3 years.
Remind me to borrow your rose tinted glasses guys 😂
Lynn, they just changed the badge....!
My uncle and grandfather had a few Metros in the early 1980's due to my Grandfather working at Cowley and getting a discount. They were not good cars, even by the standards of the time but at least they didn't cost them too much.
What made them not good?
@@McVaio Unreliable, rusty, noisy, bouncy ride, only 4 gears, bus driver driving position.
We had the mg turbo, really nice fun car, worth a bit of money now
The Metro had one big problem: Peugeot 205!
While I'm at it, I think you say the Metro City didn't have a folding rear seat - it did - it was just a single fold rather than a 60/40 split fold.
I really hate it when 'classic car' channels on CZcams state 'facts' that are actually assumptions/guesses.
We had two MG Metros in our family and several friends with Metros. I don't recall anyone having significant reliability problems when new. They certainly weren't noticeably worse than other small hatches of the era.
You are quite correct. I meant to say split fold...
@@jeffruggles1068 - no worries. You're channel is usually pretty good with these things. I also know it can be difficult to remember every detail when speaking to camera and you probably don't have the luxury of autocue.
What really irritates me is when classic car channels repeated get things wrong. In decades to come, much of the written literature will have been lost and these videos will become source material for historians. We have a duty to make sure it is as accurate as possible.
E191 GPC I remember you well
The Rover Metro was superb. Right up until you had a crash in it. Then you didn't care any more because you had the word deceased after your name.
I did indeed have a mini as my first car in 1986, then a metro. They are of their time. New cars hardly ever rust these days. The advancements in the the the paint is applied to cars now ensures this. In the 1980s the basic metro didn’t even have a near side wing mirror, that was classed as an etc! 🤣🤣
Enjoyed that. Thanks 👍
Thanks for watching!
I bought one as it was cheap was surprised to find it had the A series engine.
The understeer in this car was unbelievable.
Nice review and comparison, was there a crash test on the Mini ? 😂
Was it worth buying in the late 90s? Unless dedicated to the brand, not really. Wasn't very reliable or safe compared to the newer competition. But it handled like a go-kart, had character and the 3-door Rover Metro GTI with its red stripes and 16v 1.4 K-series was a right laugh. Wonder if any GTIs have survived?
They’ve re badged it yer fool !!
A-Ha!
Hydragas was independent at the front, but side to side interconnected at the rear (at least in the A series engined versions)
I had a J reg 1.1c and really like it
In the 80s yes. In the 1990s hell no! Why anyone would have bought an outdated tin box in the 1990s is beyond me. Metros were well past it from 1990 onwards.
it was outdated from day one, to it's credit. it did briefly save BL. But they were awful and rotted after 3 to 4 years.
My first crush. Her mum had a metro. And she didn't like me. So had to run whenever I heard it coming.
I'd love a rover metro GTI ace little motors
my mum had one, a rover 114i in a really strange teal blueish purple colour which due a huge ditch in our driveway that was so bad that we had to get the grass torn away to fill it with gravel
I owned a 1.0L in Moonraker Blue.Unreliable rustbucket that made me buy 'foreign' cars ever since...
My first new car was a Metro City, D650 VNN.
My Mum had a couple of Metros, one was a white MG, that got nicked...
Good video you did not
mentioned about the metro gti
It was already out of date when it launched. It was supposed to have been launched in 1977 I believe. Possibly earlier.
My first car; a 1.3 White Rover Metro Sport with red seat belts. Awful reliability and got sold after 3 month, but I was still fond of the way I drove and how peppy the engine was.
Loved driving my brothers rover metro 1.1S while he was banned that I bought one for a year just to get about
Go kart handling and good refinement, ridiculously unsafe though.
Remember my friend getting a brand new Metro City in 1986. Very unreliable and front wings and lower panel rusted through within three years. A shame because it was basically a sound design.
I also learned to drive in a early eighties version. Again unreliable so my instructor swapped it for a Nissan Cherry
I learnt to drive in&passed my test in an Austin Metro.
I always loved the styling of the metro, though I prefer the later Rover Metro/100 series...it simply has this air of being a premium supermini, basically predating BMW's work with mini.
Crickey.I remember them well.The A series engine was bullet proof but very outdated.Amazingly it was still used in the real mini untill 2000?If only it had had a crossflow head designed it was still a winner in theory.The K series was bloody terrible.Big ends failed for fun.
Hideous little things
I can’t believe any have survived.
Even here in The Netherlands i have one 😉
If I had my way id scrap the lot, along with the Austin allegro.
@@jh565bb Took the best parts of the mini and ruined it.
Left all that was bad about it
These guys are so typically british, I have to laugh. Good comparison. Greetings from the continent!
Pip pip old chap! -Jeff and Joe