Without being patronising, its nice to see a young man interested in our motoring heritage and willing to keep it alive through researching and talkiing about. With people like this our proud, world leading and somewhat troubled car industry will never be forgotten. From a Rover Group worker in the 80s.
Yup, the Brits have accomplished some of the greatest feats of automotive engineering the world has seen, poor management killed the industry for them however.
@@nudisco300 Agree, the Rover SD1 was built at Lode Lane. I worked there for around six years after SD1 had ended and the space used for Range Rover production. I was in East Works BIW, also where the axles were made. You could see a lot of signage referencing to SD1 production, but it had gone. They used a buzz word for the transition from Leyland to Rover group, they called it "Roverisation"
Brings back happy memories of family holidays in our austin 1100.... Later my dad got a brand new Allegro, which seemed light years ahead of all the other square boxey design cars on the road at that time. Hold on cyber trucks are square and boxey, I guess auto trends eventually cycle back around much like fashion trends like check suits and flares!😊 Later my dad bought an old maxi for towing our caravan, he said the 'wheel in each corner made it the best towing car! Plus it had a good amount of torque from it's 1750 engine.
Here's one for you... Back in around 1990 Practical Classics magazine mentioned an MG Marina prototype. The owner in Norwich refused to sell it if I remember correctly. I hope you can give it a go.
Some really innovative cars and styling. I love the Austin Zander. What a pity we lost all of this. We really need to develop our own car industry again,
Rovers will always have a place in my heart. I’m 47 and I think I owned and taxed most of them. My favourite was my 600 vitesse. Cossie fast/ recaro interior 2.0 turbo. Lost my licence in a Tomcat. Always wanted and will get one day a P5B. The 220 Turbo coupe would eventually do ( or show on the clock ) 150mph ( I did it ) 😂. My 827 SLI ( 3 of them ) awesome Honda collaboration. I had Metros MG,s 200/400/600/800 just awesome cars and of course a load of Minis
So many of Roy Axe's designs were excellent - elegant and clean. Most of today's designers would do well to study them. It's such a shame so few of them reached production.
Seeing that Austin 1100 bouncing around in a field I can vouch for it's ruggedness. I passed my test in my Austin 1300 GT and drove it for around a year until I bought a Mini 1000.Looking back, I took that Austin 1300 car to hell and back and it kept going.
Inherited my Grandmothers 1982 series 3 Allegro 1.3L 3 speed auto in 1990 it was Champagne Beige it only had 12,000 miles on the clock, I could not drive at the time but soon passed my test in a manual car, I loved the little Allegro it went everywhere I drove the entire length of the UK in it on camping trips I was mocked by other young lads in their Astras and Escorts I did not care it was such a reliable car only maintenance was an annual re-gas of the hydra gas (it did tend to loose pressure over winter) and an oil change and I replaced the points, the engine and auto box shared the same oil so it was a very simple little car to maintain , in the end its electrics gave out and it needed to be scrapped that was at 36 000 miles even then the car ran smooth and efficient, I was so impressed with the car being my first car it will always have a special place for me.
I actually had a Allegro 1750 HL in 1976 and had it for a couple of years (with the twin carbs and 90 bhp). It was a very good car and went really well. I remember shocking a Cortina 2 litre by being much faster than him. The HL did not have the quartic wheel but I was not against it and it helped in seeing the instruments better. Good ride, good fuel consumption. The gearbox was OK but at the time most gearboxes were not great. Woolly change. Only had 155mm tyres but had surprising grip in the wet and dry. Great motorway cruiser with its 5 speed gearbox. I liked the looks as well although mine was a lovely blue metallic with black vinyl roof. No mechanical issues only had a problem with the headlining due to the 1976 heat/drought crisis (must have been early global warming) which was fixed under warranty. Only sold it it because I got a company car and was doing too many miles.
Alot of german cars have them aswell ?. Im not a lover of the allegro I love the maxi though imagine if that had the rear end of a maestro back in the day the front of the maxi is always looks good even today
Out of all the cars you showed the AR16 looked a really great design and a huge missed opportunity. The pre face-lift 800s looked the best and the AR16 clearly built on this…
I recall Austin used the French pronunciation: EH-KEEP, even though there was no acute accent over the first “é”. Bond had an identically named Bond Équipe from 1963-70, and that was definitely pronounced as in French
There used to be a garage across the road from my childhood home (I say there used to be, it’s still there) and there was a yard round the back where crashed cars used to be taken by the recovery trucks. Presumably until the insurers decided what they wanted to do with them and they were subsequently taken away to be crushed or whatever. My friend and I used to climb over the fence to go and look at the wrecks and this is where I saw my first and only Allegro Equipe. It would have been relatively new at the time. I remember thinking it was shame, I liked it’s body stripes and funky interior and it looked good in silver rather than the more usual variety of infant discharges that many BL cars were painted at the time.
A friend had an Allegro Equipe in the early 80's. The bigger engine made it fast in a straight line but it suffered from terrible understeer in fast corners, shuttle shake and an impending awareness of your own mortality when driven in an enthusiastic manner.
I remember my first car was a pale blue 1985 Austin Maestro Vanden Plas 1.6 s series automatic (3 speed) with the same digital talking dash as shown in the prototype car at 13:57 This digital technology from the VDP and MG 1600 Maestro of 1983 was light years ahead of it's time and still fascinating even today - some 41 years later in 2024 in smart phone age !
The Triplex Fastback was superb - would have made a great Princess estate - the front and rear treatments could have made a decent performance model to compete with the Ford Granada and Vauxhall VX490. AR16 would have been quite revolutionary had it launched - probably the biggest missed opportunity shown here.
I liked the Zander a lot! But what blew my mind in this video, was the aerial and heated windscreen. I always thought, because no other manufacturer had the heated screen, Ford invented that. But it seems Triplex invented it, and then did an exclusive deal with Ford. Arguably, a missed opportunity for Rover who (it seems) were offered it first 😳
Learned a lot here, great job Tom. The Allegro Equipe’s alloys were notoriously porous apparently, resulting in many a flat tyre. Wasn’t aware until now of the Allegro Special LE that came before it…
Equipe owners had the delightful experience of coming out of their house in the morning to get in their car only to find it let it’s own tyres down overnight
Much underrated cars - sold em when I started out in the trade in the late 70s. Owned a couple of Mini’s and a Marina 1.3 Coupe which ended up with a Midget cylinder head, Midget carbs and manifold- made my own exhaust!! Happy days…nice video, good work. Now a subscriber 👍
A bought an Austin Metro in 1986, my first car. 45bhp, no airbags , no ABS or traction control of course, but it did have a medium wave radio. Still it was great fun driving down to Switzerland, and its handling was great through the Alps down to the South of France. Nowadays a drive a Skoda Kamiq. Comfortable and safe, but not as much fun
Fantastic mention of the Aqila. An amazing, highly important prototype . Think and compair to the MK3 Astra its insane. Never seen a Mastro prototype LC10. The 1967 Pininfarina Aerodynamica a British CX sadly never built in UK.
Interesting video, well done! I had a big engined Allegro as a demo car, it was a four door with wide front to back graphics, was quite quick! The Austin 3 Litre was never a success in reality. They were fairly expensive and the ride made many people feel sick, hydrolastic never worked with rear wheel dive. By the late sixties the AH3000 was getting dated, I remember my old dad (then a BMC dealer) clapping his to his forehead when a new one arrived on a transporter, saying something like ‘how the hell are we supposed to sell that!). The TR6 suffered a similar fate by being built after there was no real market left for it. The Capri had come to dominate what had been the ‘big’ sports car market. I remember visiting Triumph and seeing a little 4wd experimental vehicle, a forward control design that I think was called the Punch? FWIW, I think I sold the last new Spitfire in the UK and the last new Mini Van!
Near the end of the turbo T series era you could get a crate engine dirt cheap direct from rover. The MG maestro lads bought them and put them in. I've even heard of a few maestro vans running T series turbo's 😊
Pretty sure there’s one that has been built.. all I can remember till I find the practical classics mag I’ve got that it’s on the cover of is that it’s bright blue with orange wheels, might only be a 1.8 vvc though, but pretty similar conversion
I remember going with my grandparents to test drive a brand new A35 Countryman in Woodyatt's Garage on Court Road in Malvern. In the same showroom were Citroen DSs and they were like something out of space! Sadly my grandparents didn't buy the A35, though they did buy an 1100 (the first of three they were to have), which I thought was amazingly modern (well, compared to my parents' split screen Minor van, they were!).
I had an equipe back in 2000, bought it for £60 from an old dear in Bournemouth, her husband had bought it for her as he was a main dealer and it had been worked on by the works folks before going to him as it lost the stripes, gained a full vinyl roof, had extra gauges frenched into the centre area, some spicing up of the engine with a slightly better twin SU set and a tailored camshaft, oh and it had the twin light sets that appeared on the Allegro 3 range plus uprated front driving lamps. Interior was a red version of the TR7 tartan, the whole interior was jet black including the headlining and it was a fast fast little thing that could knock an XR3 (not i) dead at the traffic lights but the valve stem seals had gone so ended up being very smokey on the foot to the floor moment lol If you took a silhouette of an Allegro and compared it to the Maestro you can see where the design similarity is over the Maxi, the Maestro lives on today, the Chinese use the very advanced bodyshell design in many of their produced cars.
Very interesting so well done! From going to school in a 1927 Austin 7, these cars were in my family for ages! What missed opportunities there was! Britain was never any good at management.......and clearly still hasn't improved any!!
Not quite true. It took the Japanese to show British car industry bosses how to organise for quality, but they learned fast. Honda's impact at Cowley was the reason BMW kept that site for the MINI, and didn't keep Longbridge.
Another superb informative video. You must put hours into your research. My Grandad was a huge Austin fan. In fact ive still got a pair of door pockets from his last Austin 1300. He had the first 4 door Austin 1300 registered Derbyshire, also had the last 4 door 1300. He wanted the allegro but supply was poor due to strikes back in 1973 so he had the 1300 instead.
In 1986 as a 17yr old running an old banger (1977 1.3 allegro) I came across a crashed Equipe in a scrap yard! I had the dashboard binnacle, steering wheel and seats out of it 😂 I reckon my humble 1.3 was probably the only allegro ever fitted with these tasty goodies 🤣 Sadly the wheels were nowhere to be seen so never got those. Fun times.
Glad to see you featured the Metro Ranger Tom. A cool little pick up, I'd have bought one! Didn't Gaydon sell the prototype 20 years ago? I heard rumours it had been broken for spares with bits advertised online, a shame if true.. There is a cool army green Metro pick up that does a lot of the shows, well worth a look too..
Hi Tom, another great video, when the wedge came out it replaced the ageing 18-22 range but initially the new range was designated as 18-22 range, BL was in financial difficulties and After the Ryder report the Austin Morris and top of the range Wolseley was re designated as the Austin Princess range. At the same time the Riley 1300 was also dropped putting Riley and Wolseley into history books. Well done in the great work in your content . Kinds regards , Mark
Hi Tom , the princess range was very forward at the time , I believe it’s 1st car to have seat belt alarm , light went on on light switch unit on right hand of dash until the seat belt clicked in holder. Thanks for your hearted response. Regards mark
1965 my aunt went into the Longbridge offices with a ball of wool and ordered her Austin Cambridge to be painted that colour. Try doing that these days . And the car match the colour of the wool identically.
My first crush was on a teacher at primary school. ..only because she had a brand new Allegro Equipe. It was everything my dad's M-reg Harvest Gold 1.3 Allegro wasn't.
Worked in the Old West at Longbridge... The Tomcat WAS always going to be a Classic Car from day one . I felt it from day one, as like The Stag I now own , the “T” bar roof was an immediate feature, plus with the added Turbo , and also been in Coupe form ,she was one HOT motor. As for the Rover P5 B that one day I do hope that you get , as like the 2 door Coupe XJ 6 , was too , going to be a future classic whilst still been in production. Along with the Stag , these 2 , if I had the garage space , would also have one of each . Good luck in your quest in getting your dream Rover
Reply to badgersalesman . The Tomcat / Tracer ( convertible R8) and the R8 estate were made in the Old West Works at Longbridge away from the main R8 framing and build line in the New West, on the old Austin Westminster track at a ratio of about 3Tomcats 2 convertibles 2 estates
@@htimsid to be honest, I didn't see the engine but it had decals that said "2 litre" Wish I had looked, sorry not to have more info. I can only guess that it must have been the same engine the Princess had. Was at a race track (my dad was involved in Rallycross, Colin Howard, so you may well have heard him commentating if you have watched the old vids!). All the best, Steve.
I’m 40 and too young to remember alot of these cars but through my grandad showin me Haynes manuals of his old cars from Vauxhall velox to Austin Westminster that he said a police man he gave a lift too asked him to floor it as he was getting one to see how quick it was gave me a similar interest in old British metal keep up the good work a great channel thank you 👍👍
Nice go thru on this forgotten gems...... Did see a MG made of coal-fiber (Kevlar) when the Bad Obsession gave an info on coming works....... Do any of you know any more about that car or concept.
Well researched and well narrated . How on earth that prize winning design made into 3 dimension l'll never know ! But B.L was it's own worst enemy .... thanks
I had a 1750 Allegro in the early 80s, for about 18 months, it was blue with a blue vinyl roof went really well and never let me down, was an ex soldiers car and drove it back from Germany and in late 80s early 90s had a 2lt EFI Maestro Turbo in dark blue had that for about 7 years wish I still had it
The only Austin memory I have here in the US was circa 1990 not long after I had my driving license, so I'd explore the local roads on my own, often taking a look at the cars on various dealership forecourts. I remember spotting a white 1983 to 1985 Thunderbird at a Ford dealership, and I'd go back more after the first visit.....but this is about Austin and BL!! Further down the road was a 1969 or 1970 Austin America, the US "Federalized" version of the 1100, and even better, it was in classic British Racing Green. All it needed was a a dog sticking its face out the rear window (plus RHD and the appropriate grille), and it was the ubiquitous Matchbox MG 1100 of the 1960s. Pouring over car books in my teenage years, I knew about the attempt by BL to market the 1100 as the America at the dawn of the Seventies, so it was impressive to see one that was likely the original owner or a second owner. Apart from several passes over the months to look at the Austin America sitting on the big lawn of the borderline suburban / rural property, I remember the asking price was $3,500. Maybe that is why it sat there such a long time because I think the Thunderbird was $5K. The Romantic in me would love that America, but I never test drove these cars, and never came close to buying either vehicle. I think I didn't see another Austin America until last Summer at a British Car show. In 1990, the America could potentially have been a daily use car, but in 2023, it is definitely a show car / pleasuremobile / etc. In retrospect, the 1100 would have made a magnificent car provided BL was able to offer decent reliability, serviceability, parts availability, etc. By 1990, the closest thing to a BL dealership near me was an Oldsmobile Dealership that also had a long association with MG, Triumph, etc. By that time, they were selling "Sterling" / the Rover 825 / 827 which also fascinated me. Not sure that they would have been interested servicing a 17-year-old 1100, although the most common classic in my area to this day is an MGB to the point where I would see a different one each time I went out in my car. Great information as usual, thanks!
I remember the Allegro Equipe, loved the graphics and the alloy wheels, but there had already been a 'Hot Allegro' the 1750 SS, I only ever remember seeing a couple, they were replaced by the HL, which was focused more on comfort and luxury. Yes it was a 'slightly dumpy looking car but, with a bit of imagination it could be a bit of a 'Q car' and with Hydrogas suspension very sure footed?
Excellent video, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it some things I’ve never seen before we were very interesting. I’m hoping this is part one of many more parts for the rest of the BL brands, and maybe some models too. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I remember visiting Longbridge in the 1980s and seeing the fabulous robotic production line producing metro and rover 200 bodyshells before going across the road and back in time 20 years to the mini assembly line!
Its weird that the Healey prototype with the sloped front sort of finally materialised but under the Jensen Healey brand. You can see the similarities in the front end and rear end design in that final sports car utilising the Healey name.
The Austin Zander looks pretty cool. I can see the similarities with the Triumph TR7. A car that would look good badged as a Lotus as well. That’s how good the design looks. British Leyland was the saviour that never was. Rushing in like a cavalry to save the British Independent Car Industry from demise. It’s so disappointing to look back and see the British independent car industry collapsed. As I recall when Toyota had problems with their gearboxes being recalled, the top brass at Toyota saw that as a humiliation and was determined to put it right. So why couldn’t BL. Perhaps in a parallel life.
17:54 "It's not known who designed the bodywork on this car". Judging by its looks, I'd go with 'nobody'. The Xander though, if anything, that one foreshadows the Allegro (just look at the early drawings of it) and the Princess alike. You can definitely see echoes from this design in them, much more so than in the TR7, I'd say.
@@htimsidWell, it was rated poorly by the people who were being asked to buy it... they decided to buy Fords, Vauxhalls and Humbers. BMC's last car, along with the MGC, was given a half-cocked launch to a largely indifferent public, and things went downhill from there. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, but like the AH4000 also discussed in this interesting video, sadly ADO61 was a catalogue of how not to do it.
Great video 👍 All car manufacturers have at one time or another been saved by a bread and butter model,if only the original Allegro got the new engine design then we wouldn't end up with the one we did oh and a proper body engineering "stiffness".
My Dad had a wedge shape Princess 2200. It was the worst built car I've ever known. Plastic parts broke, other parts fell off, rust bubbles appeared on the doors. The engine never felt strong and it really needed a fifth gear. Its end came when a gear machined its way through the end wall of the gearbox into the clutch housing. I could go on with its faults. But, beneath it all, there was a good car trying to get out. It was incredibly spacious, had a tremendously smooth ride, and, under the right conditions, could corner extremely well.
My wife and her late husband had an Allegro Equipe, which was involved in an accident. Nobody could get hold of the graphics after it was repainted and it was pretty hard telling people that it was something special when all it really was, was a car with some stripes
Sad that the Rover name was destroyed by associating it with these kindergarten wooden block designs, Maybe it was the 80s but these allegro maestro cars look awful.
i have owned several Austins and 1 Morris, to be: (not my finest car) a Morris Marina Van edition from '75, and 2 Mini's, one 1000 cc and a Austin Mini Jubilee edition from '75, this one was factory tuned, My parents has also owned a few Austins, an Westminster 110 i guess from the 50's, Cambridge A60 '65, and 4 Rovers, 1 2600 '81, and an V8 vandenplass from 83 facelift, an 216 convertible ('93) and an 620 Sli from "94 I have one question, could u do a video about the Austin Mini Jubilee, there are only a handfull of those ever made, they came with a originality paper from factory to asure u that is was the real deal, a very rare car.....
I’m aware, it’s referred to incorrectly as what I referred to it is. I did it for the sake of continuity so it was more of a direct address to those who wrongly say it was a silly idea.
I had an allegro 17.50 sport complete with square steering wheel lol. Went Glastonbury 1983. I think.£5 to get in. And park right next to your car and tent. 🥳🤪🇬🇧😵💫
I wonder if some old boy (or girl) had the wheel transferred to their Equipe as the quartic wheel was long since gone! I honestly wouldn't be surprised!
By the mid 70s in NZ the Japanese invasion was underway and although these cars were not warmly welcomed, they used less gas and they didn't fall apart like the British cars.😅
Austin Allegro - we called our the All Aggro, because it spent more time in the garage being fixed again, than it did on the road. In the end we got rid - it was so unreliable!
Am I the only one seeing a lot of rov3r in later Citroens the I’m thinking ar6 front and re, sd3 looks a lot like the Citroen bx and the mouse theme Mpv looks a lot like a Picasso there use of hydro gas …maybe they should have being brought together?? I guess a lot of it maybe function over form but still
