Austin Austin Metro (1980–1987) Price Guide Price Guide

The Austin Metro was supposed to save British Leyland. Launched in 1980 as the long-awaited Mini replacement, it was a competent small car that sold in respectable numbers but could not overcome the industrial chaos and quality problems that plagued its manufacturer.

The Car

The Metro used the A-series engine in 998cc and 1,275cc forms (the same family that powered the Mini, A35, and MG Midget) in a modern hatchback body with Hydragas suspension. The MG Metro and MG Metro Turbo added performance. The MG Metro 6R4, a mid-engined Group B rally car with a 3.0-litre V6 producing 410bhp, was one of the most extreme homologation specials of the 1980s. It shared almost nothing with the road car beyond a vague family resemblance.

Buying

Standard Metros are affordable and increasingly rare. The MG Turbo is the one with collector interest. The 6R4 operates in a different financial stratosphere entirely. Rust and Hydragas suspension deterioration are the main concerns on road cars. The Metro was succeeded by the Rover Metro and then the Rover 100, which continued the basic design until 1998.