Unloved Midland motors that are now rarer than supercars
THEY are the Midland cars that were once commonplace on our roads – and many were much maligned thanks to their poor quality build and unreliability.
But now they have become Britain’s rarest cars, and real collectors’ items. These are the vehicles that are on the very brink of extinction.
Back in the day, you may have owned one, but now your old Allegros, Montegos and Marinas are heading (rapidly) for the scrap heap.... The ugliest of a British Leyland fleet not noted for looks, the Ital, produced at Longbridge between 1982 and 1984, is officially the UK’s rarest vehicle. There are only 37 registered and extinction seems inevitable.
The majority will not lament its passing. The Ital was dogged with problems, had a reputation as a rustbucket and, in 2008, was runner-up in a Sun newspaper poll of the worst British cars ever. Another local, the Austin Allegro, pipped it to pole position. Burdened with half a dashboard that actually faced away from the driver, it was the last production car to wear the Morris badge.
Production numbers were never high, with 175,276 built, but by 2005 the bulky beast was reported as endangered, with only 185 left. Now, the Ital faces the same fate as the dodo. But there’s no clamour to save it. Another Austin/British Leyland creation, but built at the Cowley plant. The Maxi, basically a beefed-up Mini, was manufactured between 1969 and 1981, with 472,098 leaving the production line. Of those, less than 160 remain. The Maxi was not a bad car, and received praise for its innovative use of space. It was even purchased by VIPs – on July 1, 1969, John Lennon crashed one in the Highlands.
But former AC/DC lead singer and car enthusiast Brian Johnson recently labelled the Maxi “a matchbox on steroids”.
“The only reason you knew it was a car,” said the rocker, “was ‘cause it had a steering wheel. It was the most basic form of frickin’ transport.” It’s a British Leyland hat-trick – and the Allegro was probably the most criticised of the Longbridge range.
The Vanden Plas model, with a grille more suited to a Bentley, was a particularly odd addition to British motoring history.
Richard Porter, author of Crap Cars, wrote: “The only bit of the Allegro they got even vaguely right was the rust proofing.”
In reality, they didn’t. The Allegro was blighted by corrosion.
It sold well, however. From 1973 to 1983, 642,340 were built. Unfortunately, rust never sleeps.
Now there are only 186 Allegros left and there are real fears that one of this country’s most common cars may soon only be seen in museums. The Avenger aimed to cash in on the phenomenal success of the Ford Cortina MK3. Introduced in February 1970, it was initially produced at Rootes’ plant in Ryton-on-Dunsmore. Warwickshire, before assembly moved to Glasgow.
The car’s history is pitted with name changes. In 1976, it became the Chrysler Avenger, from 1979 to 1981 the Talbot Avenger. In America, it was marketed as the Plymouth Cricket.
The Avenger has a place in motoring history for two reasons. It was the first and last car to be developed by Rootes after the company was taken over by Chrysler.
And it was the first British car to have a one-piece plastic grille.
For the flash and sporty, there was the souped-up Avenger Tiger which set you back £1,350 in 1972. Only 400 of those were made and the model may already be lost.
The same fate awaits the once common Avenger. Despite a production run of 638,631, just 229 remain. No wonder motor writers have dubbed it “the forgotten family car of the 1970s”. Back in the day – and the day was 1984 to 1994 – no one batted an eye when spotting a Montego, seen as a sales rep’s favoured mode of transport.
Now, one on the road would certainly cause a stir. That’s because only 296 of the 571,457 that were flogged are still around.
Its demise would be tragic: the Montego is as strong a symbol of the 1980s as brick-sized mobile phones, braces and the Filofax.
Built at Longbridge and rust is not the only reason Montego’s downfall.
Models made before 1989 cannot run on unleaded petrol without an expensive cylinder head conversion. Many owners felt it was best to simply consign their cars to the scrapheap. Cowley, for the Another ugly buggy from British Leyland, but now a collector’s item.
Made at Cowley from 1971 to 1980, the Marina sold well, proving that looks weren’t that important to the British car-buying public.
In 1973 it was this country’s second best-selling car behind the Ford Escort – and the Marina hogged a top-five spot for years.
In all, 809,612 were sold, yet a 2006 survey by Auto Express magazine caused alarm among car conservationists.
Only 745 remained – and the Marina was the most scrapped make over the past 30 years. Again, blame poor rust-proofing.
Since 2006, the become much worse. situation has
There are fewer than 300 on the road and the Marina is in danger of slipping this mortal ignition-coil. Either Leyland didn’t build cars to last or they were creating for future collectors. That’s because their iconic car of the 1980s, the Austin Metro, is also an at risk species.
It came in many names and guises – the Austin Mini Metro, MG Metro and Morris Metro – and ruled the road from 1980 to 1991.
In 1983, What Car? crowned of the year.
In 1995, it was again rebranded as the Rover 100 but the Metro’s demise was only three years away.
It seemed every family had one and a truly eye-watering 1.5 million were made over the 11-year reign of the true Metro. Now, there are only 478 left.
Owners, once chastised for purchasing an unadventurous, safe set of wheels, can now take satisfaction in the fact they are saving the car of the 1980s from oblivion. it car