1980 AUSTIN ALLEGRO 3 1.1
WHAT TO PAY PROJECT £200-900 // USABLE £1000-2100 // GOOD £2150-3500 // EXCELLENT £3750+ // PRICE WHEN NEW £974
The Applejack Green Allegro is certainly attention-grabbing, though in the context of the cars here it stands out not just because of its shape, but a lack of adornments compared to the Marina and Avenger. There’s virtually no brightwork to speak of, save for the chrome-lined rain channels above the doors and a thin bar within the grille. It serves to emphasise the big plastic bumpers and that low waistline running all the way from the forward edges of the front wings to the boot lid. Harris Mann’s styling might have been derided in period, but the Allegro’s clean lines mean that it’s the most modern-looking of our trio today.
The interior is exclusively brown and tan, save for the slender black dashboard. It may appear smaller than the Marina and Avenger from the outside, but that doesn’t translate into a feeling of less space inside. This is largely down to its space-saving front-wheel-drive packaging – there’s a shelf rather than a glovebox, the instrument binnacle is small and basic and there’s no centre console. Likewise, the steering column is short and steeply angled, resulting in a position that has the driver’s nose much closer to the windscreen than in either of the other cars. This is also a car that you sink into, with even taller drivers benefitting from plenty of headroom. Behind them, there’s ample room for rear passengers, plus a generous rear shelf.
As we move off, it’s the sounds of the Fifties – not the Seventies – filling our ears with the unmistakable whine of a transverse A-series. It’s intrusive, but not unpleasant. It may have the smallest engine here but it feels nippy, even if the 0-60mph figures suggest that the Allegro would find itself bringing up the rear should our trio engage in any traffic light grand prix antics. It revs happily enough though this doesn’t result in any stronger acceleration.
There’s a stiffness to the gearshift and the A-series feels harsh when you come off the throttle pedal and then get back onto it. It’s a trait shared with both its BMC 1100/1300 predecessor and the Mini. In fact, there’s much that’s familiar here with those cars, albeit without the bus-like position of the steering wheel.
The steering itself is heavy, increasingly so the larger the inputs – something that seems at odds with its target family market. However, while the slow (albeit precise) steering can be forgiven, the weak self-centring action – which often requires the driver to remove lock to straighten the road wheels – is more difficult to reconcile.
The ride is largely beyond criticism however, the Hydragas suspension removing shocks from any imperfections in the road, but still transmitting sufficient feedback to the driver. Likewise, although this car is undoubtedly softly sprung, hard cornering doesn’t result in excessive body roll.
A mixed bag, then, but there’s still much to recommend the Allegro – especially for those who have a soft spot for Minis.
‘The Allegro feels nippy, even if 0-60mph figures suggest it would be bringing up the rear should our trio engage in any traffic light grand prix antics’