Lot Ended
Description
Recently recommissioned and repainted following 15 years in storage;
most eye-catching in Applejack Green; one of only 18 early Metros still UK
licensed today
Marketed as ‘A
British car to beat the world’, early advertisements for the new Metro had it
defending the white cliffs of Dover, tugging at the heart strings of the
patriotic British car-buying public.
Unveiled
in 1980, the Metro was BL’s answer to the relentless onslaught of small new
hatchbacks from rival European manufacturers. Cars like the Fiat Uno, Renault 5,
VW Polo and Ford Fiesta were selling in droves, making the ageing and less
practical Mini look like the 21-year-old design that it was.
And what a worthy rival the Metro proved to
be, a genuinely good car with bags of space, super handling and a fine ride
thanks to the Hydragas suspension. Within 10 years, the millionth Metro had
rolled out of Longbridge, making it their fastest selling car to
date.
This early Metro Mk1 was first registered
in Birmingham in February 1981 and has had just four owners from new. Our vendor
acquired the car about three years ago at which point it had been off the road
for about 15 years.
A retired Mini specialist,
he recommissioned the car and treated it to a full respray in the original
Applejack Green. Fitted with a new battery and a new set of tyres, it flew
through its MOT in March 2020 with no advisories recorded and has been kept in
storage since.
Starting promptly and running
well as we have moved it around on site, it comes with no documents other
than a V5C and an owner's handbook.
It is worth
noting that there are now only 18 Metros from 1980/81 still licensed in the UK
today, according to howmanyleft, making this is a rare survivor indeed. So
remember those white cliffs: ‘England expects...’ and all that. Put on a good
show chaps, and it could be you who drives her home!
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email
[email protected]