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British Leyand Manufactured 1980-1986 / Rover Group plc Manufactured 1986-2000
In October 1980 British Leyland (BL) introduced us to the Austin Mini Metro. This vehicle was intended to replace the Mini but as we know the Mini lives on. The Metro was intended to compete with the Ford Fiesta and did cause a stir. It was considered quite a roomy small car with basic running gear taken from the Mini. Also, the Metro did enjoy a bit of fame as a young lady Diana Spencer drove one and was regularly photographed by the press ahead of her marriage to Prince Charles.
For two brief years the Metro was Britain’s most fashionable car and went on to have reasonable success for the company with more than 2 million sales during its 17 year production. The Metro was a small runaround, perhaps even a small funky car, it was nippy but four years later in February 1984 the manufacturer summoned Thor and gave us the 6R4. This was a six cylinder four wheel drive Rally Car and what a beast it was. It brought the first ever victory to Clubman Metro. Sadly, halfway through the 1986 season, Group b in which the 6R4 was included became banned due to a series of fatal crashes in which competitor and spectators lost their lives. The 6R4 was made between 1984 and 1987.



The 6R4 was designed with a normally aspirated V6 engine and was basically the Rover V8 less two cylinders together with some elements of the Cosworth DFV. The fuel injected engine as well as the radiators mounted at the rear replacing its rear seats. Capable of a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds and an 11.5 seconds to cover the quarter mile, meant the Metro was up there with the big boys.
The 6R4 as a V6 four wheel drive (4WD) rally car had a production total of 200. Although, 233 Clubman body shells were manufactured. The 200 produced as Clubman cars and inspected by FISA with 20 of them offered as Mock Evolution cars. These were intended to be the basics of the Works Rally Cars. The engine was designed, developed and produced by Austin Rover. Originally the car had 250 bhp mated to a five speed transmission, but as we know some had higher horsepower. In average condition a 6R4 will fetch around £168,750 with the most expensive one to sell so far attaining £215,526, but inevitably and as time passes who knows what a collectopr will be willing to pay.
A majority of us will never en joy the thrill of R64 ownership, but for the Metro enthusiast there is the Turbo version which had a Garrett T3 turbo charger installed which helped the engine produce 93 bhp which provided the road car with a top speed of 112 mph. For a small city car that wasn’t bad at all.
At launch the turbo would have set you back £3,085 which I suppose if you had one adding a body kit could make it a 6R4 lookalike, simply because to actually own a proper 6R4 you would need to probably win the lottery. All in all it wasn’t a bad city car or super mini. In 1987 the Austin name disappeared and became the Rover Metro in 1990 and it received the new K series engine available in 1.1 and 1.4 guises. Approximately just 750 Rover Metros remain licensed for road use. The Metro story reflects a fairly successful small car that did not quite live up to the original Mini, but it did try.
Trevor Ferguson 10 November 2023
Cost New Metro 1.0 L Metro 1.0 HLE Metro 1.3 S Metro 1.3 HLS Metro MG Metro Turbo (1987) | British Leyland (Check condition stated) £3,495/ Top Asking Price Nov.2023 £3,000 (Very Good Condition+low mileage) £3,695/Top Asking Price Nov.2023 £11,995 (Mint) £3,995/ £4,296/ £4,799/Top Asking Price Nov. 2023 £5,999 (Very Good Condition) £4,799/Top Asking Price Nov. 2023 £4,900 (Fair Condition) |
Engines Metro 1.0 L, LS, HLE Metro 1.3 L, Metro MG Metro Turbo Metro 1.1C | British Leyland 4 Cylinders 998 cc 46 bhp 8v 4 Cylinders 1275 cc 60 bhp 8v 4 Cylinders 1275 cc 72 bhp 8v 4 Cylinders 1275 cc 93 bhp 8v Rover 4 Cylinders 1120 cc 60 bhp 8v |
Transmission Metro 1.0 L, LS, HLE Metro 1.3 L, S, HLS Metro Turbo | British Leyland Four Speed Manual Front Wheel Drive Four Speed manual or Four Speed Automatic Front wheel Drive Four Speed manual Front Wheel Drive |
Metro 1.1C | Rover Four Speed manual (Five Speed Optional) |
Performance Metro 1.0 L, LS, HLE Metro Turbo 1.1C | British Leyland Max 112 mph 0-60=9.3 secs Rover Max 97 mph 0-60=13.7 secs |
Fuel Consumption Metro 1.0 L, LS, HLE Metro Turbo Metro 1.1C | British Leyland 28 mpg Rover 32 mpg |
Road Tax Metro 1.0 L Metro 1.3 L Metro Turbo | British Leyland £170-£180 per annum |










HOW MANY STILL MOTORING?
Austin/MG/Rover Metro How Many Remain on UK Roads
Model | Status | Number |
---|---|---|
Austin Metro 1.0 | Licensed | 11 |
Austin Metro 1.0 | SORN | 24 |
Austin Metro 1.3 | Licensed | 1 |
Austin Metro 1.3 | SORN | 3 |
Austin Metro 1.3 Moritz | Licensed | 0 |
Austin Metro 1.3 Moritz | SORN | 4 |
Austin Metro ARX | Licensed | 1 |
Austin Metro ARX | SORN | 3 |
Austin Metro Automatic | Licensed | 16 |
Austin Metro Automatic | SORN | 78 |
Austin Metro City | Licensed | 65 |
Austin Metro City | SORN | 298 |
Austin Metro City Automatic | Licensed | 1 |
Austin Metro City Automatic | SORN | 11 |
Austin Metro X | Licensed | 28 |
Austin Metro X | SORN | 158 |
Metro GS | Licensed | 7 |
Austin Metro GS | SORN | 26 |
Metro GS Automatic | Licensed | 0 |
Metro GS Automatic | SORN | 8 |
Metro GTA | Licensed | 7 |
Metro GTA | SORN | 40 |
Metro HL | Licensed | 1 |
Metro HL | SORN | 0 |
Metro HLE | Licensed | 22 |
Metro HLE | SORN | 66 |
Metro HLS | Licensed | 5 |
Metro HLS | SORN | 18 |
Metro HLS Automatic | Licensed | 1 |
Metro HLS Automatc | SORN | 1 |
Metro Jet Black | Licensed | 1 |
Metro Jet Black | SORN | 6 |
Metro Jet Black Automatic | Licensed | 0 |
Metro Jet Black Automatic | SORN | |
Metro L | Licensed | 44 |
Metro L | SORN | 255 |
Metro L Automatic | Licensed | 4 |
Metro L Automatic | SORN | 27 |
Metro GALA | Licensed | 1 |
Metro GALA | SORN | 1 |
Metro LE | Licensed | 0 |
Metro LE | SORN | 1 |
Metro Mayfair | Licensed | 6 |
Metro Mayfair | SORN | 29 |
Metro Mosaic | Licensed | 3 |
Metro Mosaic | SORN | 18 |
Metro Principles | Licensed | 0 |
Metro Principles | SORN | 1 |
Metro Red Hot | Licensed | 1 |
Metro Red Hot | SORN | 8 |
Metro Red Hot Automatic | Licensed | 0 |
Metro Red Hot Automatic | SORN | 3 |
Metro S | Licensed | 9 |
Metro S | SORN | 29 |
Metro Sport | Licensed | 0 |
Metro Sport | SORN | 18 |
Metro Studio 2 | Licensed | 3 |
Metro Studio 2 | SORN | 18 |
Metro Vanden Plas | Licensed | 16 |
Metro Vanden Plas | SORN | 67 |
Metro Vanden Plas Automatic | Licensed | 7 |
Metro Vanden Plas Automatic | SORN | 49 |
Metro VP 500 | Licensed | 0 |
Metro VP 500 | SORN | 6 |
Metro Metropolitan Cycle | Licensed | 7 |
Metro Metropolitan Cycle | SORN | 1 |
Metro MG | Licensed | 76 |
Metro MG | SORN | 292 |
Metro Turbo MG | Licensed | 28 |
Metro Turbo MG | SORN | 182 |
Metro 6R4 | Licensed | 6 |
Metro 6R4 | SORN | 43 |
Rover Metro | Licensed | 16 |
Rover Metro | SORN | 57 |
Rover Metro Advantage | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro Advantage | SORN | 14 |
Rover Metro C | Licensed | 44 |
Rover Metro C | SORN | 174 |
Rover Metro Caribbean | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro Caribbean | SORN | 6 |
Rover Metro Casino | Licensed | 11 |
Rover Metro Casino | SORN | 24 |
Rover Metro Casino Royale | Licensed | 8 |
Rover Metro Casino Royale | SORN | 7 |
Rover Metro CD | Licensed | 9 |
Rover Metro CD | SORN | 58 |
Rover Metro City | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro City | SORN | 3 |
Rover Metro City X | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro City X | SORN | 1 |
Rover Metro Clubman | Licensed | 10 |
Rover Metro Clubman | SORN | 57 |
Rover Metro Clubman L | Licensed | 8 |
Rover Metro Clubman L | SORN | 74 |
Rover Metro Clubman L Auto | Licensed | 15 |
Rover Metro Clubman L Auto | SORN | 54 |
Rover Metro GS | Licensed | 8 |
Rover Metro GS | SORN | 42 |
Rover Metro GS Auto | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro GS Auto | SORN | 10 |
Rover Metro GSi | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro GSi | SORN | 23 |
Rover Metro GSi Auto | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro GSi Auto | SORN | 7 |
Rover Metro GTA | Licensed | 30 |
Rover Metro GTA | SORN | 172 |
Rover Metro GTA 16v | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro GTA 16v | SORN | 41 |
Rover Metro GTA Auto | Licensed | 0 |
Rover Metro GTA Auto | SORN | 3 |
Rover Metro GTi | Licensed | 18 |
Rover Metro GTi | SORN | |
Rover Metro GTi 16v | Licensed | 33 |
Rover Metro GTi 16v | SORN | 154 |
Rover Metro Impression | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro Impression | SORN | 19 |
Rover Metro Knightsbridge | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro Knightsbridge | SORN | 12 |
Rover Metro L | Licensed | 56 |
Rover Metro L | SORN | 229 |
Rover Metro L Auto | Licensed | 27 |
Rover Metro L Auto | SORN | 69 |
Rover Metro LD | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro LD | SORN | 33 |
Rover Metro Manhattan | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro Manhattan | SORN | 12 |
Rover Metro Manhattan A | Licensed | 3 |
Rover Metro Manhattan A | SORN | 3 |
Rover Metro Manhattan D | Licensed | 0 |
Rover Metro Manhattan D | SORN | 4 |
Rover Metro MG | Licensed | 15 |
Rover Metro MG | SORN | 39 |
Rover Metro MG Turbo | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro MG Turbo | SORN | 6 |
Rover Metro Mosaic | Licensed | 0 |
Rover Metro Mosaic | SORN | 1 |
Rover Metro Nightfire | Licensed | 14 |
Rover Metro Nightfire | SORN | 57 |
Rover Metro Nightfire Special | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro Nightfire Special | SORN | 15 |
Rover Metro Quest | Licensed | 19 |
Rover Metro Quest | SORN | 81 |
Rover Metro Plus | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro Plus | SORN | 10 |
Rover Metro Rio | Licensed | 55 |
Rover Metro Rio | SORN | 191 |
Rover Metro Rio Grande | Licensed | 23 |
Rover Metro Rio Grande | SORN | 72 |
Rover Metro Rio Grande D | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro Rio Grande D | SORN | 10 |
Rover Metro S | Licensed | 66 |
Rover Metro S | SORN | 327 |
Rover Metro S Auto | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro S Auto | SORN | 3 |
Rover Metro SD | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro SD | SORN | 6 |
Rover Metro Si | Licensed | 6 |
Rover Metro Si | SORN | 45 |
Rover Metro Si Auto | Licensed | 10 |
Rover Metro Si Auto | SORN | 35 |
Rover Metro SL | Licensed | 8 |
Rover Metro SL | SORN | 35 |
Rover Metro SL Auto | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro SL Auto | SORN | 2 |
Rover Metro Sport | Licensed | 1 |
Rover Metro Sport | SORN | |
Rover Metro Studio 2 | Licensed | 0 |
Rover Metro Studio 2 | SORN | 1 |
Rover Metro Tahiti | Licensed | 12 |
Rover Metro Tahiti | SORN | 36 |
Rover Metro Tahiti Special | Licensed | 2 |
Rover Metro Tahiti Special | SORN | 21 |