Austin and Austin Rover (1968-1990): Books - History

British Leyland - The Cars, 1968-1986

In 1968, British Leyland brought together most of Britain's motor manufacturers, with the intention of creating a robust unified group that could equal the strength of the big European conglomerates. But this was not to be.

There have been many books about the politics and the business activities of British Leyland, but "British Leyland - The Cars, 1968 - 1986" looks deliberately at the cars that came from the company, both the models it inherited and it created.

The eighteen years of the corporation's existence saw a confusing multitude of different car types, but this book resolves these confusions, clarifying who built what, and when.
The book takes 1986 as its cut-off point because this was the year that the old British Leyland ceased to exist and what was left of the car and light commercial business was renamed the Rover Group.

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Austin and Rover Metro - The Full Story

Launched in 1980 as the Austin Mini-Metro, the Metro was a critically important car for British Leyland and was hailed as the car that saved the company. This book looks in detail at the car's design, development and sales success from its initial design stage to the end of production in 1998, by which time it had evolved into the Rover 100 - an astonishing eighteen-year production run. As well as looking at the cars in detail, the book also includes interviews with some of the key people involved in its design and development.

Craig Cheetham covers the full story of the Metro from the initial rough sketches in 1975, including the engineering developments. The launch of the car and its reception by the media and the public is featured, as well as the rebranding process as the company was reorganised under the Rover badge. A revised Metro was fitted with a new K-Series engine.

The launch of the turbo-charged MG Metros, as well as the GTA and GTi versions, are covered alongside the Metro's circuit racing successes. The author also reveals some of the design ideas for a Metro replacement that never made it to production. Including advice for both current and prospective Metro owners and what to look out for.

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Austin Allegro - An Enthusiast's Guide

The stylist of the Austin Allegro, Harris Mann, said of the car that 'It took a lot of stick, but it wasn't that bad a car ... The trouble was that every one off the line was different in some way, thanks to quality control.' As a result, few have bothered to explore the little Austin's background; what it was designed to achieve, how it became the way it was, and what happened to make it so infamous.

This book redresses the balance, telling the Allegro's tale of grand designs, high hopes, management compromises, failed dreams, industrial unrest, national ridicule and finally, redemption. Now experiencing something of a comeback as a cheap and cheerful classic, the book provides ownership advice and buying information for all models.
From the quietly competent series 2 models through to the sportily-styled and now very rare Equipe, the book re-evaluates the place of the Allegro in the classic car world and concludes that it is both a simple, economical classic choice, and an important part of British motoring history.

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Austin Rover: Maestro and Montego

In the early 1980s, British Leyland (BL) launched the Maestro and Montego to compete in the lower-medium and upper-medium car sectors, replacing models like the Austin Maxi, Morris ITAL, and Austin Allegro as part of a renewal strategy led by BL's Michael Edwardes.
This book chronicles the development of these models as BL aimed to stay competitive in the mass car market.

The Maestro, introduced after the successful Mini Metro, showed promise with its spacious design, advanced features like electronic engine management, solid-state dashboard, and voice-synthesis warnings, along with new engine and transmission systems. However, like many BL cars, it faced issues with build quality and reliability. The MG Maestro Turbo stood out as the fastest in its class.

The Austin Montego, launched in 1984, featured the S series engine and notable features, earning it a Design Council Award. It offered self-levelling suspension, spacious boot space, and rear-facing child seats in the estate version.
Despite these positives, like the Maestro, it suffered from build-quality problems and struggled to compete against Ford and Vauxhall in the fleet market. The introduction of the Countryman estate with a turbo-diesel engine later improved its appeal.

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L'Austin Metro de mon père + MG Metro et Rover 100

Big sister of the legendary Mini, the Austin Metro was a huge European success in the 1980s. More than just a modern city car, it is also a symbol. Launched in 1980, it marked the new impetus of the British automobile industry, after years of wandering.
Ingenious, reliable, aesthetically successful, the Metro would allow the British Leyland-Austin Rover group to avoid the dreaded shipwreck and return to growth.

The arrival of MG sports models and the release of a five-door version made the Austin Metro an undeniable commercial success. This dynamic was crowned by the 6R4, an incredible four-wheel drive version, intended for rallies.
Restyled and equipped with new engines, the little Metro enjoyed a second career in the 1990s, under the name Rover 100, with a more upmarket positioning.

Its journey ended after an incredible eighteen-year career. With more than two million examples produced, the Austin Metro-Rover 100 would be one of the greatest successes of the British automobile industry of the 20th century.

• Richly illustrated, this book is dedicated to the Austin Metro cars of the years 1980-1998.
• Retraces in detail the history and evolution of the Austin Metro, MG Metro and Rover 100.
• This volume of the collection "La voiture de mon père" is not only a source of in-depth information for the owner, but also a concise guide to originality.
• The technology, variants, modifications and special versions are described in detail.
• Contains more than 200 period photos, many unpublished.

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