One of my other favourite web sites is www.aronline.co.uk

Basically, the logged and written up history of most British Leyland, Rover, Triumph, Jaguar cars, and any other name "those" companies sold under.

This though is really quite interesting.. the fully engineered Metro "mk2" that was cancelled in favour of the cheap facelift and re-engineer of the original that arrived in 88.

Austin AR6 - Metro should have been!

It's sad, because this looks like it would have moved the game on in the mid eighties.. aye well, a very interesting read and a fascinating website.. just hit "AR Cars" on the left for the ma-hoo-sive list of other motors they've written about.. always with tons of pics and an in depth development story.

XJ-S & XJ40 stories quite interesting too!

Edited 7 July, 201015 yr by Rob.

Just looks like an old Citroen AX to me. Probably space age looks back then. I would love to have one of these prototype cars, not necessarily this one. (as long as it worked of course).

Now that MG EX-E I like , sort of a MGF vs XJ220 type looking thing, shame that didnt go ahead, even today it looks good.

Edited 7 July, 201015 yr by Rhoobarb

Interesting stuff

What could have been eh??

Good website.

3-cylinder to get 100mpg

where would we be today if that had happened?

Did you find the XJ41 / 42 story?

It was a canceled Jag that went on to become the DB7!

I agree it looks too much like a Citroen, I think the article is far too optimistic - I'm sure that's what Rover wanted to achieve but in reality it could have been a total disaster in practice. Plus I liked my Metro 1.1S five door with sunroof and gun metal grey paintwork

John

Edited 8 July, 201015 yr by JohnMcL7

How bout this,

Roomster V Metro Scout

http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?scoutstoryf.htm

See, lol! Told Ya it was a good site

Many a half hour wasted reading about old cars and their prototypes on that site.. it's my go to site when Brisk is being boring!

On the Roomster Scout Theme..

Marta Rancho!

Edited 8 July, 201015 yr by Rob.

Fascinating site that.

I thought this was the new metro.

PistonHeads - New MINI Metro Planned

However, have a look at the date of the article.

I love the engine in this mini

PistonHeads - Mid-engined Mini

I've wasted a lot of time on that site. Some fantastic examples of what some brilliant engineers can come up with and carp management and lazy workers can destroy...

Looks as if they threw a Citreon AX & BX, plus a Renault 5 & 11 in blender, and hey presto look what fell out.

One of my other favourite web sites is www.aronline.co.uk

Basically, the logged and written up history of most British Leyland, Rover, Triumph, Jaguar cars, and any other name "those" companies sold under.

This though is really quite interesting.. the fully engineered Metro "mk2" that was cancelled in favour of the cheap facelift and re-engineer of the original that arrived in 88.

Austin AR6 - Metro should have been!

It's sad, because this looks like it would have moved the game on in the mid eighties.. aye well, a very interesting read and a fascinating website.. just hit "AR Cars" on the left for the ma-hoo-sive list of other motors they've written about.. always with tons of pics and an in depth development story.

XJ-S & XJ40 stories quite interesting too!

That would have sold by the bucket load im sure - shame it didnt come to anything

IMHO looked too continental (especially the rear wheel layout) to sell over here in same quantities as original metro.

I think mainstream British tastes would have been too conservative at that time to go for that design - average metro buyer being the bank manager's/Golf captain's wife. The original Metro came out at beginning of Thatcher era - all phoney nationalism and sinkling the Belgrano - remember the opening sequence of the original TV advert had the metros coming off of landing-craft and ended with a showroom crescent display on "White cliffs of Dover"

Even at the end of the 80's the styling was conservative. Just recall the Montegos and Rovers - very Hyacinth Bucket.

They did the right thing binning it - it was way ahead of its time.

Nick

Edited 10 July, 201015 yr by Clunkclick