Twin Test: Rover Mini Cooper v MG Metro
Classic Car Mart Spring 2016 47
its life to keep the car abreast of safety and
emissions regulations. Meanwhile, poor NCAP
crash test results spelled the end for the Metro,
by then updated with K-Series power into a
surprisingly capable car despite its age.
Under the skin though, the pre-Rover Metro
is largely classic Mini and in 1275cc MG Metro
form is essentially the same car as the Cooper.
Yes, classic Mini values mean that the ’60s
Coopers far outstrip even the mintiest MG Metro
in financial terms, but the ’90s Coopers and the
best MG Metros are rather closer. Which makes
the better modern classic?
MG Metro
The Metro was a long time coming, for the
simple reason that BMC/BL found it almost
impossible to better Issigonis’s original
masterpiece of packaging which fitted four
adults and at least some of their luggage into a
3m long footprint.
Attempts to update the Mini had begun as
early as the mid ’60s and in the British Motor
Museum can be found the ‘9X’ prototype created
by Issigonis back in 1968. Even shorter than
the Mini, it seats four adults, offers hatchback
versatility and was powered by an all-new
OHC four-cylinder engine with a modern strut
suspension front and trailing arm rear.
Sadly, budgetary constraints saw the 9X
sidelined and the later ‘ADO74’ prototype was
also axed after the decision was taken to sort
out BL’s problems with its larger model line-up.
With the Mini still selling well, the idea of a
replacement didn’t resurface until 1974 when
BL’s increasingly precarious finances made it
imperative to field a competitor in the lucrative
‘supermini’ hatchback segment. The result was that
development began on the project dubbed ADO88,
which for reasons of speedy development and cost
saving was to carry over much Mini componentry –
including the A-Series engine.
That’s not in fact as absurd as it seems. Yes, the
A-Series was an old design even then but its useful
torque, reliability and impressive economy made
it hard to improve upon... and when the cost of
developing a new powerplant from the ground up
was factored in, it became a no-brainer.
An OHC conversion of the A-Series was in
fact developed but when it failed to produce
significant torque or economy improvements