The story of this earlier time when we
just couldn’t buy a new MG in Australia,
commences with the end of one era, the
closing of MG’s assembly plant in Zetland,
New South Wales in 1972 and concludes
with the next phase, the first appearance
of the all-new MGF here in 1997 – that’s
approximately a quarter of a century
without a new MG in our showrooms!
Did we miss the new British-assembled
MGs? It would seem not, because following
the cessation of MGB and MGC production
in Britain in 1980, the succession of new
MG models, which continued there, just
didn’t make it to Australia. Bandy around
the names Metro, Maestro and Montego
and they will almost certainly elicit a blank
from the general motoring public and MG
fans alike. (Any Aussies who have spent
some time in the U.K. however, will have
seen them on the roads.) This group of MG
saloons and turbo-charged powerhouses
that formed a continuum in MG production
in Britain and Europe until 2005 was simply
part of ‘the lost years’ for MG in Australia.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END –
TEMPORARILY
So, it is perhaps well past time that we fill
in these missing years; closing the gap,
so to speak on MG production and sales
Downunder. This chapter really commences
with the MGB story, as this much-loved
model was the last MG to be assembled in
this country. MGB Mark II Roadsters and
Midgets only were assembled at Zetland,
(Mark I B Roadsters had been assembled
previously at Enfield, N.S.W.). Assembly
of the MGB commenced at Zetland on
4 April 1963 and ceased on 6 November
1972, after a total of 9337 cars had
been produced. (Safety Fast, 1994, p36)
The MGB was delivered to Australia in
CKD (Completely Knocked Down) form.
On arrival in Australia, the cars had not
been painted and no trim or hoods were
included – these were part of the ‘local
content’, which was reported to be as high
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as 45%. Until 1969 the Smiths heater was
an optional extra as well. However, many
other items that were optional extras in
other markets were included as standard
equipment in Australia. (www. mgb.mgcc.
com)
At the core of the decision to cease
local production of MGs was the Federal
Government’s decision to adjust the level
of import duties on overseas-made and
imported cars in order to protect local
car production. Legislation which came
into effect in 1972 required that new cars
must have 85% local content so as to
avoid duty and the MGB, which had less
than 50% local content, could not meet
this requirement. This worked in reverse
for British/Australian MGBs/Midgets at
Zetland because while protecting sales of
locally-produced Holdens, Ford Falcons and
Valiant Chargers, the regulations spelt the
end for MG at Zetland. Falling sales and
the re-structuring of import duties saw
management clear the assembly lines of
MGBs to focus on the new Leyland P76,
which ultimately proved a sales disaster
for British Leyland. (www.mgnuts.com/
articles/Australian-Hardtops).
British Leyland (formerly in Australia,
Austin Morris Division and initially British
Motor Corporation) did not bother to
launch another sports car in Australia until
the MGF in 1997. This marked the end for
MG in Australia until the late ‘nineties.
OVERVIEW – THE MISSING YEARS
1. The Metro, Maestro and Montego, –
1982-91
The years 1972 to 1997 are the focus of
this story and in particular, MG production
back in Britain, post MGB/MGC. Whilst
MGBs and Midgets had ceased to roll off
the assembly line in Australia in 1972, they
continued to be built and sold in Britain.
The ‘Rubber Bumper’ MGB (produced for
American consumption) was built until
October, 1980 when in that year, MGB/MGC
production at Abingdon ceased forever. This
M.G. Car Club Victoria
The MG MAESTRO range from
the brochure.
termination of the iconic sports car and the
closure of the British plant seemed to take
the motoring pubic by surprise. It provoked
a huge outcry against British Leyland’s
decision to go forward without a roads ter in
its fleet. Enthusiasts knew that Leyland had
never given the much-loved and revered
MGB the support it had needed and felt
that the Leyland directors were unaware
of the fierce following enjoyed by MG cars.
(www.mgcars.org.uk/mglong).
The models were:
But, central to our story, MG didn’t
disappear from the motoring landscape at
all – just in Australia. New models, all front
wheel drive, emerged to fill the void and all
were hardtops. These MGs constituted a trio
of new models previously mentioned: the
Metro, Maestro and Montego. Let’s make it
clear at the outset; in the lifetime of these
models, officially, none were imported here
or sold in this country. Any that are here
now, were imported by individuals and
configured to comply with stringent, local
regulations, which essentially prohibited
their importation. Importation is not an open
matter; only long-term owners who have
complied with the strict import provisions
have been allowed to bring their cars with
them when immigrating to Australia. It is
believed that if any exist here, they number
in total (all three models and their variants)
in the low single figures. Only one complete
Maestro Turbo is known to exist in this
country owned by MGCC member and our
current Wheel Spin Editor.
MG MAESTRO TURBO
1989 – 505 built.
JUNE 2014
MG METRO
1982-90 – 120,197 built.
MG METRO TURBO
1984-90 – 21,968 built.
MG METRO 6R4
1984 – 205 built.
MG MAESTRO
1983-90 (3 engine types) –
47,914 built.
MG MONTEGO
1984-91 – 34,476 built
MG MONTEGO TURBO
1985-91 -7276 built.
Total number of MG saloons built – 1982
to 1991 – 232,541 units.
MG Metro
The Austin Rover Group, the division of
British Leyland, had planned to replace the
ever-popular Mini, which began life as the
Morris Mini Minor. In 1980, the same year
that the last MGB rolled off the assembly
line, the company launched the Austin
MiniMetro; intended at that time not to
replace the Mini, but to compliment it.
Throughout the eighteen years this car
was produced, it appeared in a number of
badges – Austin, MG and Rover. From 1990
until its final demise in 1997, it was badged
only as a Rover. A van version, the Morris
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