Description Recently recommissioned and repainted following 15 years in storage; most eye-catching in Applejack Green; one of only 18 early Metros still UK licensed today Marketed as ‘A British car to beat the world’, early advertisements for the new Metro had it defending the white cliffs of Dover, tugging at the heart strings of the patriotic British car-buying public.

Unveiled in 1980, the Metro was BL’s answer to the relentless onslaught of small new hatchbacks from rival European manufacturers.

Cars like the Fiat Uno, Renault 5, VW Polo and Ford Fiesta were selling in droves, making the ageing and less practical Mini look like the 21-year-old design that it was.

And what a worthy rival the Metro proved to be, a genuinely good car with bags of space, super handling and a fine ride thanks to the Hydragas suspension.

Within 10 years, the millionth Metro had rolled out of Longbridge, making it their fastest selling car to date.

This early Metro Mk1 was first registered in Birming...