The MG Metro was introduced in May 1982 some 18 months after the closure of the MG factory at Abingdon.

MG’s first attempt at the then new ‘hot hatch’ era, it was the perception of many manufacturers that most car buyers were concerned open top two seat sports cars were something from the past.

The MG Metro boasted some quite positive features for the day including the standard use of powerful servo assisted brakes using four pot (piston) calipers up front, very competitive performance and superb economy courtesy of the responsive and well proven A+ series engine.

With around 120,000 made between 1982 and 1990, most are of the facelift variant launched in October 1984 where the bonnet line was lowered and streamlined, and a new interior and dash moulding was introduced.

This well-prepared Austin Metro from the Moorlands Collection has been extensively developed for competition use, making it suitable for a variety of disciplines including circuit racing, hill climbs, sprints, and r...