Demonstrating Sir Alec Issogonis talented breadth of engineering principles, the family-sized series of BMC 1100 and 1300 became the choice of the small family car in 1960s Britain.

Crisply styled by Pininfarina, the model, known internally as the ADO16, was designed around the durable BMC A-Series engine.

Mounted transversely and driving the front wheels, it established a class-leading interior package which was to become the template for the modern car.

However, it was its innovative interconnected hydrolastic suspension and its controllability and ride comfort on all road surfaces, that helped place the ADO16 as one of the BMC all-time greats.

When the larger 1.3-litre engine was added to the MK II models in 1967, demand initially outpaced supply during the vehicle's first two years of release.

The MG 1300 was sold with a twin-carburettor ~65BHP set-up, much like the Mini Cooper S unit.

Adopting a plusher interior with the veneer dashboard from the luxury Riley variant and ven...