After British Leyland had killed off the MGB sports car in 1980, the MG brand lay dormant until sports versions of Austin’s new Metro and Montego arrived.
Soon after, BL engineers gave the A-Plus four-cylinder engine an innovative turbocharging system that let it hit peak torque at well below then normal turbo engine speeds: 85lb ft at 2650rpm.
Other upgrades were made to the engine (raising total output by 21bhp to 93bhp), clutch and suspension, while a second anti-roll bar was installed at the rear.
Our test started poorly, the MG jerky to drive in traffic, but things improved once we got going. Its delivery was smoother and less laggy than from most turbo cars and its 9.4sec 0-60mpg time beat all rivals’ bar the Ford Fiesta XR2.
The gear ratios we found were well chosen, but the ‘box was let down by a clutch that slipped.
At normal speeds, the MG was a very agreeable handler, having light yet responsive and feelsome steering and fairly stiff reluctance to roll and willingness to corner. Driven sensibly, it turned in easily for a front driver; when we chucked it about, it slid full-bloodedly but was easy to control.
However, straight-line stability was uneasy, it would buck wildly over bigger bumps and it bump-steered badly on country roads.
It was clear that the MG needed more work, then, while the Fiesta XR2 had all of its entertainment value but none of its drawbacks.
Austin Maestro, Fiat Uno, Peugeot 205 and more make debuts at Geneva
Plenty of historically significant models made their debuts at the 1983 edition of the Geneva motor show, alongside the usual array of curios and concept cars.
British Leyland’s next great hope, the Austin Maestro family hatch, “bathed in the universally warm reception it had won”.
A French rival was present in the form of the new Renault 11, a liftback relation of the two-year-old 9 saloon, the range-topper intriguing with an LCD instrument display and a synthesised voice.