1987 Austin METRO

Genuine, museum-quality cars are rare. Genuine, museum-quality British cars from the seventies and eighties are even rarer. 

This is one such car.

With just over 12,000 miles to its name, this Austin Metro is utterly pristine and completely untouched. There is no wear and tear, or oil or grease anywhere. The bolts are still shiny and the engine bay is as good as it was on the day it left the factory.

The present owner is a genuine Austin enthusiast. He loves the car, but issues with his health are forcing the sale of a treasured possession. Old age is a curse and never more so when it forces a listing like this.

The car was resprayed in its original colour of metallic gold as part of the car’s comprehensive, recent recommissioning; this, plus careful garaging (it is covered and garaged) means the car’s coachwork is in pristine condition.

Alloy wheels might have their devotees, but what we what from our eighties’ Austins are steel wheels, neatly covered with a set of original equipment wheel trims. Which is what you get here.

The brown cloth ‘n’ vinyl interior is pristine, as is the wood trim on the dashboard. The OE radio/cassette player is present and correct, and provides a wonderfully period soundtrack to classic Austin motoring.

The car was the subject of a comprehensive engineer’s inspection when the current owner bought the car (which can be viewed in the records below), and despite taking three hours to complete his examination, the inspector could find nothing wrong with the car whatsoever. In the words of the owner: “Every mechanical item, looks as though it is brand new.”

It is possibly a perfect spec, too: the legendary 1275cc engine is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox, and the whole lot is suspended by Alex Moulton’s Hydragas suspension. If you imagine a bigger, more comfortable Mini Cooper then you have nailed this car’s appeal.

We’ve done our usual online MOT history check and we didn’t find a single advisory item on any of the annual record – and the records date all the way back to 2006. Amazing.

This rare piece of British automotive history comes complete with its original service handbook and owner’s manual. It also comes with old tax discs and MOTs, plus a letter from the original owner that backs up its provenance.

The original owner lived in Slough and only used the car for local shopping trips and visits to the doctor. It has probably never been on a long journey in its entire life. How very (automatic) Austin Metro.

The current owner is an ex-Army fitter, and he bought it from a local enthusiast who is a fitter too. This is a car that has wanted for nothing.

A metallic brown, automatic Austin Metro possibly redefines the term ‘niche car’. But if it is your thing, you won’t find a better, cleaner example.

With a verifiably low mileage, this car is probably as close to being a brand new car as you’re going to find, and would make a fine addition to any collector’s garage.

And yet, we can’t help thinking that the relatively low purchase price (these things are criminally undervalued in our opinion) means that it would make an even better addition to an enthusiast’s fleet. By keeping the mileage reasonable, you could drive this thing to meets and shows for the next twenty years and still keep the odometer under 50,000 miles.

And that, my friends, would be having your cake and eating it. ..

Our guide price is £3k and the car is based near Rotherham. To view use the 'Contact Seller' button above, or discuss and ask any questions in the comments below.