This pre-production Mini Metro formed the centrepiece of Austin Rover’s stand at the 1980 British International Motor Show and became the star of the show. 

Revealed in Austin’s 75th anniversary year, this ‘supermini’ was launched in a blaze of publicity two weeks before the NEC Motor Show in a carefully orchestrated press event to ensure Austin Rover’s new car enjoyed full exposure to the world.

Original intentions for the new model were for it to replace the wildly successful Mini, but instead the Metro was made into a larger car to rival British and European equivalents. British Leyland were so confident that the car would be a success that a new automated plant (West Works) was built to produce it. 

In engineering terms, the Metro was similar to previous small Austins. The three-door hatchback bodyshell, however, was all new with styling developed in the Longbridge design studio. The Metro name was chosen in a ballot of Longbridge workers who were given three options: Maestro, Metro or Match.

In the first three years of production it was the best selling supermini in the country and even the 19-year-old Lady Diana was seen driving one around London before her marriage to Prince Charles! This car is a 1.3-litre HLS and was the range-topping luxury specification model that was later replaced by the Vanden Plas, Mayfair and MG derivatives. It is one of 300 pre-production models that were built in May 1980 in plenty of time before the launch.