GTP Cool Wall: 1983-1995 Austin Maestro

[GranTurismo916]

1983-1995 Austin Maestro nominated by @Akwaaba

Engines: 1.3L I4 (Austin A-Series), 1.6L I4 (Austin R/S-Series), 2.0L Diesel I4 (Perkins Prima)
Power: A-Series: 68 hp; R/S-Series: 86 hp; Prima: 60 hp
Torque: A-Series: 75 lb-ft.; R/S-Series: 91 lb-ft.; Prima: 89 lb-ft.
Weight: 1.3: 945 kg; 1.6: 1000 kg; Diesel: 1092 kg
Transmission: 4-speed manual, 5-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front engine, front wheel drive
Body Styles: 5-door hatchback
Additional Info: "After the relative success of the Metro, British Leyland urgently needed a replacement to take on the GM Astra/Kadett and the Fwd Ford Escort. The voice synthesis warning and information system in the higher spec models had a talking dashboard, the gender varied depending on which country the car was sold in. However the 1.3 A Plus engine was originally from the early 1950s (if not earlier!). The R-series was a modified version of the E-series engine seen in the Allegro and Maxi. Later on cars were produced in Bulgaria, and versions are still in production in China.

Just over 600,000 were sold in UK, however by 2006 it is believed that only 11,000 had survived."​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[AudiMan2011]

A hatchback for old duffers.

Uncool.

 

[Roger the Horse]

Bland in a bad way.

 

[Heldenzeit]

I kinda like the face. Doesn't save it from SU though.

 

[Sage Ages]

Invisible.

 

[Dennisch]

Aaaw.

Nope.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

Never seen one of these. Of course, that's because I live in the US.

However, I get a very strong impression that this would be one of those cars I wouldn't take a second glance at in traffic.

Meh.

 

[Liquid]

Hybrids with Montego front ends are produced in China.

One of my abiding automotive memories growing up. Hate it. Definitely a granddad car. About as cool as turning up for a funeral with a whizzing bowtie.

Seriously Uncool

 

[Wiegert]

British crap.

 

[Dennisch]

Hybrids with Montego front ends are produced in China.

One of my abiding automotive memories growing up. Hate it. Definitely a granddad car. About as cool as turning up for a funeral with a whizzing bowtie.

Seriously Uncool

Top Gear fact.

Shame on you.

British crap.

Omg how can you say that that is so racist you are a bad person for saying that how can you be so generalising I will bet that all British people are so offended by your terrible post.

 

[Liquid]

Top Gear fact.

Coincidence! I swear!

 

[Tyger]

I smile when I see one but only because of their scarcity now. The MG was borderline interesting, but not being polled here. Uncool, British Crap indeed from the more off-brown than golden late 70s-early 80s British car industry.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

So, there's a car so forgettable that.. Wait, hat was it called again? I already forgot.. Yup, Seriously Uncool.

 

[Dennisch]

British crap.

Ahem.

Can you tell me the difference between your crap post and mine?

 

[Adamgp]

No...

SU.

 

[GTP_Ingram]

A hatchback for old duffers.

Uncool.

Hey, my Granddad used to drive one of those!

Oh, wait a minute...

The Maestro Turbo* is something of a guilty pleasure of mine, especially as a sub-seven second 0-60 time will probably surprise plenty of people. Still uncool though.


* I realise that the Turbo is technically an MG...

 

[Tyger]

Ahem.

Can you tell me the difference between your crap post and mine?

Happy to. There is already plenty of evidence that the British car industry was in a bad way during that period, so I didn't need to do much to back up my assertion, but key point, I did elucidate.

Also I'm British (as is Wiegert), though I could understand some Brits being annoyed if someone from elsewhere sweepingly said "British Crap" with nothing to back that up. Not me, but again it could come across as rather obnoxious and offensive.

The thing is, if all you are saying is "(name of country) crap" it doesn't take a genius to see how that can be taken badly. It pretty much comes across as it's crap simply because of nationality, not the many many factors that connect the two. And if it's meant in irony, well that will be lost on a lot of people who don't read your every post. Got it? I really hope so

 

[Dagger311]

SU so fast, it looks like something my great Aunt would drive if she lived in Europe.

 

[Dennisch]

Got it? I really hope so

I do, with a aftertaste of a pinch of hypocrisy.

 

[Tyger]

I do, with a aftertaste of a pinch of hypocrisy.

Fair comment

 

[The87Dodge]

A generic looking 80's euro hatchback. No redeeming features about it.

Uncool.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Parents had one of these when I was young. A Silver one.

Quite a striking design in my opinion. Not a nice one though.

SU

 

[synchromesh]

I love this thing for some reason. Is it cool?

Meh.

 

[ScottPuss20]

So boring, so bland, just an ordinary car for ordinary people. No coolness at all. Seriously Uncool

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

Boring, but practical.

Meh.

 

[TheCracker]

Zero redeeming features. SU.

 

[GT Pro]

Uncool, but obviously not offensively so.

 

[Wolfe]

A cute 1980s hatchback that I've never seen in my life and would be a rare find to see in this part of the world, that has a silly of-its-time "talking dashboard" and is still kicking around in a second world country, is definitely a modest Cool.

 

[Cano]

I like how it looks. But it's not cool.

Also, I really want to know how in the absolutely hell, if six hundred thousand of these were made, how can just 11 thousand can be still on the road? How bad were they?

 

[Akwaaba]

Reason for this nomination.
One of the first cars I ever drove, I even bought one during my student years and my Mum had one and she was rather fond of it.
Browsing the cool wall results, I wondered if I could nominate the least cool car ever!

I voted seriously uncool, because whilst it is not such a bad car to drive, it lack charisma, style, elegance or any form of desirability.
The early ones were not particularly well made, suffered niggling reliability problems, were bland to drive and lower spec models came in some unpleasant shades of beige with brown interiors with small steel wheels and black bumpers. The dumpy shape only made things worse.