OV9

There's no way a City X would have had that rear spoiler which was a GTA/MG fitment. Not sure about the chrome door handles either, or the wheeltrims. Good to see it sticks with the original lack of headrests inside though.

ETA: this one is a 3dr but I think it is more original - and does have headrests. Wonders will never cease.



Found the auction - that one has colour coded bumpers which aren't original but otherwise is, apparently: https://www.iconicauctioneers.com/1989- ... 1-nec-1122

Oh FFS, I've even found a 1989 brochure. I'm going to end up looking at adverts for them on Car and Classic next aren't I...

yep, i knew it would be of interest to some of you weirdos!

My first car was an immaculate, white Austin Metro Mayfair that we purchased from some old dear who had owned it from new and never carried anyone else in it! Sadly I rolled it down some country lane about 18 months into ownership and it never really recovered.

City was usually very basic, but it’s also very late for an A-series car so maybe they threw a load of extras on. It already has luxuries such as the rear wiper, plastic bumpers and wide rub strips.

Rear spoiler was relatively common on non-sporty ones as it reduced drag significantly.

I wasn’t ever a fan of the A-series cars, my mums k-reg 1.1 was a million times better than her e-reg. the series engine and Peugeot gearbox totally transformed them.

However, with time I’m starting to appreciate the older cars more. Would absolutely have to be a 3 door though.

My childhood was basically Metro's all the way down

Mom had one, BIL had a black Metro GTi, sister had a 114 GTA and I passed my test in a lovely green Rover 100....might have been a "Rio"

Edit...it was a Kensington! Not a Rio.

integrale_evo wrote: Tue Oct 21, 2025 12:30 pm City was usually very basic, but it’s also very late for an A-series car so maybe they threw a load of extras on. It already has luxuries such as the rear wiper, plastic bumpers and wide rub strips.

Rear spoiler was relatively common on non-sporty ones as it reduced drag significantly.

Have a look at the 1989 brochure photo above - the spoiler definitely wasn't on it when new and nor were the chrome door handles.

My second car was a Metro HLS on a W plate so one of the very first. I quite liked it at the time as it was fairly "modern" compared to a lot of stuff.

A schoolmate’s Dad worked for Rover in the mid 90s. He had a decent spec 600 and his Mum had a Metro GTA. I remember thinking it looked pretty cool, I still like it now.

My mate drove around in his mum's basic Metro whilst he was at uni. One of the rear wheels had some visible positive camber, and it handled like a dog : they apparently had it checked by the garage multiple times and were reassured it was fine. I didn't find much to like in it/them (although I did look at and test-drive a GTi once).

Spotted on the D139 in France a C7 Audi S6 taxi, with the little light on top and everything. Not sure how the financials stack up, but definitely more exciting than a hybrid Corolla or the like.

In years to come am I going to be as excited to see a plastic bumpered 1.3l ford ka as you guys are with metros?

I appreciate seeing pretty much anything over 30years old that’s in good condition and still being used, even if I thought they were utter crap at the time and wouldn’t ever want to own one.

So yes, I probably would give a really clean tidy non rusty early Ford Ka a second glance, or a mk1 mondeo with completely intact non gaffer taped bumpers etc.

Been a long time I've seen one without a rotten fuel filler neck

Carlos wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:24 pm Been a long time I've seen one without a rotten fuel filler neck

Mine was doing that at 4 year old

integrale_evo wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:21 pmmk1 mondeo with completely intact non gaffer taped bumpers etc.

I used to have a jokey exchange with my brother where we’d send photos of mondeo gaffer taped bumpers whenever we spotted one - bonus points were given for colour matched tape. this was 15 years ago, so i can’t believe there’s a single in tact one left!