What’s the appeal?
MG’s first mid-size hatch followed on from the Metro with a similar red-seatbelted theme, allied to snazzy styling features such as a body kit, tailgate spoiler and those inimitable ‘cheese grater’ alloy wheels – not to mention its inbuilt voice synthesiser.
It may not have been a sports car in the truest MG tradition but, as Austin-Rover’s rival to the Ford Escort XR3 and Vauxhall Astra GT/E, the MG Maestro was just what the market demanded, even if the original R-series 1.6-litre engine was a bit of a let-down. Later 2.0 EFi models were much better. Then there was the ludicrous Turbo…
Why buy now?
The Maestro turns 40 in 2023 and, while some us find it alarming to think this once-common stalwart of Britain’s roads is now over-the-hill, the burgeoning popularity of Eighties classics, allied to the model’s low survival rates, mean it’s only ever going to go up in value.
Which one’s best?
The 2.0EFi, built between 1986 and 1990, is the best in terms of usability, performance and value for money.
● Valuations: £2,000 to £10,000
What’s the appeal?
Surely, we don’t have to try too hard to explain the appeal of an MGB with a Rover V8 engine under the bonnet? If
