AUSTIN MONTEGO (1984-1994)
After the Ital served only to demonstrate how ludicrously outdated the Marina platform was, it was vital that British Leyland replace it with something modern and standout. Project LM11 would be a saloon derivative of LM10, the Maestro, and use the same front-wheel drive transverse layout and MacPherson strut front suspension. Badged Montego, the new saloon looked sharp and modern despite a long development period, sporting body-coloured bumpers that made rivals look comparatively dated. Inside too, the Montego was modern, with generous equipment, a curvaceous dashboard and sharp instrument cluster, the earliest MG variants getting an LCD display you either loved or hated. The MG sat close to the top of the range, with only the plush Vanden Plas costing more.
The Estate variant proved a hit, with vast luggage capacity and optional rear-facing jump seat, as well as Mercedes-esque self-levelling rear suspension. So accomplished was the Montego Estate, in fact, that designer Roy Axe won a Design Council award for it, the load-lugger proving a popular company car choice throughout the 1980s. The new overhead-cam S-Series petrol made its debut in the Montego, while the 2.0-litre O-Series was available with or without fuel injection, and from 1985, a turbocharger.
