Tuesday 22nd April 2014

MG Montego Turbo: Time For Tea?

MG tells dealers how to sell a Montego Turbo, with help from Steve Soper

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'Cringeworthy' tends to be an overused term now, turned to at any moment of slight embarrassment. But this Montego Turbo dealer video takes self-aggrandising awkwardness to whole new levels.

The whiff of cheese is strong in the showroom section of the vid, with the 'prestige and exclusivity' of the MG brand pushed to the fore. Don't forget to check out the presentation pack also.

But out at Thruxton is where the worst excesses of cringe are saved for. Steve Soper has been dragged in to eulogise about the Montego in a horribly forced nature. Did you know the Montego Turbo returns 43mpg at a steady 56mph? Steve does! Of course the car is faultless also, the gearshift light and precise, the handling superb. The smoking inside tyre out of Thruxton's chicane is glossed over...

Steve takes the Montego onto country roads and into the city also where the Montego continues its viceless performance. Sounds like it's the best car in the world, with plenty of equipment too.

Anyway, there is something saved for the end of the video that should definitely make a return to new car sales. Delivery to the customer's address at a time that suits them with a full tank of fuel. Complete with a 'demonstration of the handling characteristics once more'. Maybe not from Steve Soper though.

Enjoy the vid.

[leedsutd1]

belive it or not the montego 1,6L was a big seller had the rover stunt driver parking one in a car park and the ad showing the 0-60 and top speed that was good for the price ,not sure of top speed etc for the turbo
but the MG maestro was pretty quick ,with the early one having a talking dash(I think?) very rare now

[drybeer]

Crikey!

[daemon]

Very fast cars in their time.

The MG Montego sold well, as did the MG Maestro and Metro for that matter.

The MG Montego Turbo though was a rarity - we sold one whenever i worked as a Rover salesman circa 1988.

[loose cannon]

I'd love a decent montego turbo
Shame there are virtually none left

[Limpet]

A mate had one of these. It was fast, very wayward, and completely reliable despite years of abuse. I'd love one.

[andymadmak]

I had one back in the day. C555NRB where are you now?

Let me say, it was a bloody brilliant car. Fast, comfy, roomy and utterly reliable over the 100k + miles I did in it. I drove it like I stole it too!
The only fault I had in 3 years was a small bleb of rust on the A pillar where the roof seam joined.
I replaced it with a (very rare) brand new MG Maestro Turbo (F504 DBD) that was only killed after it was stolen.... Before it died it did manage to demonstrate that it was far far faster around Donington Park than a Pug 205 GTi 1.9......

Loved my MG Turbos, and despite what the "experts" will say, they were bloody good cars in their day, especially when compared to the Ford (Sierra), Vauxhall (Cavalier) and Peugeot (405) competition. I think I am right in saying that several contemporary road tests also rated the Montego Turbo above the BMW 325.....

[Bryans69]

I had one of these. Very fast, probably due to the fact they were built out of thinnest metal known to man. Nightmare to drive on the motorway, as you were either doing 60 or 100, when the turbo kicked in. At which point you may as well have connected the fuel tank straight to the exhaust. Efficient it wasn't. Fun though.

[cerb4.5lee]

Enjoyed that vid as I always enjoy looking back at older cars, I always thought it was a very decent motor in its day and the performance was very impressive.

[Flatinfourth]

My keyboard doesnt have an acute accent key! I remember an owner i met years ago who was very proud of his MG Monteygo Turbo!!

[V8forweekends]

I need to go and lie down. 8 posts and no-one has slagged off British cars or "The Unions".

Holy caramba.

I borrowed an MG montego back in the day, was fairly happy, but in the end chose a Citroen BX GTi - which was 99 % reliable.

I have always liked the estates.....(montego) how many can be left?

[loose cannon]

Even the venerable old turbo diesel montego
Was a quick car for its time the mod plod used to chase the stolen cars over the woods in them back in the day
I've always seen them as another car that was destroyed by the British press
But what do I no !

[oobster]

andymadmak said:

I had one back in the day. C555NRB where are you now?

DVLA shows C555 NRB as due road tax renewal on 01-03-1993 so it looks like it is no more.

[SimonD]

Has PH been monitoring my email this morning? I was just talking to my brother about this video this morning, as it was linked from another video I'd sent him...

Still, cheesey as a pack of Wotsits, but still... Tally ho, what-what pip-pip

Edit to add I had a Metro Turbo back when I was 19. Flipping go-kart of a car that was. Absolutely loved it.

[TheFinners]

Bryans69 said:

I had one of these. Very fast, probably due to the fact they were built out of thinnest metal known to man. Nightmare to drive on the motorway, as you were either doing 60 or 100, when the turbo kicked in. At which point you may as well have connected the fuel tank straight to the exhaust. Efficient it wasn't. Fun though.

Ahh but Sir it will do 43mpg at a constant 56mph.

[V8forweekends]

loose cannon said:

Even the venerable old turbo diesel montego
Was a quick car for its time the mod plod used to chase the stolen cars over the woods in them back in the day
I've always seen them as another car that was destroyed by the British press
But what do I no !

Colleague of mine bought one of those from his Dad (!) ran it for 200K+ with no issues. They used that engine in early freelanders too where it had a similarly unburstable rep.

Totally agree about the press and Clarkson et al. We always seem to see anything not made here as automatically superior - not always with good reason.

[VinceFox]

V8forweekends said:

I need to go and lie down. 8 posts and no-one has slagged off British cars or "The Unions".

Holy caramba.

I borrowed an MG montego back in the day, was fairly happy, but in the end chose a Citroen BX GTi - which was 99 % reliable.

I have always liked the estates.....(montego) how many can be left?

I can't be here all the time.


They were fking awful.

[knebworth01]

Love it! Speed cameras, safety lobby? Whats that then, as Soper takes it out for a rag around the lanes!
Why cant motoring be a simple as it was in the 80's anymore?!
Also check out the salesman at the end of the vid, he couldnt give a hoot whats written on his clipboard, he just wants to get out in the Turbo and have a good thrash!
Great stuff!

[fourpointsixgt]

V8forweekends said:

I need to go and lie down. 8 posts and no-one has slagged off British cars or "The Unions".

Holy caramba.

I borrowed an MG montego back in the day, was fairly happy, but in the end chose a Citroen BX GTi - which was 99 % reliable.

I have always liked the estates.....(montego) how many can be left?

A lot of our reps had these in the day, many preferred them to the Sierras. Also the estates had a 7 seat option. I think the main reason why there's so few left is rust. The drivetrains were robust, the engine in particular was a peach.

[swimdunc]

Brought the wife a white MG Meastro back in the day, it was quick handled well and had plenty of room for the family.
Rust killed it in the end.
A very underrated car.

[BeirutTaxi]

We had one in the family years ago, went on to high miles... 260,000 if I remember correctly.

Aside from that, I hated it. I'm glad cars have moved on a long way since it.

Edited by BeirutTaxi on Tuesday 22 April 17:41