RE: Rover Metro GTI: PH Ad Break
Wednesday 17th December 2014
Simple fun appears the ethos behind this Metro ad; indeed you would like to think that was the logic behind the GTI as a car. Add a (relatively) powerful engine to a small car and watch as those in charge (management, or robots in the case of the advert) get themselves in a tizz about it.
Rover Metro GTI: PH Ad Break
Yes, you can blame us if "Engine oversize! Engine oversize!" becomes really annoying
OK, so the reality probably wasn't that underhand but the advert is still rather enjoyable. Who doesn't enjoy talking robots and naff fonts? I've no idea if the GTI is actually any good but this sort of makes me want to try one. Then turn the robots really crazy and drop a 1.8 K-Series in as a few PHers already have...
Discussion
I had one of those as a loan car when a Porsche drove into the back of my MG Metro. Porsche suffered a crashed bumper , mine spent 5 weeks being straightened out .... ! (no idea why it wasn't a particularly good car).
But ... the Rover Metro with the 1.4 engine was just light years away (so it seemed) compared to the original metro. I remember the advert and was so disappointed when I had to go back to my original Metro.
But ... the Rover Metro with the 1.4 engine was just light years away (so it seemed) compared to the original metro. I remember the advert and was so disappointed when I had to go back to my original Metro.
What a dreadful advert !
The Metro GTI was ok-ish, the one I had was a shed though, the radius arms were knackered and it was reasonably fast so it was like a hyperactive shopping trolley and I was the only person who, despite actually trying to, quite hard, couldn't kill a K Series engine.
The Metro GTI was ok-ish, the one I had was a shed though, the radius arms were knackered and it was reasonably fast so it was like a hyperactive shopping trolley and I was the only person who, despite actually trying to, quite hard, couldn't kill a K Series engine.
daemon said:
Great little car in its time, but it was underpowered compared to the Nova GTE / GSi of the time and the XR2i
I would have the Metro over those two though. The Nova GTE (GSi wasn't much of an improvement either) and the XR2i were pretty poor dynamically. I was very underwhelmed with the ones I went in back then.The Metro was far cheekier.
Edited by Baz Tench on Wednesday 17th December 12:22
I had one, it was amazing, and i still have a bit of a soft spot for it.
There were 2 versions, a 1.4 Gti with MPI was the faster one and started in 1993 i think, 103bhp i think.
As i remmeber from all the traffic light GP's it did well against all the Nova's, Suzuki Swift Gti's etc. I did not do well against the 205 Gti's though.
I loved it at the time, i did end up having to get a new head gasket on it, but apart from that it was quite reliable. Decent little car.
Probably wouldnt buy one now.
There were 2 versions, a 1.4 Gti with MPI was the faster one and started in 1993 i think, 103bhp i think.
As i remmeber from all the traffic light GP's it did well against all the Nova's, Suzuki Swift Gti's etc. I did not do well against the 205 Gti's though.
I loved it at the time, i did end up having to get a new head gasket on it, but apart from that it was quite reliable. Decent little car.
Probably wouldnt buy one now.
RacingPete said:
Oh the dream of owning the GTi model... I only had the GTa, but a cracking little chassis for my first car.
Me too! My GTa was my 1st car 25 years ago, I loved it. Cost me £7500 from Brysons of Prestwick , was their demonstrator with 5000 miles on the clock . This was a picture after 12 years and 108,000 miles and dodgy alloys
..
I remember they has a GTi in the showroom in Nightflame Pearlescent with red seat belts and actual cloth solid headrests!
Would still love a GTi , but they seem to all have rusted away to nothing now.
Used to drive these when they were brand new (and I was a Rover apprentice)
In their day they were a fun package.
Age has not been so kind to the Metro as it has to the XR2 and Nova SR/GTE.
Having driven all the hot hatches of the day (in the day) the Metro did have a nice
Revvy engine (running to 6800rpm) where it's rivals would be all spent by 6 grand.
Spec wasn't bad either (the Metro being available with electric windows, central locking & a sunroof).
Folks jump on the K series for head gasket failure, but people forget that the CVH could be prone
To smoke by 40k (step forward hardened stem steals) and the Family 2 Nova engine loved a camshaft.
Speaking of camshafts, neither rival had twin cams or 16 valves and the K series matched their outputs
Whilst giving away 200cc.
Not the best warm hatch, oh no, and I'm not suggesting better than the competition, but not cr*p as
People make out.
In their day they were a fun package.
Age has not been so kind to the Metro as it has to the XR2 and Nova SR/GTE.
Having driven all the hot hatches of the day (in the day) the Metro did have a nice
Revvy engine (running to 6800rpm) where it's rivals would be all spent by 6 grand.
Spec wasn't bad either (the Metro being available with electric windows, central locking & a sunroof).
Folks jump on the K series for head gasket failure, but people forget that the CVH could be prone
To smoke by 40k (step forward hardened stem steals) and the Family 2 Nova engine loved a camshaft.
Speaking of camshafts, neither rival had twin cams or 16 valves and the K series matched their outputs
Whilst giving away 200cc.
Not the best warm hatch, oh no, and I'm not suggesting better than the competition, but not cr*p as
People make out.
Dave Hedgehog said:
Only took 18 posts 
sparehead3 said:
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