Wednesday 20th July 2016

MG Metro Turbos are back!

There were five ever made and three of them are at Silverstone next weekend

---

The BTCC MG Metro Turbo story is another tale of British motorsport endeavour and spirit with little reward. The 6R4 is the racing Metro we all know of, with the circuit car limited to just a few outings in 1983 and 1984. Now though, thanks largely to the efforts of Patrick Watts, three of the BTCC-spec cars will be seen on track again.

Way back when...

The Turbo project began in the early 80s, the first car built by Austin Rover at Cowley and the other four put together by Roger Dowson Engineering. The latter was tasked with managing the race campaign too, with Tony Pond driving at Brands Hatch in April 1983 for the car's first race. Where it retired. Apparently it proved 'impressively fast but incredibly frail with a mixture of gearbox, overheating and tyre problems all too often undermining promising performances.'

By the end of that season three cars were entered for the Silverstone finale, with Martin Brundle and Patrick Watts also driving. All three cars retired with tyre trouble. At the same corner. On the same lap... After a couple more encouraging shows in 1984, Austin Rover ended the project 'following a row with the authorities over the legality'.

But now they're back! The Metros will once again take on the big boys at Silverstone in the Historic Touring Car Challenge race at the Silverstone Classic. With Nick Swift (of Swiftune Engineering, the guys who make those bonkers fast Minis you see at Goodwood) working his magic on the A Series engine with more power (now around 220hp, from 190) and improved reliability, they promise to be more competitive than ever. Hopefully the tyres are sorted as well.

This promises to be quite a race

There will be two Computervision liveried cars racing at Silverstone, plus one painted in the Massa Real colours. That car will be driven by Till Betchtolseimer, with the other cars the responsibility of Watts and Swift plus Malcolm Harrison and Paul Taft. Should be quite a race against Capris, SD1, Alfa GTVs and the like.

The story doesn't stop there either. Having tracked down three of the Metros, Watts is now determined to find the other two. Apparently one is in the US and another over here so, if you have any info, there's a man who wants to know!

Donington video here. It's not the best vid, but it does feature a heroic save at 2:25.

[Mr2Mike]

220bhp from an A-series is just amazing. I'm surprised that it's nothing short of a grenade, especially the gearbox.

I hope this gets televised, I'd love to see it.

[rossub]

Its great that stuff like this happens. Surprised they're still alive after all this time

[Richair]

It's great that so much interesting 80's stuff is now finding it's way out of the woodwork and into classic/historic events. These should be very entertaining to watch!!

[J4CKO]

6R4 has been on a diet then !

[Dave Hedgehog]

J4CKO said:

6R4 has been on a diet then !

a fun car over shadowed by its psychotic big brother

[sim16v]

Always loved the look of these!

[mickyveloce]

Another former owner here too. Bought as my first car for my first job, purely on the basis of red seat belts and an LED boost gauge.

Kept for six hectic and memorable weeks, during which time plenty went wrong, and I spun it.

Mine was the second series version (over head boost gauge) and it was, in every measurable way, absolutely rubbish.

PS, I'd love another go in one!

[coppice]

Saw Watts' car at Donington and wuill see it next week too. Flametastic ...But I wish he'd also resurrect his giant slaying Uno Turbo prod saloon too, which I saw him annihilating the entire grid at a very wet Donington in the late 80s/early 90s.

[Mr Bishi Chancer]

Mr2Mike said:

220bhp from an A-series is just amazing. I'm surprised that it's nothing short of a grenade, especially the gearbox.

I hope this gets televised, I'd love to see it.

There were a couple of 190 ish BHP Minis around in the mid/late '90s IIRC. They were bonkers fast and 1 of them (turquoisey colour) even gave some RS Fords some stick down at a Middlesex RSOC meeting I attended in about 1996. A straight cut Jack Knight (are they still around) gearbox was needed for anything over 120 BHP. They were not cheap. I remember them being around £1200 when you could buy a nice Metro Turbo for about half that!

I had a 1983 (A reg) Zircon Blue Mk1 as my first car in 1994. I loved it. Was totally reliable and would give my mate's Uno Turbos and Pug 205s a run for their money. If only I could find one now...

[RyanOPlasty]

I sympahise with the poor gearbox.

[rallycross]

coppice said:

Saw Watts' car at Donington and wuill see it next week too. Flametastic ...But I wish he'd also resurrect his giant slaying Uno Turbo prod saloon too, which I saw him annihilating the entire grid at a very wet Donington in the late 80s/early 90s.

I remember that race with his Uno turbo winning outright!

[mickyveloce]

I had a 1983 (A reg) Zircon Blue Mk1 as my first car in 1994. I loved it. Was totally reliable and would give my mate's Uno Turbos and Pug 205s a run for their money. If only I could find one now...

[/quote]

No it wouldn't , unless they were spectacularly incompetent drivers. I've had all of these pass through my hands, and the poor old MG was a generation behind. The Uno had the engine, the 205 the chassis, the Metro the red seat belts.

[s m]

Loved the brakes and the digital boost gauge was a source of wonder when you steered a 2-litre Escort

[thurleigh5]

What price nowadays, gov? Not on ebay yet, I'd guess.

[Lukeski1986]

What would you say if I told you I know where the other Metro is...?
And no, I'm not fishing for attention. I genuinely know who owns the elusive Metro!
😊

[FWDRacer]

Nic Swift's company make one of the best race A-series gearboxes available

Swiftune won't be in this to come second. Let the giant slaying commence, rest of the grid need to pray for a dry day.

[mnx42]

I had a Mk1 of these and in every way it was total ste except for the boost lights and red seat belts!

[Mr Bishi Chancer]

mickyveloce said:

I had a 1983 (A reg) Zircon Blue Mk1 as my first car in 1994. I loved it. Was totally reliable and would give my mate's Uno Turbos and Pug 205s a run for their money. If only I could find one now...

No it wouldn't , unless they were spectacularly incompetent drivers. I've had all of these pass through my hands, and the poor old MG was a generation behind. The Uno had the engine, the 205 the chassis, the Metro the red seat belts.

You must have had a bad example.

Edited by Mr Bishi Chancer on Thursday 21st July 10:32

[Artey]

Lukeski1986 said:

What would you say if I told you I know where the other Metro is...?
And no, I'm not fishing for attention. I genuinely know who owns the elusive Metro!
??

I thought we had an agreement that you won't tell anyone. And you call yourself a friend?

[poo at Paul's]

what a ridiculously awful camera position on that video!!