[IanFromHKG]

I suspect that the rally versions may have had one or two minor modifications, though.

Now canucklad, are you really saying you have a bog-standard Metro? I have read of many of your travails on here, usually rolling around laughing, not at your misfortune but at your witty writing. But if you really drive one of those terrible cars, I will REALLY have to start feeling sorry for you…

My father bought one so that my grandmother and her boyfriend, visiting from Australia, could get around on their own. I borrowed it when I finally moved out of the parental home, and one night couldn’t park it in my street so parked in the neighbouring street near a rather dodgy pub. Unsurprisingly, given the area, but surprisingly given that it was a Metro, some local hooligans nicked it. I am not sure whether my father (who got the insurance money) or I (who no longer had to drive the damn thing down to visit my parents) was more relieved…

[AnthonyDunn]

Ian, the Metro was, relatively speaking (and for its time) a masterpiece of design and engineering (and the car I learned to drive on courtesy of the British School of Motoring). It was just the manufacture that “left something to be desired…” Some 20-30 years later, Renault is still capable of producing something like the Megane saloon with all the steering characteristics of a Thames barge and Fiat (a recent ghastly experience ex-FCO) are currently making a Punto whose wallow and roll characteristics are both unsafe and insanitary… Thanks to a lot of overseas cash and some very serious design and engineering skills, the UK has long since passed the dubious distinction of producing the world’s crappiest cars onto others.

[canucklad]

Hi Ian
Apologies for the confusion, my plucky wee car, should have read, my girlfriends plucky wee car!!
I’m embarrassed to admit, that I’ve never owned a car as I’ve never got round to taking my test ; )
But, I’ll stand by what I said, as a child I could easily and enjoyably spot an Alfa Romeo from a Chevvy from a Volkswagen, as all had unique lines and features. Then it seemed to be that the entire car manufactures recruited designers from the design School of Blandness Then the Mini Metro was launched with its distinctive sloping hood and lights that appeared to smile at you …… As for it’s performance, hard to tell, since Lorraine drove at the same speed I push my shopping trolley through ASDA!!
And esselle, thanks for the update, good to know my grey matter still working . Your pal wasn’t Tony Pond by any chance? I met him at Kielder Forest; a colleague of mine was a severe petrol head and took me to a few rallies and i had the opportunity to chat to a Metro driver that drove faster than my GF : )

[esselle]

Canucklad

No, not your friend. The guy in question was Al Sutherland.

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