British Leylands replacement for the Maxi and the Allegro, the Maestro first went on sale in 1983 and rivaled the Mk3 Ford Escort and the Vauxhall Astra. Today, the Maestro is easily the rarest of the trio. With colour-coded plastic bumpers, an ECU and a bonded laminated windscreen it offered many pioneering features and the five-doors interior was pleasingly spacious and airy.
Thanks to MacPherson strut front suspension and a semi-trailing rear axle – similar to a Golf – the Maestro was praised for its comfort by road testers in period.
This 1990 example was built under the ownership of Austin Rover and sports the 84bhp 1.6-litre S-series engine which was the top petrol powerplant for the Rover-branded models (the MG version gaining a 2.0-litre) and featured the reliability of electronic ignition. This is mated up to a five-speed gearbox which was quite unusual for the time. The SL model was about half way up the model line-up (base and L models being beneath it) and gained Mayfair-style velour upholstery, metallic paint, a sunroof, a lower grey painted stripe and full wheel covers.
In honest survivor condition this SL model has only covered 39,373 miles in the hands of just three owners and is one of only three examples of this particular model still licenced, according to How Many Left. So it’s super rare and quite leftfield.
Seven services stamped in books – the last at 24,000miles
Last MoT in 2017
Just three owners in 32 years
Found in a barn by the current owner, this car was first registered on 20 February 1990 at a Rover dealer in Ottershaw, Surrey, this Maestro has had just three owners in 32 years. The second owner bought the car in 1991 so it’s possible that it could have been a British Leyland demonstration model for the first owner. The service stamps indicate that it probably moved to the Enfield area in the early Nineties.
The DVLA MoT history dates from 2006 to 2008 and it’s believed that the car was off the road from 2009 to 2013, before the MoT history then continues up to 2015. It was last MoT’d in 2017 when it had covered 37,936 miles and shows that there were no advisories. It is not currently MoT’d.
Having only covered 39,373miles in total, equates to an average of less than 1,230 miles a year – pretty remarkable!
The original log book, Leyland service book – containing seven service stamps up to 24,000 miles – are all present as well as the factory handbook.
Minimal wear to steering wheel, gearknob and pedal rubbers
No speaker holes cut in parcel shelf or doorcards
Austins were never renowned for durable interiors, which makes the condition of this 32-year-olds interior all the more noteworthy. It’s a much plusher interior than you got with a base model, with grey velour upholstery and would have impressed the neighbours in period – this was a proper middle-management car. The grey check pattern continues onto the doorcards which are pleasingly free from ugly aftermarket speakers. The grey rear parcel shelf is also intact and has no holes cut in it. Ashtrays abound in the interior, which really dates it to a product designed in the Eighties.
There are slight signs of wear to the edge of the drivers seat and some stitching has stretched apart on one of the seams in the seat base. Equally, the passenger doorcard has started to peel away at its upper edge and needs a replacement clip fitting. Unusually, the original dashboard is in good condition and appears uncracked – rare on these cars – while the carpets too look to be in remarkable condition for the age.
The headlining needs to be recovered – as is common with most British cars of this period – and has been removed from the car for this purpose. The seller points out that these headlining materials are readily available.
An upgraded stereo was another feature of the SL model, with the period Philips cassette radio looking period correct. Electric windows were another SL upgrade (though these are sadly not working – possibly a fuse). With slider controls for the heater and switchgear randomly scattered around the dash, it’s a cheerfully chaotic interior layout, with a super cool instrument binnacle featuring a funky Eighties style grid pattern.
Overall, though, for a 32-year old BL interior, the condition is pretty exceptional. With some sympathetic attention to the driver’s seat and a careful deep clean it can all be saved.
Still sporting its original dealer number plates indicates that this car hasn’t had any crash damage, while the matching dealer tax disc holder houses a 2010 dated tax disc. This tallies with the condition of the panelwork, with the doors, wings, tailgate and bonnet all having even panel gaps that are commensurate with the original factory build.
Having been off the road for a while, there will be some recommissioning work to be done and there are a few areas of the Tempest Grey metallic paintwork that will need attention. There’s a pressure dent by the driver’s door lock and some touched in repairs on the front passenger door. Both the tailgate and roof look clean, apart from a slight bird-dirt stain on the roof. The paintwork would be greatly elevated by a good mop and polish.
There is some fading to the black trim around the windows and on the front and rear bumpers, while the silver grille would benefit from a repaint. There are a few rust bubbles around the rear wheelarches, together with some rust flakes around the seams under the tail-lights (which both look in good condition) and a rust scab on the drivers door shut.
The underside has a layer of surface rust on it and would benefit from some attention. The owner recommends its trailered to its new home.
The current owners say that the engine fires up easily and drives, but it will obviously need to be MoTd and checked over. An inexpensive set of tyres and the usual brake discs and pads, together with a fluid refresh and thorough check of the coolant hoses and radiator would be wise insurance.
This is one of those forgotten classics that has all but disappeared from UK roads and is now a surprisingly rare car – only two other 1.6SLs are thought to be currently registered, with only around 136 taxed cars thought to be left in total. It needs a little commissioning work to be saved, but would be well worth the effort.
As the current owner points out – find another one in such original condition with only 39,373 miles on the clock. This barn find deserves to be saved and take its rightful place on the rally field of a classic car show.
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NO RESERVE - 1990 Austin Maestro 1.6SL
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