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France – the ADO16 morphs into a Citroën!
Yesterday’s French 1300 GT post attracted several comments lamenting the end of ADO16 production and certainly whenever we feature the Michelotti styled ADO16 which became the Apache and the Victoria many of you comment upon lost opportunities...
...but perhaps Citroën of France demonstrates the greatest British Leyland lost opportunity – in 1967, Pininfarina was commissioned by BMC to design an ‘aerodynamic’ replacement for the ADO16 (and indeed the 1800 as well). Remember Pininfarina had styled the ADO16 but BMC rejected the replacement design studies – one Robert Opron was though inspired...
...if you think our Pininfarina BLMC 1100 images look familiar you’re probably not wrong – the Citroën GS, designed by Opron, became exactly what the ADO16 had been, a small family. It was manufactured in saloon and estate bodystyles from 1970 until 1986 and as a GSA hatchback from 1979 to 1986, and almost 2.5 million units were sold. What’s more, the GS was voted European Car of the Year for 1971 and was noted as technologically advanced, with class leading comfort, safety and aerodynamics.
With thanks to Citroën – although sorry, we just can’t bring ourselves to picture an actual GS!
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Great pictures!! Can't help wondering if it did get the go ahead would it have been a sales flop due to avant-garde styling? Over 10 tears later Britain was shocked at the Sierra, preferring the orthodox Cortina. Still they rejected this and we got the allegro. Nice dashboard/interior on this, has the rear lights been changed to round items , ?
Yet another lost opportunity this design could have led to whole new generation of cars sitting below rover and jaguar what were they thinking when they rejected it
Think Matchbox made a small model of this.
Great Paolo Martin's work! Both on Ado16 than Ado17. Maybe Austin would be still alive. Citroen Gs and Cx, as well as Lancia Gamma (Fioravanti's design) kept a lot from original Martin's concept on Austin-Morris based cars.
If ever there was a lost opportunity, the Berlina Aerodynamica 1100 concept has to be it.
An actual hatchback too - the GS itself only gaining this feature in 1979 with the GSA update. The rear treatment resembles that of the Rover SD1...
So much better than the alegro
Many lost opportunities obv the old school old fashioned management were still in the past
France – 1974, Morris 1300 GT, Mark III
When the 1300 GT was refreshed and offered in Mark III guise the Morris badge was dropped in the UK but overseas exports continued unaffected...
...most ADO16 production ceased in 1974 by which time demand for the 1300 GT had tailed off, just 243 cars were produced for the UK whilst 670 were produced for export.
Yesterday we commented on how fond British Leyland were of Bronze Yellow coloured cars when advertising the GT. Damask was a rare choice and as far as we are aware British Leyland France was the only outlet where 1300 GT adverts showed the colour.
So our featured car was rare, a 1974, Morris 1300 GT, Mark III finished in Damask.
With thanks to James Taylor and Yalta Production
We are a global club of several hundred, with a Facebook Group of over 2,075 members, contacts and representatives in over 40-countries; you can join the only ADO16 club with FREE or PAID (just £10.00) membership levels here: www.ado16.info/membership-join
Did the Mk3 do away with the wonderful headrests on the C pillar? (One reason why I love the 4 door over the 2 door and travellers!)
Beautiful colour on that car. 1300 GT is almost my favourite ADO16 variant.
biggest mistake BL ever made was ending production of this car when it was holding up the whole pack of cards.
For how many years was the sun roof an option or available, looks really nice.
France – Austin 1300 GT, Mark III
It’s great looking at the sales brochure as we did yesterday but it’s even better looking at immaculate surviving examples!
Actually, this is a later Mark III, Austin 1300 GT – finished in Bronze Yellow which became a favourite colour of British Leyland in their advertising material.
There is footage of this car in our video collection but here we bring you a detailed pictorial study – enjoy!
We are a global club of several hundred, with a Facebook Group of over 2,075 members, contacts and representatives in over 40-countries; you can join the only ADO16 club with FREE or PAID (just £10.00) membership levels here: www.ado16.info/membership-join
France National Day
Today we celebrate the National Day of France, Bastille Day (la fête nationale, le quatorze juillet) with a French GT brochure...
...for the last few days we were featuring the Austin America which in final guise used a GT steering wheel and re-badged GT grille but whereas the GT was never sold in North America it was sold widely across Europe.
This brochure of the Mark II Austin & Morris 1300 GT features many glorious double page spread images so we have posted both the page spreads and the individual pages for you to enjoy.
We are a global club of several hundred, with a Facebook Group of over 2,075 members, contacts and representatives in over 40-countries; you can join the only ADO16 club with FREE or PAID (just £10.00) membership levels here: www.ado16.info/membership-join
Love these. My Geography teacher had a red GT in the 80s.....lovrly period piece.
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