Maestro Build Numbers

[D87 SMW]

Below is an image of my Maestro Special.
As I haven't seen any of such model on the road or on the net, I just wanted to know how may of these were built from 1988-1989.
Is this a Limited Edition? Is it rare rare nowadays?
All the Maestros I see on the road now are Clubmans.

[Wonko_The_Sane]

I can't tell you how many were built I'm afraid...but I do see a few on my travels...yes, along with several Clubman D's..:laugh:

I actually have a "special" radiator grille on mine...I assume. It's white colour coded. I got it from Maestro spares..I reckon it looks better than the silver one on an all white car..:)

[F690OTF(RIP)]

I think there were quite a few built. Our old one was part of a fleet for some company whose name currently escapes me, which was then sold off in Reading in 1989-1990 (at a year old) for very reasonable prices. There were at least five with nearby registrations to ours which we saw on a regular basis. There are still one or two of those around, but several have presumably been scrapped, along with ours. Someone who works at the university drives one, which is also in the blue colour used for Specials. There is also one in red about a mile away, although I fear it may have been scrapped or sold by now. That one was G-reg, whilst all the others I know are F. I have a feeling I might have seen a white one recently, but I can't remember where. So I know of 8-9 Specials, but probably less than half of those still exist.

[MGTurbo]

Definatly more common thatn you thin, or at least they used to be, go back ten years and they were everywhere...

Gareth

[E_T_V]

Weren't they the base model for a while, the equivilent of the city or city X. Certainly a fair few around but not many now :(

[F690OTF(RIP)]

I think they were the predecessor to the Clubman. The specification is almost exactly the same. The main differences between our Special and our Clubman are the layout of some of the controls (which I assume affected all models somewhere in between 1988 and 1993), along with a different colour to all the interior fittings and the backlighting, and a different style instrument panel (which I hate - why make the speedo have a less accurate scale?! The old one was spot on, and it looked more modern anyway!). Oh yes, and the addition of a sunroof. Was this standard Clubman equipment? Was it ever available at all on the Special?

[D87 SMW]

Yes, the Clubmans' were fitted with a sunroof, and the last Special I saw, although it was a K reg, also had a sunroof. I think this might have been a Clubman disguised as a Special.?!?
I have seen the Clubman dashboard, and I think it looks OK, not brilliant though.
I am not sure whether the Special was the base model like the City (X). In fact I saw one of these along with an LX in the same car park this evening! :laugh: Very rare sight where I live. :)
The grille on my Special is in fact a silver one painted red. This is because it was broken severely when it was shunted. :(

F170 GGT

[Austin-Rover]

I have not seen a Maestro Special in a long, long time - so your car must truly be 'special' as they are becoming increasingly rare.

I also saw a Maestro in Bury today that put my car to shame. It was a red L leg Clubman just like mine but it was in 'as new' condition - absolutely spotless!

[E_T_V]

My clubman doesn't have a sunroof (J-reg). Should it have? Insurance people always call it a clubman even though it has no badges, probably because it is ex plod. Did they have a different model made specially for them?

Cheers

Dan

[D87 SMW]

I see a red L reg Clubman near my school. I also see it travelling sometimes. It is in brilliant condition. If this is the one you saw Gelder, the last three letters on the plate are HNC.
I am hoping that the Special is rare enough for the value of mine to rise. It is in original condition, and I do not intend to modify it.

[Austin-Rover]

I think you will be waiting a while before values start to rise, it's not yet concidered a true classic and only enthusiasts will recognise its true value. Just hold on tho it for a few years though...

[F690OTF(RIP)]

One of the Maestros I see regularly around here says 'Special' on the tailgate, but 'Countryman' on the rear panels at the side, next to the rear quarter-light. I didn't know there were such things as Maestro Countrymans! It's red, if that helps.

[D87 SMW]

I seriously doubt that there was ever such model as Maestro Countryman. I think the Montego estate was given that name.
Moving back to the original subject, I would really like to know how many Maestro Specials were built. (1988-1989) If anyone knows this, please let me know.

F170 GGT

[matthewsemple]

These base models all have the black bumpers. The first one was just badged 1.3 which was known as 1.3 Base. In about 1985 the City model replaced this one which was shortly joined by the City X which had five gears. The City models lasted until about 1988

There was also a Surf model about the same time, maybe slightly before the Special. The Special didn't have a sunroof even as an option according to my 1989 brochure.

When the Clubman was launched in 1990 it did have a sunroof as standard and a slightlty more plush level of trim and of course for the first time a choice of engines (1.3 petrol or 2.0 diesel). The Clubman remained in production until the end in December 1994 and many were registered in 1995 on M-plates.

In terms of rarity, the Special and the Surf were built for the shortest period of time.

Other Maestros with those black bumpers are the Van, police-spec cars (as mentioned above) and of course the Bulgarian Maestros built in Ledbury.