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If you associate sports-car performance with spartan discomfort, the MG Maestro 1600 will come as something of a revelation. In addition to those ergonomically designed rally seats, trimmed in soft grey tweed, there are creature comforts galore.
At a more mundane but equally practical level, there's also a wide, asymetrically divided folding rear seat, which gives you a daily choice of people v. luggage, ranging from five seats and a generousboot to two sporting seats and a massive 50 cu ft of loadspace.
The MG Maestro never forgets its "Safety-Fast" ancestry however; witness the sports steering wheel, close-ratio 5-speed gearshift, wide alloy road wheels and low-profile tyres.
There's one high technology feature (shared with the Vanden Plas) that leaves the competition speechless: The electronic solid-state instrumentation combined with a trip computer and voice synthesizer!
Switching on the ignition activates the instrument display to adopt a 3-second low-brightness check mode. This changes to operating mode as you pull away and the illumination level increases to fully-bright (by day) or remains at your pre-set low-light setting if you are using side or headlights.
The speedometer presents a digital display of your precise road speed in mph or - at the touch of a button - in kph. The other three basic instruments - fuel gauge, tachometer and engine temperature gauge - present analogue displays, with coloured bands to warn of unduly high (or low) readings.
Facia pushbuttons energise the display of other useful data: the journey distance you have covered, the amount of fuel used, your present rate of petrol consumption, average mpg, correct time and date.
A voice synthesizer, linked to this trip computer, is programmed to announce a selection of warning and reminders should these become necessary. Spoken warnings (the voice is female) include low fuel, high engine temperature, low oil pressure, brake failure and battery not charging.
Reminders include unfastened seatbelts, handbrake on and sidelights left on (as you leave the car). Far more than a clever gimmick, this innovative electronic system raises safety standards through the presentation of clearer instrument readouts and spoken warnings of non-standard conditions, whilst its timely vocal reminders may save you from a sharp fine or flat battery.
This brilliant development of the Maestro brings all the benefits of spaciousness, versatility, high-tech equipment and low running costs to the motoring enthusiast.
Powered by a double twin-choke carb 103 bhp version of the intensively developed 'R' Series engine, with efficient breakerless ignition, this potent 5-seater is equipped with a close ratio 5-speed box and is capable of 111 mph, with a 0-60 time of 9.6 seconds. Yet, at a constant 56 mph, the MG Maestro 1600 returns a pocket-pleasing 47.5 mpg and, with 12,000 mile servicing and a 6-year Supershield corrosionwarranty, knows how to cut your motoring costs without sacrificing your motoring enjoyment.
Precise rack and pinion steering, servo-assisted dual-circuit brakes and independant coil spring suspension, with MacPherson struts and an anti-roll bar up front, torsion-beam interconnected trailing arms at the rear - features like these add to the promise of excellent handling and roadholding, well worthy of the name MG.
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The Maestro
