MG Maestro EFi / Maestro Turbo

MG Maestro EFi / Maestro Turbo are excellent cars post 1985 models. Build quality much improved as was ride and perofrmance. I'm currently looking for either EFi or Turbo version.

Originally bought 1600 twin webber model, progressed to efi (x2) then bought turbo brand new in 1989, I still have it, I will never part with it, since 1994 I have bought a brg one, a basket case white one (complete restoration), and am still waiting for my t16 conversion to be finished, so theres no hope for me, I guess I like them.

Fantastic fun - can take on any thing - cheap to buy - classic insurance - very pracitcal fast hatchback takes 5 people and has large boot with fold down rear seats - TICKFORD body kit looks great.

This is a review that goes back to the eighties and I hope puts the MG Maestro EFi / Maestro Turbo in the context of its time. I'm making the comparisons from memory, but it's new car against new car, not twenty-year-neglected scrapyard candidates.

My wife had two of these in succession from new (which has to be something of a recommendation) in between eight and sixteen valve Mk2 Golf GTi's, and was doing a 140 mile daily trip, so these notes do cover about 70,000 miles of ownership.

Against its contemporaries, MG Maestro was far and away a faster car on the road. In a review, Leonard Setright had written: "if you read the brochure, you'll notice that the MG is producing more torque than a Ferrari 246 Dino" and that was its main appeal. Lots of sceptical people drove our Maestro and came back converted. Any speed, any gear, the thing pulled like a train and just kept on accelerating.

The handling and grip of the car was excellent, though at motorway speeds there was a tendency to a tiny bit of dutch roll over bumps, enough to irritate me, though my wife never even detected it.

For its time, the Maestro was a neat and handsome design, and immensely practical. Easy access, a stylish interior (I seem to remember some red bits though) and superb visibility made it a good every day car.

The Maestro stood up very well against the competition, which were really only the Golf GTI and the Escort. The Golfs that bracketed our Maestro ownership had a much better build quality, were more economical and felt rock solid but were left seriously behind in performance. The problem was, and remained right through to the Golf Mk4, that they just felt too heavy, too ponderous, compared to the agile MG. The Escort suffered from the CVH engine which, hampered by some fundamental design features like massive, top heavy pistons and hydraulic cam followers, was always a rough, reluctant-to-rev unit in all its versions. Escorts then also rusted like crazy on the inner panels.

I don't remember either of these cars actually going wrong but by the time they left us at 40,000 miles, each was starting to feel used. Certainly the dampers had deteriorated noticeably and a few rattles had appeared. By contrast, the Golfs still felt rock solid at 50,000.

After our second car, the Turbo appeared on the market and I remember going to look at one. Brilliant metallic green with stick-on lettering and a garish interior. Luckily, you could order "delete" options, but a change of job put it off the agenda.

Would I recommend one now? The car is going to be very tired and need a lot of loving care to put it back to the performance I remember. If we could notice a deterioration after a year, think what 20 have done. But if you could find a really loved example and put it back in to top condition, you'll have a very practical hatch that's still capable of surprising a lot of modern cars. Even better, if you can get the insurance, shoehorn in the engine from the even more unloved Montego Turbo and watch the jaws drop.

This MG Maestro EFi / Maestro Turbo Sports car is one of the reasons we don't build cars anymore in great numbers. When I see someone driving one of these, which thankfully isn't often, they're usually wearing a Burberry baseball cap. I make a point of getting past them as quickly as possible before their testosterone kicks in. Seriously though, this is another car for the new 'Banger' section coming to the website soon.

I like my MG Maestro EFi / Maestro Turbo 2.0EFI a lot. Its really good fun when you overtake so called better cars and the owner puts there foot down to speed up, but i still out accelerate them. 1tonne car with 115bhp 0-60 8.5 secs and lots of lovely torque. A k&N induction kit and some big cold air pipes improve upon this. People don't know about MG Maestros until there left behind...

It is said that the handling is apalling on these cars. Standard Mg's have soft dampers and a horrific ride height. This can easily be alleviated with gas dampers and 2" lowering springs. My car also has poly bushes and some nice 16" 5 spokes alloys, consequently it's like the cars on rails when i go round bends.

They are ugly cars is also heard. The Mg's version in the form of the EFi and Turbo are the best looking Maestros. This doesn't say very much, but the turbo kit is purposeful and there are changes that can be made. The link below is an example of what can be done.

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgm/mgsd03/MGSD033310.jpg

The MG Maestro Turbo is a great car with a 2.0 8v Turbo and intercooler. The best thing about it is how it goes and boy does it go. Most drivers don't know this spec of maestro exists and think it's only a maestro with a body kit and try and having some fun tailgating and revving engines at traffic lights as if it's a Nova. Then they learn what a maestro turbo is when they are left for dead in the rear window. This car has a fun factor of 10/10 and performance per pound nothing comes close. Normal parts can be found easily and cheaply. The Turbo is becoming a classic and fellow MG enthusiasts are very talkative and friendly and will always help fellow MG enthusiast. If your not happy with this performance a rover copue 2.0 16v Turbo engine fits almost straight in.

This is an incredibly quick car that will show up high spec BMW's etc and the look on new expensive cars drivers faces when they are out performed by a Maestro is unbelievable. Fun Factor 10/10

The body kit is smart but has that please rob me tag on it.

There are a lot of upgrades for the MG Maestro to give it some more speed but mines standard apart from a K&N air filter.

MPG on average is around 30 which is good for a 2.0 Turbo

Largely forgotten among XR3i's and 205GTi's, Austin Rover's MG Maestro, and the limited edition MG Maestro Turbo, were the best performance-per-pound family sports cars you could buy.

Suspect build quality among early models, and the fact that the Maestro replaced the dull and unreliable Allegro (or should that have been 'All Agro') tarnished the image of what was in fact a very advanced car for its age.

What other car at the time had a digital talking dashboard, voiced by actress Nicolette Mackenzie?

What other five-door 2-litre sports hatchback offered a 0-60 sprint of 8.4 seconds (EFi) or 6.7 seconds (Turbo) with a top speed of 115 mph (EFi) or 130 mph (Turbo)?

Just as importantly, what other car offered that performance coupled with a class-leading 47mpg (best in class during the 1985 Economy Run).

And don't slag off the Maestro's looks: if you can't think of something objective to criticise, don't bother. One man's beauty is another man's beast, so they say.

I wasn't particularly enamoured with the XR3i (why only 3 doors?), or the Nova or 205GTi (too small). The Golf GTi was one second SLOWER ... a fact that Austin Rover were keen to point out in their "The VW Golf Will Be Along In A Second" billboard adverts.

Mark my words ... the MG versions of the 1980's saloons will eventually become very collectable, especially the Turbo versions.

Only 505 Maestro Turbos were made, of which about half are thought to have survived (source: Martin Woods, chairman of the MG Car Club's Front Wheel Drive Register). Buy a good one now, lock it away from nature and thieves, and watch it appreciate. Plus you'll have a little bit of MG history that's largely forgotten. And a stinkingly fast car...