Home market name: based on Austin/MG Montego
When the Austin name was dropped from the Montego in the Eighties, the
cars came to New Zealand with MG badges. But the Montego name was dropped
as well!
The line-up was:
MG 2.0 Si
MG 2.0 Si Estate
MG 2.0 Turbo
Interestingly, most people called them Montegos, just as the 1700 was
obviously a Marina — a quick Google search reveals 1989 MG Montegos
in New Zealand when they had been dropped there.
These Sis were the Montego Si and Estate sold in the UK — the first
ones without an Austin badge and something resembling a Viking longship
on the front. New Zealand received the MG badge instead, which makes the
2.0 Si the first MG Estate. The Turbo was, of course, the 'real' MG Montego
Turbo, minus the Montego name.
Prior to that, the MG Montego range was identical to the UK, with EFI
and Turbo models, badged the same as in the UK. The only Austin Montego
in New Zealand the estate, as a two-litre model. That and the Metro Mayfair
were the last cars to have the Austin name sold in New Zealand. (The Princess
R from 1983 was the last locally assembled Austin, and bore that brand
name, and not Leyland, from 1978's Princess 2 onwards here.)
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