Project codes
Like all car manufacturers, BMC and its successors have used a range of codenames and numbers to identify their development projects. While some of these have become widely known, others remain relatively obscure. The guides featured here are thought to be the most comprehensive list of codenames yet compiled.
XC series
These pioneering projects, led by Alec Issigonis, were a long way removed from anything else being developed within BMC at the time.
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ADO series
The longest lasting and most widely recognised of all the naming schemes within the company (1956-1975).
YDO series
Such were the differences in design and implementation between BMC in the UK and BMC Australia, that the Antipodean projects received their own codes.
LC/LM series
By the late 1970s the politics had become more interesting than the naming scheme: "LC" denoted Leyland Cars while "LM" stood for Light/Medium, and the existence of both series perfectly exemplifies the state of flux that the company was in at the time.
Honda/Rover and Rover series
The long-lasting Honda/Rover collaboration produced some interesting cars, whose legacy remained long after the ties were severed. However, the projects codes of this era tended to lack consistency.
Miscellaneous codes
This is an assorted collection of one-off projects, such as the Issigonis 9X, and others resulting from pre- and post-merger independent thought by BLMC’s component parts.
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