1990 Rover - Austin Montego MG Turbo review from UK and Ireland

PCB in rear light cluster shorted out.

Electric window motor burned out (expensive!)

No other problems.

Seriously underrated car. Not exactly a looker, but performance was incredible - it was no Cosworth admittedly, but was a lot closer than the 50 bhp discrepancy would suggest. Acceleration was manic - around 7 seconds to 60 and would easily go off the clock at the top end. Felt a lot more powerful than 150 bhp.

Bought the car when I was 18 years old, so you can imagine how it was driven, yet apart from a couple of electrical problems, it was totally reliable. These cars eat tyres though. A set of fronts can disappear in just 4,000 miles. The clutch was feeling tired when I sold it too (both the result of the massive burnouts of which this car is so easily capable, and which as an impressionable 18 year old, I often asked it to do). Disgraceful behaviour - I would be exactly the same now!

The key with these cars is not how you drive them, but how you look after them. Mine was treated to fresh synthetic oil every 3,000 miles, was never thrashed from cold, and was always allowed a minute or two after a run for the turbo to cool off before switching the engine off. At almost 50,000 miles, the engine was as quick as ever, used very little oil, and sounded sweet.

They'll all be completely knackered by now, but the Monty Turbo was a practical, reliable hooligan machine. I remember it fondly.