Sports car projects : ADO68
June 25, 2011
· 
Keith Adams · 
7 Comments
The Cowley connection
(Picture: "Men and Motors of the Austin", Barney Sharratt).
Devised at the Pressed Steel Fisher styling studios in Cowley by Roy Haynes, this series of production car-based sporting coupés was intended to add glamour to BLMC’s range of cars in a relatively inexpensive way.
Rather like the Ford Capri’s relationship with the Cortina, the Condor cars were to be mechanically identical to their donor cars, with only the styling setting them apart. As can be seen in this gallery, the success of these projects was rather mixed.
ADO68/28
(Picture: "MG: The Untold Story", by David Knowles).
ADO68/14
ADO68/14 clay model. Although this Harris Mann styled car was Maxi-based, it clearly predicts the style of the Princess, which Mann had just started work on. (Picture: "MG: The Untold Story", by David Knowles).
ADO68/67
Undoubtedly the least successful of the three ADO68 versions, this Allegro-based attempt doesn't really have anything to recommend it. This car's grille arrangement calls to mind that of the Fiat 124 coupé, while its twin-headlight arrangement eventually surfaced on the swansong Allegro 3, although some European-market cars were thus-equipped much earlier. (Picture: "MG: The Untold Story", by David Knowles).
Written with reference to “MG: The Untold Story”, by David Knowles.
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7 Responses
I think ADO68/28 showed real potential and would, as stated here, have been a competitor for the Ford Capri. The car also bears some resemblence to the 1980 Toyota Corolla Hatch version of the Corolla saloon. I think they would have competed well with Ford in the 1970s but, of course, we’ll never know!
The coupe at the top of the page is gorgeous! The rest? Only ADO68/14 has any appeal.
While the stylish proposal at the top of the page is stunning and could have sold really well, one gets the feeling that the styling seems to be more catered for American tastes.
Though it is not shown in this article, I personally prefer the “MG Magna”-badged version of ADO68/28 that bore a resemblance to the Fiat 124 Coupe as well as the alternate “Magna” proposal that from the front either resembled an Opel Kadett C Coupe with quad-headlights or possessed slight shades of the Reliant Scimitar GTC.
Roy Haynes Condor idea was clearly a good one, but it needed a decent platform to share. Dont think the Marina underpinnings – I hesitate to call it a platform – was that!
there is a lot of VW scirocco mk1 and Passat in the 28, And I think the 14 looks like it could have been built on the allegro platform by its dimensions,also used the panel work under the swage line.
Cant say im a fan of the last two pictures.
The top coupe would have been very striking in its day but would have dated very quickly.
The ADO68/28 has an Italianate purity of lines- very much like the Giorgetto Guigiaro penned Mk1 Golf and Passat- and with its good looks it carries off the plain single headlight grille very well (actually there are two headlights but ya know what I mean…). And those wheels are gorgeous!
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