The BMC ADO16 1100 Is A 60s British Family Favourite! (1970 Vanden Plas Princess 1300 Road Test)

Рет қаралды 27,061

Жыл бұрын

WIN with Lancaster Insurance: bit.ly/3YxfBbI
Tasked with creating a bigger Mini, aimed at families, Alec Issigonis created the ADO16 1100. Utilising Hydrolastic suspension to combine comfort and cornering, transverse engine packaging for maximum interior space, gorgeous Pininfarina styling and every badge under the BMC umbrella to offer an affordable Austin or Morris, sporty MG, or upmarket Riley, Wolseley and Vanden Plas variants, the ADO16 proved an enormous success, quickly becoming Britain's best-selling car in the 1960s. With the 1100/1300 celebrating 60 years in 2023, Joe decided to take a luxurious Vanden Plas Princess for a drive to see how it stacks up today, and whether it offers the 'big Mini' experience...
Road tests sponsored by CAARParts: www.caarparts.co.uk/
Thanks to WB & Sons for loan of this car: wbandsons.com/
Proudly supported by Lancaster Insurance - get a quote on YOUR classic car insurance here: www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk/...
- Music -
• Freedom Trail Studio - Patent Doll: • Patent Doll - Freedom ...
Classics World is a family of brands that includes ten classic publications plus many souvenir bookazines. Check out great offers on these and more on shop.kelsey.co.uk/magazines/c...
More classic car news and reviews online. Stay up to date with our weekly newsletter - register today at classicsworld.co.uk/
• Facebook: / classicsworlduk
• Instagram: @classicsworlduk
• Twitter: @ClassicsWorldUK
All content on this channel is - unless otherwise stated - the opinion of the given party and any offence caused is severely apologised for. Any and all third-party content is credited and referenced to the best of our ability and all externally-created content is entirely the legal property of its original and rightful owner/s. All rights respected.

Пікірлер: 112

@brianwhite4090 5 ай бұрын

If only they made such beautiful little cars like this these days! We all had a mini then an 1100 or 1300 in my case! How on Earth did we ever let the BMC disappear? Britain made the best cars in the world then and should still be a world beater! 🙁

@fledermausi2048 6 ай бұрын

What a gorgeous automobile!

@andrewdouglas3091 6 ай бұрын

Probably the best car ever made. I bought an MG1100 the other day, this is my fourth one. Just brilliant cars. Thank you.

@willswheels283 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for that Joe, having had 2 ADO16’s in the last 20yrs, both as daily drivers I fully agree with all you said, it’s a delightful, fun, practical car with loads of charm, it’s exactly that, a bigger Mini, they have all the characteristics of their baby brothers. They are very reliable, but more so if you protect the distributor from incoming damp and rust proof the underside as they rot for fun! And if your budget won’t let you stretch to todays Classic Mini prices, the ADO16 is an excellent 2nd choice!

@grayfool Жыл бұрын

I used the ADO16 as donor cars for hotting up Minis in the seventies when there were scrapyards full of rusty old junkers. Now I would quite like a 1300GT or Riley version. Sorry, I contributed to the demise of several back in the day. I did keep a few Minis going though.

@michaelkeen5010 Жыл бұрын

I’ve had 3 ADO 16’s over the years. A ‘71 Austin 1300 in 1973, a Riley 1300 M2 in the late ‘80’s and finally a Wolseley 1300 Mk2 in the early 90’s. Enjoyed all of them as comfortable reliable small cars.

@gaufrid1956 Жыл бұрын

My dad's first brand new car (in New South Wales Australia) was a black manual Morris 1100. As a kid interested in cars, I thought the hydrolastic suspension was amazing. I remember dad did all the servicing himself. Mum and dad, myself, and my two younger brothers and younger sister went on many picnics and family holidays in the "Black Beauty" as we called her! She even towed a collapsible camper trailer on many of them!

@brucemcintosh5898 8 ай бұрын

My dad bought a new Austin America. We lived in Vancouver. It was a 1300 and yes, it had hydrolasric suspension

@fozzie221 Жыл бұрын

You didn't mention the 1300 GT variant which I owned in the 70s and would love to own one again or the VDP

@andrewcumming6319 Жыл бұрын

Lovely cars, I had a morris 1100 in Perth Western Oz in 1970. With 3 large friends we would go to Kalgoorlie for the weekend. It never let me down.

@colrhodes377 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant cars.

@vincentl.9469 10 ай бұрын

they were ok then

@markeastwood74 Жыл бұрын

I've never particularly though about them, but like a lot of the videos you make, I'd actually consider buying one now.

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

Glad we've brought you round, Mark!

@peterriggall8409 Жыл бұрын

Lovely jubbly. Lovely example. I have a Fawn Brown Austin 3 L, bet it is the same colour as this. Love anything Issignosis had a hand in although he apparently distanced himself from the 3 L. My first two cars were 1100s. They were very popular in Australia too.

@jb3222 Жыл бұрын

Lucky you - I still think the Austin 3-Litre is one of the most handsome cars ever, with a real presence on the road.

@steverice9338 Жыл бұрын

I thought hydro elastic suspension was designed by Alex Moulton? He worked with Issigonis on the design.

@pashakdescilly7517 7 ай бұрын

Yes, Alex Moulton was the engineer behind the Hydrolastic suspension, and also its successor system known as Hydragas. Moulton's first system used on the Mini was rubber cones in compression. I learned to drive in an early Mini, and later had a 1963 Moulton bicycle with rubber suspension.

@martinmcdonald4207 Жыл бұрын

The basic 1100 was as good as you could get in it`s day for the small family car. My dad, R.I.P. bought my older sister a Riley ( second hand/third hand owned) for her when she got her driving licence back in the seventees. I remember the wooden dash board with chromed rimmed dials with rev counter and three spoked classic metel leather covered steering wheel was both very posh and sporty indeed! I think my dad spent some time with the bonnet opened on that one! The joys of motoring as he used to say! Happy days.

@timcarpenter2441 7 ай бұрын

If only they made the ADO16 as rust resistant as the Allegro, but updated the style to the same elegance, with decent engines. Imagine a Pininfarina designed VP or Riley Kestrel 1750!

@moochincrawdad 10 ай бұрын

BMC at its best really, they had a stylish, modern design packed with cutting edge tech, they had the money to improve it over its lifetime and it didn't outstay its welcome so it went out in a blaze of glory.

@ClassicsWorldUK 10 ай бұрын

Surely BMC's best!

@MarkGelderland Жыл бұрын

What an interior! beautiful

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

It really is!

@lindabulsara2215 8 ай бұрын

All the Austin 1100 range is EASY to fall in love with. I am a huge fan of the 1100 + vanden plus ones. MG, too. ❤

@jaywalker1233 9 ай бұрын

My Dad had the 1300 GT - white with black Everflex roof + Rostyle wheels. Smashing car!

@earlbee3196 8 ай бұрын

You’re lucky, they let you lose in that thing. Anyway, I’m glad they did, super awesome video.

@ClassicsWorldUK 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@paulc9588 Жыл бұрын

Great video, without doubt the zenith for BMC family cars. The 1300GT is my personal favourite. Unfortunately BL never managed to convincingly answer the 'How do you follow the ADO16?' question, which played a major part in the downfall of the company. Had they managed to again crack this critical market segment with the AD016's successors things might have turned out differently.

@dreamdiction 5 ай бұрын

They should have stuck with the ADO16 but made it into a hatchback with folding rear seats.

@ciaranburke3243 Жыл бұрын

Cool little car, engineering of the time was very advanced for a little family car, love that interior 😀

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

It sure is!

@vincentl.9469 10 ай бұрын

@@ClassicsWorldUK I still remember looking under my 1100 for leaks. it never worked as well as intended. Not as good as Citroen suspension . At least one of these was on 'Bangers & Cash' Derek pointed out the various faults with the model. Nice to drive and popular in the 70s

@chrischadwick3079 10 ай бұрын

Brilliant car to drive.

@ClassicsWorldUK 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

@roygardiner2229 Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I love it, so charming.

@brentfairlie Жыл бұрын

I love the ADO 16 range. My favorite is totally the VDP auto.

@Koulis_ Жыл бұрын

One of the last world beating British cars, I love these!

@MineshShah Жыл бұрын

They also used it as the car in the Highway Code. For such an innovative design, it got a reputation for being a car your Granny would drive...

@alanb5370 Жыл бұрын

A lovely car. 😊

@rusirious Жыл бұрын

excellent! well researched and informative, Thanks!

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@apexmarbella Жыл бұрын

Love this channel! Greetings from southern Spain.

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! 😁

@JAY61ish Жыл бұрын

I had a MKII 1300 Morris in 84.. Lovely comfy car. I was in the Army at the time.. i leant it to my brother in law and he bloody ragged it.. and ended up knackering it... sad time.. bloody hooligan..

@jimmyquinn9639 Жыл бұрын

Lovely little car good video 🚘🚙🚗⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👍👍

@ROCKINGMAN Ай бұрын

My great friend had one of these in the 60's. C licence plate. Still have the photos. Thought the silouhette looked more like the Austin A40 Farina.

@jasonhill4094 10 ай бұрын

A car 20 years ahead of it's time when launched in 62, the best selling car in the UK for most of the 12 years it was on sale, and loved by the public. Yet it never received a reskin during it's lifetime. A reskin in the early 70s with the option of an hatchback and better rust proofing would have seen this technical marvel on sale until the 80s

@ClassicsWorldUK 10 ай бұрын

If only BL had the budget!

@jasonhill4094 10 ай бұрын

@@ClassicsWorldUK I would imagine it would be cheaper than developing the Allegro. Not that I have a problem with the Allegro I think it was doomed even before it was conceived due to the popularity of the 1100, in much the same way the XJS was for been the car that replaced the E type

@michaeltutty1540 7 ай бұрын

Very neat little cars. They were sold here as the Austin America. They were never common, though. Import duties meant they were fighting for sales well above their class due to the retail price at a time when "BIGGER" really was perceived as better. On top of that, the small engines really did turn many people off these cars. Get a family of 4 plus the dog and add luggage, and the weight really shot up, especially when considered as a percentage of the kerb weight of the car. While the 1300 had decent performance with just the driver, add the family and luggage for a vacation and weight distribution changed hugely, which did affect handling, but the weight sapped the performance and increased petrol consumption. Given that, this was not a car suited to purpose here, where distances are truly vast. Back in the 60s, there were stretches of the TransCanada Highway where the distance between fuel stations could be 250 miles or more, and that was pushing range dangerously.

@pmrose18 2 ай бұрын

Austin Allegro "chocolate brown" even ting tong wasnt impressed

@alexandrecouture2462 Жыл бұрын

Fun video and cute little car!

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

It really is!

@DavidUKesb Жыл бұрын

Brilliant cars.

@darrensmith6999 Жыл бұрын

What a little beauty (:

@markhealey9409 10 ай бұрын

Cute car!😍😍

@darthvirago Жыл бұрын

I have been thinking of buying one. I might just make it happen soon.

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

Do it!

@darthvirago Жыл бұрын

@@ClassicsWorldUK Probably because I've been looking on line at them KZfaq popped your video up. I have now subscribed.

@nigelbond4056 Жыл бұрын

I’m afraid much of the ADO16’s unfounded reputation for being unreliable was down to ‘that episode’ of Fawlty Towers 🙁

@MineshShah Жыл бұрын

I don't remember the episode in Faulty Towers. But was it not also used in the 1980's film Clockwise also starring John Cleese?

@Seminal_Ideas Жыл бұрын

I remember Basil Fawlty giving his "A damn good thrashing" with a branch and shouting expletives at it for breaking down on Gourmet night.

@huwzebediahthomas9193 Жыл бұрын

I put an ADO16 restored MG1300 engine into a Mini, with only a just slightly hotter AEG 731 camshaft change. Could it shift. Knocked spots over a standard Mini Cooper S.

@christophersams2481 4 ай бұрын

An excellent luxury small car. Shame it was replaced by the Allegro!

@raychambers3646 Жыл бұрын

Have you seen the " custom " Australian 1100 built by a teacher as a class project ?

@daviddunmore7076 10 ай бұрын

It's a pity we never go the Australian Morris Nomad hatchback version.

@ClassicsWorldUK 10 ай бұрын

That's quite something!

@moochincrawdad 10 ай бұрын

Have you seen the HubNut Nomad review?

@daviddunmore7076 10 ай бұрын

@@moochincrawdad Yes, And my neighbour had one when I lived in Melbourne in the 1970s - Did BMC think it might steal sales from the Maxi perhaps?

@moochincrawdad 10 ай бұрын

@@daviddunmore7076 I wouldn't put it past them, I heard the same thing about the Leyland Princess as well.

@SuperMikado282 Ай бұрын

Yes, what about the CV joints, cumbersome gear change, no hatchback therefore a useless boot, and awful corrosion problems? All of which the Japanese addressed.

@peterchilds2436 Жыл бұрын

Fetch the 60s back peace fun no greed everybody happy family life

@ChrisPinCornwall Жыл бұрын

... and great music festivals. Woodstock, Hyde Park, Isle of Wight, did them all!

@alancrisp1582 Жыл бұрын

🤔And very reliable in their day .No modern electronics to let you down, and put you on the side of the road, waiting for an AA track to come to your rescue !....

@willswheels283 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely, very DIY friendly, I remember my Wolseley 1300 starting to sputter and cut out in heavy rain, so I just rolled to a safe spot, popped the bonnet, took off the dizzie cap, dried it out and hey presto she was up and running and we got on our way.

@FcoDguez Жыл бұрын

What brands offered 3 doors Estate? Nice car. ❤

@jwm5165 Жыл бұрын

I think it was justAustin and Morris brands to offer the estate or countryman bodied cars.

@MakerfieldConsort Жыл бұрын

Ford Escort estates were three-door right up to the Mk3, when 5-door was introduced as an option.

@FcoDguez Жыл бұрын

@@MakerfieldConsort Yes, I know, but I was talking about ADO 16. Thank you!

@MakerfieldConsort Жыл бұрын

@@FcoDguez Sorry - thought you were asking a general question. To my knowledge only the Austin and Morris variants.

@FcoDguez Жыл бұрын

@@MakerfieldConsort Three doors Estates are beautiful in general. Thank you again! 👍🏻

@tiplady44 10 ай бұрын

Worked on them in the Mid 70s

@ClassicsWorldUK 10 ай бұрын

How did you find it?

@tiplady44 10 ай бұрын

Worked in a BL dealership so had the tools easy to work on 👍

@LWIAAE 5 ай бұрын

For goodness sake - it's not a Vanden Plassssssssss. It's a Vanden Plarr/Plah or even Plaz (as some would have it) - however you want to spell it phonetically, it's from the original Belgium Coach Building company, not from the Barnsley Wheeltappers & Shunters scrapyard. I remember when these were new and they weren't pronounced as though they were named after someone's pet whippet. Excuse me whilst I go and order a Pit-zer and a Latty. Your right though - lovely car, particularly in the burgundy red.

@vincentl.9469 10 ай бұрын

At least one of these has appeared on 'Bangers & Cash' the Vanden Plas version. Derek went through the pros & cons of these cars. At one point in the 70s, the most popular family car in England . My father passed one on to me . I passed my test in it. At the time it was a good car, the better alternatives would have been more costly European imports. The Hydrolastic suspension never worked as well as intended, not as good as the Citroen DS system, and boot space was limited, fuel consumption for the Vanden Plas 1300 which was heavier than the standard AD016 , was 30 to 35 mpg . I would never consider driving one now. You cant be too sentimental about cars ..

@dreamdiction 5 ай бұрын

Nonsense the Hydrolastic suspension was excellent, better than both the previous rubber cones and the later hydragas. Obviously you can't compare hydrolastic with the pumped Citroen system. The Vanden plas was only 40lbs heavier, most of that being sound deadening materials.

@vincentl.9469 5 ай бұрын

@@dreamdiction Hydrolastic was a green liquid if I remember right. It could leak in places but could be pumped up but with 4 large adults would bottom out. I saw it. BMC and later BL abandoned the idea in later cars. They were nice to drive. The VP as you say had extra sound insulation and thicker seats...

@ronmccullock1407 Жыл бұрын

You did not mention they rusted and there was an estate version

@htimsid 10 ай бұрын

Every 60s car rusted.

@lenholloway4390 Жыл бұрын

You could stand next to it and watch it rust away.

@CathodeRayNipplez Жыл бұрын

This is what Cheech and Chong would have driven if they were British.

@patrickhorgan8389 Жыл бұрын

Has Joe killed off all the other presenters? Or have they just got bored and buggered off?😂😂😂

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

Various logistics means it's often difficult for other members of the team to park magazine commitments for filming. Joe has to be there to film regardless, but rest assured Phil, Jeff, Paul and Jack are still very much here!

@huwzebediahthomas9193 Жыл бұрын

Vanden Plaaaa, not Plas. 🙃

@ClassicsWorldUK Жыл бұрын

It's a Flemish word, several sources have confirmed you do in fact pronounce the 's' :)

@huwzebediahthomas9193 Жыл бұрын

@@ClassicsWorldUK But BMC/BL salespeople were told by HQ to say Plaaaa. Class thing reasons I suppose. 😁👍

@Mr.Rude. Жыл бұрын

It's pronounced Vahnden Plahss, not Vanden Plaaaa.

@KeithCramerLongfield Жыл бұрын

It's pronounced Vanden Plaas.

@andrewdenby8239 Жыл бұрын

Hmmm, now what I can say on this subject is that back in the day you'd have been thought an idiot for pronouncing the s in Plas, as for those revisionist types, Flemish is it? Oh jolly good, now how do you pronounce Volkswagen? That's a German word by the way... Just saying...

@edwardhayden4626 10 ай бұрын

I bought the US version. I kept it for 6 months. It was a disaster of a car. There were so many faults and problems many the result poor design and lack of quality control. I guess the British had low expectations from their domestic cars. Sad.