A legacy of Birmingham's iconic motor industy - dubbed "Britain's dullest car" - could fetch up to £10,000 at auction. The timewarp 1981 British Leyland Morris Ital is one of only 55 still on the roads today.
The Ital, which was built on a small budget, was blasted as "boring and dull" by car critics at the time due to its boxy appearance and no-frills interior. The motor was produced at Longbridge between 1982 and 84 and is officially the UK’s rarest vehicle.
Strange quirks included a dashboard that faced away from the driver and in 2008, a Sun newspaper poll made it runner-up in a vote to find the worst British cars ever. But the owner of the 1.3 HL four door saloon going under the hammer is set to have the last laugh if price estimates hold true.
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The motor has been kept in top class condition and has clocked up just 4,550 miles over the last four decades, an average of two a week. A nostalgic touch is the never-removed tax disc dated March 30, 1984, on the windscreen. And there's also a rarely-seen Ziebart anti-rust guarantee sticker on the back.
The Ital was owned from new by the original buyer for 36 years before it was passed to his neighbour on his death in 2017. It has no reserve price but it is expected to sell for between £7,000 and £10,000 at Classic Car Auctions in Warwickshire on December 9.
Auctioneer Simon Langsdale said: "This is an interesting car given it's history in that one man and then his wife had it for years before it was bequeathed to their neighbour. It really is a timewarp example, much like a lovely Beetle we sold in our recent sale, and so we are excited to see what this cracking car might achieve.
"This, very smart, 1300 HL four-door is finished in vermillion with a charcoal half-vinyl and half-cloth interior. Bequeathed to our vendor by his neighbour, he has enjoyed the car since 2017.
"The odometer displays just 4,550 miles from new which we are told is correct as it was dry stored for many years. Although the log book states three keepers, in essence it is just the first gentleman and then our vendor.
"It comes with some original documentation and interestingly shows a Ziebart sticker in the rear window which has clearly helped to preserve this timewarp Morris. It's almost certainly the very best and most original one to exist today, anywhere in the world, so we will be keeping a keen eye on its result on the day."
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