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in 1984, Austin Rover’s new S-Series engine first saw the light of day in the Austin Montego, although prototype engines had been running as far back as 1981. The original idea had been for the Maestro to receive this engine back in 1983, but owing to a lack of cash, factory disputes and the technology not yet proven, it was decided to hold back until engineering were satisfied the engine was developed thoroughly for full scale launch.
With the launch coming up for the Maestro, BL knew it had no suitable mid-sized 1.6-litre engine, and had to work fast to come up with a suitable power unit, if it was to hold its own against Ford’s Escort and Vauxhall’s Astra. The Maestro was launched to the public with the R-Series 1598cc engine, that was simply an E-Series 1750 Maxi engine rotated through 180-degrees, mated to a Volkswagen gearbox, and bored down to a 1.6-litres configuration. The engines sported electronic carburettor control which regulated the idle speed and choke, along with an overrun fuel cut off, all contributing to improving fuel economy and driveability.
The R-Series was flawed in many aspects. Because the Maxi had a transmission-in-sump and the Maestro used the bought-in Volkswagen ‘box fitted end-on, the bottom-end of the engine became weak. Austin Rover overcame this by fitting a huge cast alloy sump that was an extremely expensive casting to produce, so much so that an insider commented that it contributed to 20 per cent of the total raw cost of the engine!
This reworked engine shared many similar features with the older E-Series engine, noisy timing chains, an appetite for burning, blowing head gaskets and one particular good trick of breaking crankshafts. Power outputs were 81bhp in single SU carburettor form and 103bhp in twin-Weber MG tune. The word ‘tune’ being loosely used, as these MG Maestros were notorious for poor running

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