1983 Austin Metro Vanden Plas 500 Is A Time Capsule

You don’t hear the words “brand new” next to “1983” too often. But for this 1983 Austin Metro Vanden Plas 500 the description is quite accurate.

The car is said to have covered just 741 miles (1,192 km) in its entire lifetime and had just one registered owner since new. Part of the famous Patrick Collection housed in Birmingham, the car will go under the hammer at Classic Car Auctions’ CarFest South event on August 29.

Offered without reserve, the Austin Metro Vanden Plas 500 is not just very low-mileage but rare as well. Only 500 units were built, and this particular example is believed to be one of only five left in the UK.

The ad description says the car is in “excellent and fantastically original condition having spent many years in storage.” It has a black exterior with contrasting tan leather seats and is essentially unchanged since it left the Longbridge factory in 1983. The only parts replaced on the car in its lifetime have been the seals and water pump.

“I doubt you will find another Metro like this in the world. I don’t even think that anyone has ever sat in the passenger seats! I really hope the new owner continues to cherish this amazing car for the future,” the owner is quoted as saying on Classic Car Auctions’ website.

The Metro was one of Britain’s most popular ever cars, with more than 1.3 million units sold by 1994. Famous owners include Princess Diana, who owned a red W-registered Metro before her engagement to Prince Charles.