Monday 12th April 2021

BOOK REVIEW  By Ken Davies 

D129OOE - The works MG Maestro 2.0 Efi 

Despite its unusual title, this quirky book is nevertheless a fascinating read that chronicles the biography of probably the last ‘works’ competition car ever produced by the Austin Rover Group (ARG); a patriotically painted red, white and blue MG Maestro Efi with a truly eclectic and unique provenance.

Our story really begins in 1986 when the FIA banned Group B rally cars from world championship events following several fatal accidents, thus making ARG’s flagship competition car, the Williams Engineering-designed MG Metro 6R4, redundant, meaning Austin Rover Motorsport closed its doors for the last time.

Undeterred, as well as the Rover SD1 saloon car racing programme run by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, ARG retained a presence in motorsport by supporting its home-market one-make championships for Metro Turbo, Mini Seven, Rover 216 GTi and the MG Maestro Challenge (MGMC). Sponsored by Esso then Mobil 1, the MGMC was an innovative multi-discipline series that crisscrossed the UK and sometimes even abroad, with a series of races, rallies, hill climbs and an auto test.

As well as attracting a bunch of versatile clubmen competitors, ARG provided two fully-prepared ‘Celebrity’ MG Maestros driven by media personalities and established stars of motorsport, including Damon Hill, Gary Brabham, Malcolm Wilson, Jeff Allam and Tony Pond. In fact, it was ARG development driver Pond, with regular co-driver Rob Arthur, who took D129OOE to a hard-fought class win (Group N3 up to 2,000cc) on the 1987 Manx International Rally, perhaps the car’s most distinguished result?

Registered February 1987, D129OOE was borrowed from ARG’s Methods & Techniques Department to be stripped and prepared by a select team at Cowley, but Roger Dowson Engineering at Silverstone acted as a skunkworks for the project, building a blueprinted engine and developing the performance into a competitive class winner. Development drivers included successful rallyists Colin Malkin and Ian Beverage, while Tony Pond and Malcolm Wilson – both members of ARG’s MG Metro 6R4 team – honed the Maestro’s handling at several tarmac and gravel venues including MIRA’s proving ground.


During a highly active life, D129OOE not only competed in 4 years of MGMC events but also many stand-alone races and rallies, including six RAC rallies, followed by a latter-day rally career in the Middle East until homologation expired. Professionally researched by ex-ARG apprentice, former owner and MGMC competitor Pablo Raybould, this well-illustrated soft-cover A4 volume provides a fascinating insight for those with an interest in 1980’s motorsport, and one of the last championships to come from what had formerly been the all-conquering and fiercely patriotic British Motor Corporation.

Just like grandpa’s old axe – four new handles, two new heads – D129OOE is an enduring survivor of a life spent in competition, with drivers of varying abilities wringing every split-second from the compact five door saloon’s 115bhp, SOHC, multipoint injected engine and Honda-designed, close ratio five-speed gearbox. This understated hot hatch would go 0-60mph in 8·5 seconds, a full second quicker than VW’s Golf GTi!

Your book reviewer must declare a bias, however, as a former competitor in the MGMC Challenge series 1987/88, with fond memories of both the Championship and D129OOE in action, sometimes leading and sometime trailing on events, depending on its driver. If you are a collector of niche motorsport literature this tome is a must, but hurry as the first print run is limited to just 100 copies. The no frills, down to earth biography is available only from Pablo.

D129OOE - The works MG Maestro 2.0 Efi
Written by Pablo Raybould
Available direct from Pablo Raybould pabloraybould@blueyonder.co.uk
Price £25.00 (inc. UK P&P)