Shortly after the cancellation of British Leyland’s ADO74 project for a replacement for the Mini, the ADO88 project began to reignite the idea of a new supermini.

Named ADO88 because the wheelbase was set to 88 inches, the proposed new car was smaller than much of the competition and retained the A-series engine and gearbox in the sump carried over from the Mini to save on costs.

New additions included Moulton’s new Hydrogas suspension system which allowed more interior space with less suspension intrusion. For what was basically a very small car, the amount of space afforded to passengers and their luggage was impressive but there was a problem. The shortness of the bodywork led to a very upright tailgate and, compared to rivals such as the Renault 5 and the Ford Fiesta, ADO88 seemed unsophisticated and basic.

To address these problems, and in an impressively short five weeks in 1978, ADO88 was redesigned into LC8 (LC abbreviated from Leyland Cars) with a new nose, front spoiler, tailgate angle, “chiselled sides” and interior upgrades. The Austin Metro had been born!