Austin Allegro

Austin Allegro: Which Version to Buy and Why

Choosing an Austin Allegro from the catalogue data means comparing three generations of Sedan 2-doors, produced from May 1973 to March 1982. The decisive differences are engine output, transmission, weight, and recorded performance. The engine range runs from the 998 cc 1.0 MT with 44 hp to the 1748 cc 1.8 MT with 91 hp.

Choosing an Austin Allegro from the catalogue data means comparing three generations of Sedan 2-doors, produced from May 1973 to March 1982. The decisive differences are engine output, transmission, weight, and recorded performance. The engine range runs from the 998 cc 1.0 MT with 44 hp to the 1748 cc 1.8 MT with 91 hp. Every listed version is Gasoline-powered and FWD, with an Inline, four-cylinder, non-boosted engine. For the broadest selection, look at the first generation; for the strongest documented balance of output and top speed, the second-generation 89 hp 1.8 MT or 1.8 AT stands out; for a later car with modest power, the third generation offers the 1.0 MT and 1.3 MT.

Austin Allegro generations: what changed?

The first generation ran from May 1973 to March 1975 as a Sedan 2-doors and contains 10 listed versions. It has the widest engine spread: 998, 1098, 1275, 1485, and 1748 cc, producing from 44 to 91 hp. Some modification dates extend beyond the generation dates recorded in the catalogue: the 45 hp 1.1 MT is dated from 1975 through 1980, while the 1.0 MT and 63 hp 1.3 MT are dated from 1980 through 1982. For buying comparisons, those entries are retained within the first generation because that is where the supplied data places them.

The second generation ran from April 1975 to November 1979, again as a Sedan 2-doors, with seven versions. Its range starts with the 45 hp 1.1 MT and reaches the 89 hp 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT. Compared with the first generation, it has no listed 998 cc engine and focuses on 1098, 1275, 1485, and 1748 cc units. It is also the generation with the highest credible recorded top speed in the supplied figures: 151 km/h for both 89 hp 1.8 versions.

The third generation ran from December 1979 to March 1982 as a Sedan 2-doors and also has seven versions. The 998 cc 1.0 MT returned as the entry engine, while 1275, 1485, and 1748 cc alternatives completed the range. The 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT both deliver 69 hp, while the 1.8 choices produce either 80 or 89 hp. The database gives 51 km/h as the top speed of both 89 hp 1.8 versions; that figure is reported as supplied but should be treated cautiously because the otherwise identical-output second-generation versions are recorded at 151 km/h.

Austin Allegro engine and specs

Repeated version names are distinguished below by generation and horsepower so that each specification remains unambiguous.

Power per litre helps separate engines that look similar by displacement. The first-generation 91 hp 1.8 MT produces approximately 52.1 hp per litre, the highest ratio in the supplied range. The 89 hp 1.8 versions deliver about 50.9 hp per litre, while the first-generation 63 hp 1.3 MT provides about 49.4 hp per litre. The 69 hp 1.5 versions return about 46.5 hp per litre, and the 44 hp 1.0 MT provides about 44.1 hp per litre.

Austin Allegro performance, top speed, and mpg

The only measured 0–100 km/h result is 13.1 seconds, recorded for the 45 hp 1.1 MT in both its first-generation and second-generation listings. Acceleration for every other version is not measured.

Recorded top speeds provide clearer comparisons. The first-generation 1.0 MT reaches 120 km/h, the 49 hp and 45 hp 1.1 MT versions reach 134 km/h, the 59 hp 1.3 MT reaches 135 km/h, and the 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT reach 138 km/h. Top speed for the 54 hp 1.3 MT, 54 hp 1.3 AT, 63 hp 1.3 MT, and 91 hp 1.8 MT is not measured.

In the second generation, the 1.1 MT and 80 hp 1.8 MT are recorded at 134 km/h. The 1.3 MT, 1.5 MT, and 1.5 AT reach 135 km/h. Both 89 hp 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT versions reach 151 km/h, an advantage of 16 km/h over the 1.5 versions and 17 km/h over the 80 hp 1.8 MT.

The third-generation 1.0 MT is recorded at 120 km/h, the 1.3 MT at 135 km/h, the 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT at 138 km/h, and the 80 hp 1.8 MT at 134 km/h. The database records 51 km/h for both 89 hp 1.8 versions. Fuel consumption in city, highway, and combined driving is not measured for every version, so Austin Allegro mpg cannot be calculated from this dataset.

Austin Allegro dimensions, weight, and ground clearance

Exterior dimensions are not measured for any listed version. Gross weight, fuel-tank capacity, and wheel sizes are also not measured throughout the range. Ground clearance is consistently listed as 159 mm.

Available kerb weights range from 800 kg to 850 kg. The first-generation 49 hp 1.1 MT weighs 800 kg, giving approximately 16.3 kg per hp. The first-generation 59 hp 1.3 MT weighs 820 kg, or about 13.9 kg per hp. The 45 hp 1.1 MT weighs 823 kg in the first- and second-generation records, or approximately 18.3 kg per hp.

The 69 hp 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT weigh 850 kg where measured, corresponding to about 12.3 kg per hp. The second-generation 80 hp 1.8 MT weighs 838 kg, or about 10.5 kg per hp; its 89 hp 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT counterparts also weigh 838 kg, improving the ratio to approximately 9.4 kg per hp. Third-generation 1.8 versions are listed at 850 kg, giving about 10.6 kg per hp with 80 hp and approximately 9.6 kg per hp with 89 hp. Kerb weight is not measured for the remaining versions.

All versions use Independent, spring front and rear suspension, Disc front brakes, and Drum rear brakes. These specifications do not distinguish one engine choice from another.

Which Austin Allegro version should you buy?

For the strongest documented performance, choose a second-generation 1.8 MT (89 hp). It combines 89 hp, 140 Nm, a 5-speed Manual gearbox, an 838 kg kerb weight, approximately 9.4 kg per hp, and a recorded 151 km/h top speed. The second-generation 1.8 AT (89 hp) offers the same output, torque, weight, and top speed with a 4-speed Automatic gearbox, so transmission preference is the meaningful difference in the supplied data.

For maximum engine output regardless of missing performance measurements, the first-generation 1.8 MT (91 hp) leads the entire catalogue by 2 hp over the 89 hp alternatives. Its output of roughly 52.1 hp per litre is also the best calculated figure, but torque, top speed, acceleration, and kerb weight are not measured. It is therefore the power leader on paper, not the most completely documented choice.

For a middle-ground engine, the 1.5 MT (69 hp) is the clearest manual option. It supplies 113 Nm and, where measured, reaches 138 km/h at a kerb weight of 850 kg. The first-generation 1.5 AT matches those figures. In the second generation, the 1.5 AT retains 69 hp but has 109 Nm, which is 4 Nm less than the corresponding 1.5 MT, while both are recorded at 135 km/h. In the third generation, the 1.5 MT and 1.5 AT again share 69 hp, 113 Nm, 138 km/h, and 850 kg, leaving the 5-speed Manual versus 4-speed Automatic gearbox as the main recorded distinction.

For the smallest engine, select the 1.0 MT (44 hp). Its 998 cc engine produces 71 Nm and reaches a recorded 120 km/h. The first-generation listing uses a 5-speed Manual, while the third-generation listing uses a 4-speed Manual. Weight, acceleration, and fuel consumption are not measured, so the data cannot establish an economy advantage.

The 1.3 MT choices are useful between those extremes. First-generation output rises from 54 hp to 59 hp and then 63 hp across separate 1.3 MT entries. The 63 hp version makes 99 Nm, exceeding the third-generation 62 hp 1.3 MT by 1 hp and 1 Nm. However, kerb weight and top speed are not measured for the 63 hp version, while the third-generation 62 hp version has a recorded 135 km/h top speed. The first-generation 1.3 AT is the automatic alternative at 54 hp, but its torque, weight, acceleration, and top speed are not measured.

On the available numbers alone, the second-generation 1.8 MT (89 hp) is the most convincing all-round specification, the 1.5 MT (69 hp) is the balanced middle choice, and the 1.0 MT (44 hp) is the smallest-engine option. Questions about Austin Allegro reliability, problems, interior condition, steering wheel, engine swaps, or examples for sale cannot be answered from the supplied catalogue data and require inspection of the individual car.