Vroom at the Top – The Austin Allegro Equipe
12 August 2025
In the summer of 1979 taking delivery of a new Austin Allegro Equipe meant that you belonged to the suburban elite – the sort of motorist who could also afford a Ferguson video recorder for their living room.
At least, that is how my nine-year-old self regarded the Equipe, and for me Paul Vincent’s rare surviving example is as much indicative of life 46 years ago as Gary Numan wondering if his ‘Friends’ were electric.
Here are 20 facts about this unforgettable Allegro.
1) The Equipe debuted in July 1979.
2) Motor observed the Equipe combined the two-door bodyshell with the ‘High Line’ twin carburettor 1,748cc SOHC engine for the first time.
3) According to British Leyland, the Equipe “looks like it moves and moves like its looks”.
4) Exterior details included metallic silver paint finish, with orange and red stripes, a black spoiler, GKN alloy wheels and front fog lamps.
5) Ben Wanklyn wrote in his fascinating book Austin Allegro - An Enthusiast's Guide that “the original intention of the Equipe’s under bumper spoiler may have been for visual effect as much as anything, cleaning up the fussy valance and screwed-on steel ‘lip’ trim, but it actually did a good job of improving aerodynamics”.
6) Paul remarks the spoiler worked so well that it subsequently appeared on all versions of the Allegro 3.
7) The cabin featured an alloy-spoked steering wheel, tinted glass, a clock, a rev counter and a push button radio. Paul notes “Don’t forget the all-black headlining – the Equipe was the only Allegro to feature it”.
8) The steering wheel was a round version of the ‘Quartic’ fitting of the Innocenti Regent, the Italian-built version of the Allegro. “It was also on the Mini 1100 Special, the other major BL limited edition car of 1979”, observes Paul.
9) BL described the Equipe’s and orange & black houndstooth check upholstery as “unique cloth seating in racing check”.
10) Such trim was in keeping with their announcement “Allegro’s Now Even Vroomier”.
11) The top speed was 100 mph with 0-60 in 10 seconds
12) The price was £4,360.42 compared with £4,298 for the Ford Escort 1600 Ghia 4-door – which, of course, lacked those important red and orange stripes
13) The standard four-door 1750HL was £3,907 but, of course, it also lacked such decorations.
14) British Leyland hoped the Equipe would enhance the Allegro Series 2 before they launched the facelifted Series 3 in September 1979.
15) There was also the hope it would capture buyers’ attention during a period of pre-Budget spending.
16) The motoring historian Keith Adams points out on the indispensable https://www.aronline.co.uk/ that the Equipe was “never became a permanent addition to the Allegro range but, then again, it was never intended to – acting as a car to generate much-needed showroom traffic during the dark years”.
17) The launch advertisement informed prospective buyers that “the Equipe is a Limited Edition that’s going to move like it looks. Vroom, vroom”.
18) BL made only 2,700 Equipes.
19) Motor thought the Equipe was “well-equipped and good value for money”, as well as referring to Starsky and Hutch when mentioned its stripes.
20) To quote Austin Allegro - An Enthusiast's Guide again: “During the summer of 1979 the Allegro experienced a small surge in sales, thanks in no small part to the attention grabbed by the range’s silver flagship model”.
With thanks to Paul Vincent for his time.
With thanks to Paul Vincent for their permission to use the images in this blog.