Morris Ital

Morris
Morris Ital (1980-1984)
Ital
Production period:	1980-1984
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon , panel van , pickup
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.3–2.0 liters (45–110 kW) Diesel engines : 1.4 liters (37 kW)
Length:	4343 mm
Width:	1636 mm
Height:	1410-1418 mm
Wheelbase :	2438 mm
Empty weight :	939-989 kg
Previous model	Morris Marina
successor	Austin Montego

The Morris Ital ( ADO73 ) was a British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) car model that was produced from October 1980 to December 1984.

It was the successor to the Morris Marina and, like it, was largely based on the technology of the Morris Minor from 1948. The Ital was the last new car from the BLMC to be sold under the Morris brand name .

Model history

BLMC had introduced the Marina (ADO 28) in spring 1971 as a simple, inexpensive competitor of the Ford Cortina . In order to keep production costs low and to achieve the best possible reliability, the design team relied on the chassis and numerous other components of the more than 20 year old Morris Minor; other parts were taken from the Triumph Dolomite . The marina was unsuccessful in the market; poor build quality and, above all, very difficult driving behavior opposed the success of the model.

Initially, BLMC had planned to replace the Marina in 1975 with a more modern new design. However, the company's bankruptcy ended early on the development work on this model, internally known as ADO 77. Instead, the marina was technically revised towards the end of 1975. He received a new landing gear; the body, however, remained unchanged. The car called Marina II (or ADO 73) was sold until the autumn of 1980.

In 1980, BLMC decided to further revise the "antiquated" vehicle. The aim was to continue to be present in the lower middle class market segment with as little effort as possible and to bridge the time until the introduction of the completely new front-wheel drive models Austin Maestro and Montego . The financial possibilities were accordingly limited: the development team had a budget of only £ 5 million. It was therefore limited to stylistic changes:

• The front section received broadband headlights and indicators protruding into the fenders. The sheets were not changed in this area.

• New, large taillights were installed at the rear end; at the same time the trunk line was slightly increased.

• The car received large-volume plastic bumpers at the front and rear.

The authorship for this facelift has often been awarded to the Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro and his company Italdesign . In fact, it was developed by BL's own design team led by Harris Mann . Italdesign had only received the order to supervise the production changeover to the new model.

In order to utilize Italdesign's reputation, the company decided early on to include an explicit reference to the Italian design studio in the model name. Initially the car was supposed to be called Morris Marina Ital ; Michael Edwardes, the then CEO of BLMC, however, saw the clear reference to the predecessor Marina as potentially damaging to sales and limited the model name to Ital.

Model versions

The Morris Ital was available as a limousine, station wagon, delivery van and pickup truck. The two-door hatchback version that was still available at the Marina was no longer available.

A 1.3 liter four-cylinder engine from the A-series or two 1.7 or 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines from the (more modern) O-series were used as drive units. In 1981, a version with a 1.4 liter, 37 kW diesel engine was briefly produced in Portugal.

• 

  Morris Ital Estate

• 

  Morris Ital Van

Production and inventory

The Ital remained in production for four years. During this time, 175,276 vehicles were built. The Ital had - not least because of its rear-wheel drive - the reputation of an uncomplicated car that could be operated with low maintenance costs. Conservative customers who had reservations about the front-wheel drive, which was also prevalent in Great Britain, bought the Ital, as did fleet operators such as car rental companies.

The Morris Ital has almost completely disappeared from the street scene 35 years after its production cessation. In Great Britain 185 copies were registered in 2005, ten years later only 35.

Production facilities

BLMC initially produced the Ital in Cowley, from 1982 the cars were made in Longbridge. At the same time, there was a production in Portugal for a short time; there the car was still called Marina.

In 1998 and 1999 the Ital was reissued in China . The company Chengdu Auto Works presented under the model names Huandu CAC1020, CAC5020, CAC5026 and CAC6430 some combination, Van and pickup versions of the Ital ago.

Technical specifications

Web links

Commons : Morris Ital  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Morris Marina Owners Club & Morris Ital Register
• Model history on the website www.aronline.co.uk

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Model history on the website www.aronline.co.uk
2. ↑ ZB Auto Catalog No. 26 (1982/83), p. 80.
3. ↑ Model history on the website www.aronline.co.uk
4. ^ ^{A b} Rob Hull: Good riddance ... or good investments? Britain's most common cars of the 70s and 80s are now some of the most endangered models on the road. www.thisismoney.co.uk, July 26, 2016, accessed February 5, 2019 . 
5. ↑ Model history on the website www.aronline.co.uk