The Met's engine was rather more tame than the MGA's.
The first Metropolitans were fitted with the Austin-built A-Series OHV 1200cc
motor from the Austin A-40 Somerset, and produced 42 bhp. (The A-40 Somerset
was itself a slightly stronger version of the 1947 A-40 Devon, with 40 bhp-
hence the name).
Austin and Morris merged in 1952, and the new "corporate" BMC B-Series 1500
engine of late 1953 was first used in the MG ZA Magnette. The Metropolitan
was fitted with a 1200 cc version of this new engine, as was the Austin A-40
Cambridge. It still produced 42 bhp but was a better engine. In 1956 the
Metropolitan, as well as the A-50 Cambridge, were offered with the new 1500
engine, making 50 bhp, but the smaller displacement engine was still available
for the Met parallel to the 1500 engine until 1957. This ran until 1959. The
last Mets to 1962 had the 52 bhp version of the 1500 motor used in the A-55
Cambridge.
In comparison, the MG marque had a rather more sporting image to uphold, and
the same B-Series 1500 engine produced 60 bhp in the ZA Magnette and 68 bhp in
the first model of MGA.
Best
Peter
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