China Loves Britain, part 24343 – The Morris Ital
It doesn’t seem to be a big secret these days, China just loves buying up old British motoring tat and repackaging it for domestic consumption. First it was those “slant eyed Manchurians” planning to copy the Austin Seven car in 1929, and it came to a peak when SAIC and NAC jostled over the corpse of MG Rover like two giant African vultures. In between those two points in history, it appears some Chinese companies have slowly been picking off bits of British motoring history (some would say class) and giving them some unique Chinese characteristics. So what old British tat did the Chinese get hold of? There was the Maestro, the Austin van, the Rover 25/Streetwise, 45, 75, and of course, Paul Stowe ( 
We love you really, Paul)
The Morris Ital was also one vehicle that got shipped off to China in the late 90s. The Ital was redesigned for the Chinese market place in Chengdu city at the FAW Chengdu Auto works. Modifications included altering the rear seat so that it became removable (for greater goods storage) for the Chinese market place. The body was from the Austin Rover lot, but the chassis was self made by Chengdu Auto works, it was fitted with the O-Series engine, and the LT77 gearbox, which made for interesting driving.
When the Ital came off the line, renamed as the rather sexy sounding, CA643030k it sold for a bargain 50,000rmb. The Ital was also morphed into various other designs, including a pick up truck. Note the higher riding style across all platforms, presumebly for the poor road conditions that are found in rural areas of Sichuan province where the car was briefly made:
I found one of these lovely CA6430ks for sale recently, however, my wife does not approve of British heritage purchases, it was up for sale as a ’99 model, with 50k kilometers on the clock and in pretty decent condition for 9000rmb (1200USD) bargain if you ask me. I could drive it up and down the east coast, thumbing my nose at the Roewe 750 and MG7 drivers who think they are driving a classic British car, when truth be told, they are just playing about with a BMW fancy toy, only I would have the true British car.
Sadly the Chengdu Auto Works factory that made the Ital has since closed, the car was never a national success and only seemed to have limited sales in South Western China.
Thanks to Austin Rover Online for providing more info, and to Erik as usual who has the answers to every odd Chinese car we come across
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That’s a great possible niche market for Chinese carmakers. Throwback cars.
Who wouldn’t love to have a car they admired from their childhood days or a repro of an out-of-reach rarity like a ’69 Camaro, Ferrari Daytona or Pontiac GTO?
They could even make such kitsch repros as Ford Pintos (complete with exploding gas tank) or AMC Gremlins!!
The problem is, I think most Chinese marques actually have a shred of taste, and have no interest in cloning poor American cars. Proof is in the pudding, why else would they be all over British Leylands finest and not the bitter rectal bile of General Motors
All in jest, of course.
I like cars, good ones.
The Ital comes from the odd Morris Marina. I’ve never seen any Marina nor Ital back where I live, in France. Altough British cars have always been doing great in France, I don’t think if it was sold here back then.
Appart from that I heard that SAIC bought the Chengdu Auto Works in order to get some tooling for Roewe.
Joest,
You can beat that kind of heritage!
I have never been described as ‘Old British Tat’ before! but love the sentiment!
Who doesn’t love British design?
The shape of the Rolls Royce, especially the front spells luxury and class.
The British cab, so spacious and practical and giving the old world charm, nostalgic, romantic feeling.
The modern Jaguar, class updated.
I could be accused by a British redneck for being toady. But they had been impressing, forcing, disseminating their style for centuries to friends and foes alike, it just rub off on you.
I drive a lovely modern MG ZS (may be revived as the MG5) but I love the 1958 design for the MG Magnette saloon although that was a car the size of the MG7 with just 68bhp! (That was the sports version, the Austin Cambridge had 55bhp!)
I remember the Ital, the very last Morris, shortly after it was introduced to the UK its sales reportedly shot up(!)
There used to be Austin Maestros built in a petrol station in Herefordshire/England, maybe there is a man with a little garage somewhere who might like to make some more Itals!
God almighty they were a piece of shit in GB and the other suffering markets they found, so god knows how much worse they would be after being Chinafied. Had seen them on the road here in the ‘old days’ but havent seen one close up-sadly (kidding about the sadly bit) I think that you could do a lot of far more useful things with your 9k Kwai Ash – pissing against the wall in Old jacks bar for instance!!!
Dogtucker, did you ever own an Ital? I guess not as most people that comment neagtively have never actaully owned them
Not bad old motors, far more reliable than some german cars I have owned!
@
“the car was never a national success and only seemed to have limited sales in South Western China.”
It also saled in North Eastern China then.