Collection of new UK classics found in abandoned dealership, including a £20k MG

A has shared his excitement to stumble across a collection of brand new models that have been stuck inside an since they were .

The cars, which had likely not seen the light of day for around , included a wide range of and executive models from Austin, MG, and Rover.

Posting to the group 'Old British Cars', Michele Sansome highlighted that 12 new cars from the 80s were found inside the long-abandoned dealership.

He explained: "Hello, I'm a car enthusiast from . Today I rediscovered 11 British Leyland cars and a Matra Bagheera completely new in a garage in Apulia, a southern region of Italy."

Responding to comments from other members of the group, Michele confirmed that all of the models inside the garage were brand new, having simply covered delivery mileage from the factory.

Whilst Michele did not share any exterior photos of the garage, it was likely used to sell Austin Rover products in the region, with Italy being one of the most popular export markets for the company at the time.

The most popular model among the substantial collection was the Austin Metro, with examples spanning from the yellow 1.0 Special to the range-topping Mayfair in metallic blue.

Other cars found inside the dealership were a pair of Austin Maestros, including the high-performance MG model, a Triumph Acclaim, several Rover SD1s, and a Matra Bagheera sportscar that was made in France during the 1970s.

Despite all of the abandoned models being coated in a thick layer of dust and had flat tyres, all of the cars discovered in the garage were surprisingly clean and complete.

Michele's photos reveal that many of the cars still featured plastic covers over all of the seats, which would have been applied in the factory, whilst the engines appeared untouched.

It is currently unknown who owns the vehicles, however the collection could be worth a significant amount of money. In the UK, clean examples of an MG Maestro can fetch up to £20,000, whereas some versions of the Rover SD1 sell for more than £25,000.

While the collection of forgotten 80s classics were an exceptional find, they are by no means the only abandonned vehicles that are now regarded as collectors items.

In Germany, a Ford dealership has been abandoned since around 1986, with all of the models of the era still standing inside the showroom, including Sierras, Escorts, and Fiestas, all of which still feature sale stickers and protectors on the doors.

A similar derelict dealership also exists in a Derbyshire village, featuring an Austin Maestro and Vauxhall Cavalier that have been in the same place since it closed down in the early 2000s.