This photo provides proof that Nicolette McKenzie existed in person and was not just the voice behind the Talking Maestro dashboard!
One of those interesting publicity stunts was staged in order to highlight the Maestro's potential for fuel economy...
This photo provides proof that Nicolette McKenzie
existed in person and was not just the voice behind
the Talking Maestro dashboard!
he photograph was taken as she flagged off the two
teams of Oxbridge students at the start of the Austin
Maestro Economy Run challenge, (presumably alongside
the Thames) in London. This publicity stunt to
promote the high fuel economy of the new Austin
Maestro HLE took place on 8th April 1983 just a week
after that other annual London encounter, between
Oxford and Cambridge Universities, namely the Boat
Race.
The format of the challenge was for 2 teams of 6 people, to drive in pairs over three legs of a 200-mile route, starting and finishing in London and going via Oxford and Cambridge.
The participants were members of the University Motor Clubs, the Cambridge University Automobile Club (CUAC) on the left in the Marshalls of Cambridge car, and the Oxford University Motor Drivers Club (OUMDC) on the right in the Hartwells of Oxford car. It does not look like the cars were light and dark blue, which is perhaps why the photo is in black and white.