The car that *should* have changed manufacturing here was the Austin Tasman/Kimberley X6. It was (and probably is) largely regarded as some kind of aberration amongst all the big, US inspired rear drive cars and Leyland itself decided to go that way with the P76 when buyers ignored the big landcrab, but the massive success of the Magna in the 1980s proved the concept was desireable. Right car, way ahead of it's time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Kimberley