THE last ever Montego to roll of the production line at the city's Cowley plant will be the main attraction this year at an annual car display.

A selection classic cars made throughout the 104-year history of car manufacturing in Oxford will return to Templars Square Shopping Centre for a week-long display.

The nine cars on display - from Sunday, August 6 until Saturday, August 12, next week - have all be assembled in some aspect at the Cowley Plant.

The exhibition includes a 1948 Morris Minor which is the third oldest known in existence, a 1963 Morris Mini which has remained in the county since being built and a 1978 Morris Marina pickup.

But stealing the show this year will be a white Montego, which was last off the line at Cowley and signed by the 1,000 factory workers who assembled it.

The Montego has been being loaned for the display from the British Motor Museum from Tuesday to Thursday.

Stephen Laing, curator at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, said: "For a decade the Montego was one of Cowley’s core products.

"The British Motor Museum’s last Montego, covered with nearly 1,000 signatures of the people who made it, attests to the workforce’s pride for every model that left the factory."

Since 2014, a display of cars has been organised every year by Cowley car enthusiast Tanya Field. Mrs Field, who owns several Cowley-built cars herself, said she was 'delighted' the display was returning.

She added: "I am delighted to be able to bring another display of Cowley built cars to Templars Square and to many of the people who worked at the factory.

"I am particularly grateful to the British Motor Museum for the loan of the last Montego off the line for three days of the display."

The exhibition is free to attend, and members of public are invited to sit in the display cars and take photographs. Owners of the cars will also be on hand to answer any questions.

Cowley has been producing cars since March 1913, when William Morris's first Morris Oxford – known as the Bullnose due to the shape of its radiator – rolled off the assembly line.

The plant later ran as Pressed Steel and Rover Cowley, before BMW took over in 1994 and launched the Mini seven years later.

This week, BMW announced from 2019 the plant will start producing the electric Mini.

Owen Acland, centre manager at Templar Square Shopping Centre, said; "Since opening our doors in 1965 we welcomed thousands of Cowley plant workers through our doors.

"The automotive industry is an important part of our heritage and we are delighted to bring this to the forefront of the community.

"We hope shoppers enjoy this exclusive slice of car history."