The History of MG Sports Cars

MG is best known for its two-seat open sports cars, though this is not the only model car MG built. It’s a popular car among collectors. The MG brand is British and started in 1924. The two-seat sports car was made mainly at a factory near Oxford. The car has speed and maneuverability that drivers like. Plus, it was modestly priced so the average person could afford it.

Morris Garages

William Morris opened his company, Morris Motors Limited, in England in 1912. A subsidiary of this company was called Morris Garages. This name would eventually be shortened to MG when Morris Garages started manufacturing cars in 1923. Morris Garages General Manager Cecil Kimber felt that the public wanted a nice-looking car that could be at home on country roads and on race tracks. It also needed to be easy to maintain and moderately priced. The first MG had a 4-cylinder, 750-cubic-centimeter engine and could do 82 mph. The following year, the car won a gold medal at the Lands End competition.

MG Car Company

The success of the first MG sports car led to the creation of a new company in 1928 called the MG Car Company with its factory in Abington. Production designs followed a pattern. New improvements were first introduced in a prototype car. If successful, the designs were incorporated into a racing model of the car and then finally, the road model. This worked well for the company, which continued to win racing and speed awards.

The 1940s

MG production was interrupted during World War II as England shifted over to war production. Following the war, production resumed and expanded. By 1947, the MG sports car began making its appearance on U.S. roads. The MG was smaller than American cars at the time, but its performance earned the respect of U.S. drivers.

British Motor Corporation

The British Motor Corporation absorbed MG Car Company in 1952. As part of BMC, the MG line expanded and sales grew. MG saw its best years in the late 1950s and 1960s. The 1970s saw tough economic times, and the MG plant in Abington was closed in 1980. The closure caused an uproar among dealers and drivers.

Modern Versions

Austin Rover manufactured faster versions of the Metro, Maestro and Montego ranges that wore the MG badge between 1982 and 1991. The MG RV8, a roadster with a V8 engine was introduced in 1992, but it was not widely produced. Then in 1995, the MG F roadster was introduced. Its design recalled the look of the classic MGs. It was a two-seater that buyers liked and bought. BMW eventually absorbed the model under its own brand. Nanjing Automobile bought the MG brand and assets in 2005, which was then bought by SAIC in 2007. Since then, SAIC has started production of new MGs. Some are larger sedans, but the MG 3 is a smaller, sportier model.

References

• MG before the war
• The History of Cars: The History of MG
• Old and Sold: MG History