This year, the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the MG MGB was central to English car enthusiasts. The reasons for the popularity of 'The MGB' are easy to explain. The mechanical simplicity, the beautiful appearance, the low price and the pure charm are seen as its assets. The MG MGB is an important part of British motoring heritage as it made owning a true sports car accessible to the masses. These features kept the MGB a sales success throughout the 1968s. But a lot happened around the sympathetic brand. Very much! In XNUMX MG left its parent company BMC, which was exchanged for British Leyland. It is clear that throughout the XNUMXs BMC had concentrated on increasing its capacity and becoming a world leader in car production, the MG MGB being a huge export success for them.
Cardinal error
Instead of cherishing the philosophy of the MGB, Lord Stokes – himself coming from rival Triumph – a cardinal mistake. That was in 1968 when he pulled the plug on the development of a replacement for the MG MGB. Codenamed EX234, the project was a beautiful front-engined car designed by top stylist Pininfarina. Needless to say, the policy pursued by first BMC and then British Leyland started to bite. In order to continue to compete, the idea arose to equip the MG MGB with a V8 engine. There was already experience with the six-cylinder in the MG MGC, so why not go one size bigger? “There is no substitute for cubic inches”, say the Americans, so the MG MGBGT V8 was soon born.
V8 technique
They already stocked Rover's Buick-derived aluminum V8 at the British Leyland house anyway. This was a compact and light engine, perfectly suited to its sports car role. Performance was excellent, 0-100 km/h in 8,7 seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h. It was definitely enough to beat the all-conquering Datsun 240Z. But because of all the internal concerns (mismanagement!) the MGBGT V8 was never sold in the United States. An incomprehensible mistake, because that V8 was extremely suitable for that market and the MGB had always achieved excellent sales results in the US. So it's not the image. The start-up phase of the MG MGBGT V8 was indeed very long, it took five years from BLMC's first plans to the moment that the MGBGT V8 actually went into production.
The best ever
The MG MGBGT V8 is often regarded as the best MGB to date, with its smooth, torquey engine and excellent handling. The 3,5 liter engine really felt at home in this car. In the end, 2591 V8s were sold, but this figure could and should have been much, much higher. If only the MGBGT V1967 had been launched in 8, instead of the MGC with its six cylinders… The reorganizations conceived by Lord Stokes and later Michael Edwardes kept coming and little of MG remained in the end. However, the brand did not die completely, but was kept alive with the arrival of the new MG RV8 in 1992. Another variant of the MGB. Perhaps this will bring our story about the MG MGB to a somewhat sad end. But the fact that the MGB is still alive and kicking sixty years later says a lot about the concept loved by everyone. In 2022, the MGB is still extremely popular!
Part 1 of the article can be found here.
Because of my classic car hobby, I am a fan of Renault Alpine. By coincidence I came into possession of a 1978 MGB, completely disassembled in boxes for “little”. I also thought it would be fun to build and sell. Still have the car and am amazed by the handling and comfort, so it won't be going away for a while.
Is there another story with me regarding the application of a V8 in the MGB. Correct me or complete me…: MG did not want to do it themselves, because the V8 of the Triumph Stag would compete. There was a stubborn and inventive man, Ken Costello, who spooned the V60 into the MGB in the late 8s. Making it a formidable weapon to drive circles around a Porsche 911. It was an instant success. Costello bought the V8 engines as a crate engine from the BMC dealers, but they were no longer allowed to supply them at a certain point. BMC itself wanted some of that success and approached it very carefully with the MGB GT in V8 version. Engine downtuned to 145 hp unfortunately. Floor pan/tunnel was modified and has been used for all models ever since. A later model MGB is therefore a bit easier to convert to a V8 than an early spoon door model. Costello continued to build V8s and they were always a step better than the factory V8 in terms of performance. The business later passed into the company that is now called Frontline Developments.
I've been driving an MGB roadster with v10 conversion for 8 years now. 3,9 liter with full Costello/Frontline chassis, R380 five-speed, RV8 headers, Offenhauser intake with Edelbrock 4 barrel carb.
Top car for little money. Nice fun travel car can go well in current traffic. For 12.500 euros you can drive a nice, good sports car
I am of course biased – 65 years member of the MG Car Club Holland. General Manager of the MG Car Company Ltd John Thornley drove me around the Abingdon-on-Thames area in June 1962 in the MGB which was introduced six months later. I told him they had created another true classic. I could not have imagined then that there are still thousands of motorsport fun. My MGB, now almost 43 years old – the sixth MGB in succession in my possession and the twelfth MG – is a must for older people who experience participation with an MGB in the many rides of the MGCC as perfect fitness training and an abundance of fun and aesthetic pleasure.
Surely it cannot be the case that one (1) person just overthrows an entire company? Was the Lord a narcissistic bully, was the Supervisory Board asleep? Or was something else going on?
Even more reasons to choose an MG-B: it is just a good car, un-British reliable, it drives well, reasonably usable (sufficient space, relatively large trunk, comfortable), not only beautiful, but also a sympathetic appearance. Fine engines, especially the 1.8 for regular use. Just a top car!