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For nearly 90 years, MG has been an
iconic and legendary car brand; combing luxury with affordability.
Despite no longer being in manufacture; the popularity of MG lives
on, and has become a cult car of years gone by. The story of MG has
inspired and even saddened many, from its humble beginning as one
man’s dream, to its demise in recent years. Whether an enthusiast
or not, it is rarely disagreed that MG’s are beautiful and
distinguished cars.
Let’s take a look at how MG came to
be. A distributor of the famous Morris Cars since 1913; Morris
Garages Ltd. was where everything began. Car enthusiast Cecil Kimber
managed to get promoted to General Manager of Morris Garages in 1922,
taking what would become the most important position of his life.
Never one to waste time, Kimber began producing customised Morris
cars right away, which became widely known as ‘Morris Garage
Chummys’.
In just a year, Kimber introduced the
distinctive ‘MG’ badge; the initials of Morris Garages
encompassed by a unique octagon shape. In 1924, the badge was
embossed on its first car, the 14/28 MG Super Sports Morris,
harnessing speeds of up to 65mph (104kph). The car shape progressed
over the next few years to incorporate the traditional MG grille, and
expertly designed chassis.
Working from garages in Abingdon,
Oxford; MG Cars produced the M-Type Midget, a sports-car model
designed to be affordable. MG integrated with the racing industry
too, producing the MG 18/100 Tigress, a car which was faster than the
Midget, but much more expensive; a factor which contributed to its
unpopularity.
Retaining its reputation as one of the
leading sports-car manufacturers following the outbreak of World War
Two; MG revived the industry by introducing the 1,250 cc MG TC
Midget. With a top speed of 78mph (125kph), this car was extremely
popular, with over 10,000 being built in just four years. Carrying
its success into the 1950’s, MG produced the TD, the TF, the MGA,
and three Magnette models.
The MK IV Magnette was produced in
1961, offering more refinement and extravagance. But this wasn’t as
successful as the sporty models had been, and so the MGB was
introduced in 1962 to inject some freshness and innovation to the
brand. The MGB was a huge success, with a top speed of 105mph
(168kph) whilst still being completely affordable. Including a GT
version, over 500,000 MGB’s were built, selling five times the
number of the MGA.
A result of a bad
economy; the Abingdon factory was closed down in 1980, sparking much
anger and sadness. The MG brand has had a few revivals since this
time, but has remained largely inactive. Nowadays, MG’s are
treasured collections; a weekend hobby for most, and a weekend car
for the lucky ones (who can afford the classic
car insurance!). Whatever happens in MG’s future, its past will
always remain one of glory and legend.
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