MG: celebrating a century of a British legend

MG is one of the most quintessentially British marques, but is now owned by a Chinese company.

Despite its rich history of producing affordable sportscars, MG's future is likely to be far more about SUVs – although at least the affordability element remains very much intact. Officially the marque celebrates its 98th birthday in 2022; here's how it got this far.

Starting out (1924)

It all started somewhere between late 1923 and early 1925; nobody is really sure when. William Morris had set up Morris Motors in 1910 to produce affordable transport for the masses. By the early 1920s the company was flourishing, and in 1921 its Oxford-based dealer appointed a new sales manager, Cecil Kimber. The dealership was Morris Garages and Kimber (pictured here) was keen to do much more than just sell Morrises – he wanted to build his own cars.

MG Old Number One (1925

Often credited with being the first ever MG, Old Number One (officially a 14/40 Super Sports) was the first car to wear MG badges that was built specifically to Cecil Kimber's own design, to win sporting events. The start point was a Morris Cowley chassis, modified in spring 1924 but not bodied until some time early in 1925, by Carbodies of Coventry. Before this came numerous Morris Cowleys, modified to MG spec, so FC7900 isn't the first MG as such.

A new factory (1927)

MG now claims it began in 1924, but as early as November 1923 there was an advert in an Oxford newspaper for a car that carried both Morris and the now-famous octagonal MG badges. It was for a Morris rebodied by Coventry-based Carbodies; the mundane saloon bodywork had been swapped for something sleeker and sportier. Well made and relatively affordable, this first model put MG on the map and led to rapid expansion; by September 1925 it had already been forced to relocate to larger premises. Even this would quickly prove too small however, so in 1927 MG moved to its own factory, based in Cowley, Oxford (pictured).

Old Speckled Hen (1927)

Another piece of MG history, Old Speckled Hen was a 14/40 Featherweight Fabric Saloon which started out as a Morris Cowley. MG boosted power to 40bhp thanks to some porting and polishing and a lighter bodyshell was designed. The car's name derives from its mottled silver-flecked paintwork that got the car the nickname of 'owd speckly un' which morphed into Old Speckly Hen.

MG 18/80 (1928)

MG turned a corner in 1928, when it took its first stand at the London Motor Show. Sales really took off and one of the reasons for that was MG's new sporting saloon, the 18/80. This was the first car to feature MG's distinctive radiator grille and also its first six-cylinder vehicle. Power came from a 2468cc straight-six that put out 60bhp – enough to give a very healthy top speed of 80mph.

Going it alone (1929)

Up to this point MG was operating on the coat tails of Morris, but by 1928 MG was doing so well that it was time to break out on its own, and all references to Morris were dropped with the founding of the MG Car Company. Having moved premises pretty much every other year, the final move for MG came in 1929 when it moved into a factory in Abingdon. It was this location with which MG would be inextricably linked right up until the B would go out of production, in 1980 – a point at which the company’s very existence was thrown into doubt.

MG's first sports car (1929)

Although MG and Morris were separate companies in the 1920s and 1930s, whatever Morris produced had a direct impact on MG. When Morris launched its Minor in 1928 to compete with the Austin Seven, MG introduced a sporty version, the M-Type Midget, complete with Wolseley-designed overhead-cam engine. It was the first car of its kind and it set a new trend in sports car design. It also laid the foundations for MG, which would quickly build itself a reputation for competition success, thanks to much factory-backed racing.

MG J-Type Midget (1932)

The number of different MG types in the 1930s was bewildering, with numerous D, J, K, P and N types offered. The J-Type Midget was an evolution of the M-Type Midget, with an 847cc overhead-cam engine. There were four different generations of J-Type Midget, offered with two seats or four, some with 746cc supercharged engines.

MG Magnette K1 (1932)

The K-Type Magnettes were landmark cars for MG, with K1, K2 and K3 types all offered between 1932 and 1935. They came in various saloon and roadster flavours, while there were also single-seater racers too. The Magnette was such a well-loved brand that it would return in the 1950s and 1960s – then again in the 21st century as a saloon version of the MG6.

MG EX135 (1934)

From the outset MG wanted to build a reputation for offering sporting cars for the gentleman, with motor sport success and breaking records key to this. In 1934 Captain George Eyston built this streamlined beast, based on a K3 Magnette. Called EX134 it was the latest in a line of experimental cars built by MG, and this one featured an overhead-cam 1087cc six-cylinder engine which (incredibly) took the car right the way up to 203.5mph.

MG TA (1936)

The MG T-Series created the affordable two-seater sportscar template, starting with the TA of 1936 with its 1292cc four-cylinder engine that produced just 50bhp. That was enough to give the lightweight sportster a very respectable 78mph top speed. The TA got a tweaked engine in 1939 to become the TB, but just 379 examples were built before the outbreak of war.

MG TC (1945)

With the Second World War over, MG put the T-Series back into production, as the TC. This was little more than a widened TB, but it was a seriously significant car for MG as it was the company's first model to be exported to the US, where the car would prove hugely popular. That's despite the fact that it came with right-hand drive only and was very basic – it didn't even come with a heater.

MG YA (1947)

Despite its pre-war styling the MG YA was reasonably advanced, with its independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and part-monocoque construction. It may have looked desperately old-fashioned, but it made little difference to British buyers who generally couldn't buy new cars anyway; the Government's post-war export drive meant most vehicles were sent overseas.

MG TD (1947)

The TD really offended MG purists with its disc wheels instead of wire items, full-width chrome bumpers and more upright looks thanks to a fresh chassis and bodyshell. There was redesigned front suspension too, and despite reservations on the part of some, the TD would go on to become the most popular of all the T-Series models, with almost 30,000 sold.

Swallowed by BMC (1952)

In 1935 MG was swallowed up by Morris Motors, which was already a part of the Nuffield Organisation. When the latter was in turn amalgamated with the Austin Motor Company in 1952, the British Motor Corporation (BMC) was created. It was this which would have a major impact on MG’s product line, as many models would be little more than rebadged versions of other models available within the BMC empire.

MG Magnette (1953)

As the forties became the fifties, MG was still building cars that had been introduced before the War. With their exposed wings and lights plus a separate-chassis construction, models like the T-Series and Y-Type were from another era. With limited resources, MG had to develop and introduce a new family car: the Magnette arrived in 1953, taking its name from one of MG’s glamorous and successful thirties sports cars. First came the Magnette ZA, with the ZB following in 1956, complete with optional two-tone 'Varitone' paintwork.

MG TF (1953)

The final T-Series was the TF, with a more modern look than the TD thanks to the use of faired-in headlamps. Underneath it was still a TD, although by 1954 there was a new engine, now displacing 1500cc. But with the arrival of the TF's successor the MGA in 1955, just 3400 of these bigger-engined TFs were built.

MG EX179 (1954)

Two decades after Eyston's streamliner came this sequel. The EX179 used TF running gear which meant a naturally aspirated 1466cc four-pot engine rated at 84bhp – which was enough to give a 153mph top speed. Later came a 1489cc twin-cam engine and a 170mph, then a supercharged 948cc A-Series engine was fitted, rated at just 57bhp but that was enough to take EX179 all the way to 143mph – by which point the car had been redesignated EX219 and it had somehow morphed into an Austin Healey.

MGA (1955)

Arguably the prettiest car ever to come from MG, the A also offered lively performance and excellent agility. The MGA carried over the TF's 1489cc B-series engine, drum brakes all round and a four-speed manual gearbox. At first there was a roadster only, but by 1956 there was a coupé too. In 1959 the MGA 1600 MkI brought a 1588cc engine and disc front brakes; the MkII of 1961 featured a 1622cc powerplant.

MG EX181 (1957)

The last of MG's streamliners was the EX181, which was claimed to be 30% more aerodynamically efficient than the already very slippery EX179. This time the engine was behind the driver and it was a supercharged 1489cc four-cylinder twin-cam unit rated at an impressive 290bhp. Stirling Moss coaxed an incredible 245mph from the car in 1957 – that was 50mph more than he'd ever gone before.

MGA Twin-Cam (1958)

The MGA Twin-Cam featured a strengthened engine block with an aluminium twin-cam head. Offering 108bhp to give 115mph, the Twin-Cam was great to drive, but reliability problems did the car’s reputation no favours which is why the model was killed off after just two years, with barely 2000 examples sold. As with the MGA 1500 and 1600, there were coupé or roadster editions available.

MG Magnette MkIII (1959)

This is where the rot started to set in for MG. The Magnette MkIII was little more than a rebadged Austin Cambridge or Morris Oxford – which were also the same as a Riley 4/68 and Wolseley 15/60. Even when launched this 'Farina' saloon (so called because it was designed by Pininfarina) was outdated with its 17 grease points in the suspension, which needed attention every 1000 miles. Oil consumption of a pint every 200 miles was none too impressive either but as if the Magnette MkIII wasn't enough of an affront, the car was lightly facelifted in 1961 to become the Magnette MkIV – the first MG to be offered with an automatic transmission.

MG Midget (1961)

The Austin Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite introduced the concept of a truly affordable sports car. When that model was updated to become the more conventional Sprite, an MG version was introduced, called the Midget and it proved hugely successful. At first a 46bhp 948cc A-series engine was fitted, but within a year this had given way to a 56bhp 1098cc edition. Later would come a 65bhp 1275cc engine, plus a raft of other improvements.

MG1100 (1962)

As with the Farina Magnette, the MG1100 was one of a big family of BMC models, in this case codenamed ADO16. Alongside were Austin, Morris, Riley, Wolseley and Vanden Plas editions of the same car and buyers could choose from two- or four-door saloons and while in MG form there was no estate, one was offered with some other brands. A 1300 variation on the theme would arrive in 1968, and while this would also be available as an array of BMC marques with either two doors or four, in MG form there was only a two-door version offered.

MGB roadster (1962)

The A had been such a success for MG that it had to be replaced with something that was a genuine step forward. Something that was easier to live with, easier to drive and cheaper to build. And that's just what happened, with the B, which debuted at the 1962 British Motor Show. Priced at £949, the B was powered by a 96bhp 1798cc B-series engine and the suspension was based on the MGA’s, to keep development costs down.

ADO34 (1964)

Before the MG Midget was announced, MG was thinking about introducing a front-wheel drive two-seater convertible, on the back of the Mini's success. But when fellow BMC division Austin-Healey decided to updated its Frogeye Sprite into the more mainstream Sprite MkII, the decision was taken to stick with rear-wheel drive and the Midget was born. Pininfarina designed ADO34 but its efforts weren't wasted, as the Peugeot 204 cabriolet borrowed much of the design and mechanical layout.

MGB GT (1965)

The MGB GT was a stylish hatch that was a true mini Grand Tourer. Although outwardly the MGB didn't change much, in October 1967 a MkII version arrived, with a fully synchronised gearbox, a change to negative earth electrics and an alternator instead of a dynamo. A month later an automatic gearbox became available – but slush box-equipped Bs are now very rare and unloved.

MGC (1967)

With the Austin Healey 3000 going out of production, BMC needed a decent six-cylinder replacement. The answer lay in creating a six-pot MGB which entailed redesigning the floorpan and redeveloping the engine, but the result was a car that was universally poorly received, thanks to its nose-heavy design. Offered in roadster and GT forms, production lasted just two years with 4542 examples made.

MGB GT V8 (1973)

Mini racer Ken Costello built his first V8-powered MGB, using the ex-Buick Rover 3.5-litre V8. The car went down a storm so he asked British Leyland for a steady supply of engines – and that proved to be his undoing. BL realised there was an opportunity so it put the MGB V8 into proudction in tin-top GT form only – just as the oil crisis hit. Production limped on to 1976 but just 2591 examples were made – with Costello continuing production alongside, having found an alternative source of engine supply.

MGB rubber-bumper (1974)

For many this is when things started to really go downhill for MG; the introduction of rubber bumpers and a raised ride height for its big-selling B. It was all to comply with US safety laws, but the changes damaged the B's handling as well as its looks, although these later cars are more comfortable as well as more refined.

MG Midget 1500 (1974)

As with the MGB, the Midget had to be adapted to comply with Federal safety laws, and it was these that led to the final incarnation of the Midget in 1974, the 1500. Gone was the A-Series engine, replaced by Triumph’s 1493cc unit. The gearbox was improved too, along with crash safety, but the latter was also the reason for the ugly (and heavy) rubber bumpers, along with the raised ride height. It was this higher centre of gravity that spoiled the handling of the Midget, but the car continued to sell on account of its badge, price and the fun on offer. Production lasted until 1979.

The final MGB (1980)

In 1980 British Leyland made the decision to close MG down; the last MGB  was built on 22 October of that year, with the final run of 1000 cars all being special edition LE models. Buyers could choose between bronze paint with gold stripes and silver paint with grey stripes. Each LE came with a black plastic chin spoiler with roadsters getting orange and brown striped trim while the GT was fitted with grey upholstery.

MG Metro (1982)

When MG's Abingdon factory closed in 1980, many assumed that the marque had breathed its last. But  there was too much equity in the MG brand for it to die and in 1982 the brand was revived, although there was no new car. Instead we got an MG Metro with alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, decals galore and an extra 12bhp was squeezed from the 1275cc A-Series engine. That was enough to take the neat-looking shopping trolley all the way to 100mph.

MG Metro Turbo (1983)

While some viewed the Metro as a cynical abuse of the MG badge, the car proved popular; within six months there was even a Turbo edition. Packing a useful 93bhp, there were wider tyres, stiffer suspension and bigger brakes. Because the Metro was rather liked generally, the fitment of an MG badge wasn’t frowned upon too much – after all, this was a rather good car in standard form and in a seven-year production run a healthy 21,968 examples were made.

MG Maestro (1983)

While the Metro was generally well received, the Maestro wasn’t so well liked, and when MG badges were next put on this larger family hatch it proved more controversial. At first the MG Maestro featured a 1.6-litre engine and just like the Metro there was upgraded interior trim plus beefed-up mechanicals. However, the original 1600 engine was badly developed and the car soon gained a poor reputation – a new 1.6-litre unit did little to boost the car’s standing, so a 2.0-litre powerplant was introduced late in 1985, but this did little to restore faith in the MG marque.

MG Montego (1984)

Next to get the MG treatment was the Montego saloon, which stuck to the tried-and-tested formula of alloy wheels, lots of splashes of red, upgraded suspension plus extra power – and in the case of the Montego Turbo (launched in 1985) there was 33bhp extra. With horrendous turbo lag and lashings of torque steer the car was a handful to drive, and in a six-year production run just 7276 examples were made.

MG Metro 6R4 (1984)

The most extreme extension of the MG Metro brand was the ill-fated Group B 6R4 rally car. With a mid-mounted V6 and four-wheel drive, 200 cars were built with road cars getting 250bhp and competition examples 380bhp. While the bodyshell was essentially borrowed from the Metro, most of the body panels and mechanical components were hand-made. Nowadays the 6R4 is one of the most collectible MGs ever made.

MG Maestro Turbo (1985)

Now the MG Maestro is all but forgotten, although there is one collectable variant – the Turbo. Fettled by Tickford, which fitted a bodykit and decals, this boosted Maestro was fast (it could do 130mph) and genuinely good to drive. Until the MGF arrived several years later, it looked for a while as though this might be the last collectible MG to be made.

MG EX-E (1985)

We got our first taste of what the MGF would look like when the MG EX-E concept was unveiled at the 1985 Frankfurt motor show. While the F would come only as a rag-top, the EX-E was a fixed-head coupé, and sensational it looked too. Power came from a mid-mounted 3.0-litre V6, and with 250bhp on tap it was reckoned the EX-E could top 170mph, but Rover had to focus on its core models rather than low-volume flights of fancy.

RV8 (1992)

Just when we thought we'd seen the last of the MGB, it returned more than a decade after its supposed demise. But it now wore RV8 badges and packed a 3.9-litre V8 instead of an asthmatic 1.8-litre four-pot. However, this wasn't just an MGB with a V8 shoved in the nose, as 95% of the panelwork was new and the archaic suspension was also updated. Production lasted three years, with 1982 RV8s built, most of which went to Japan.

MG F (1995)

When it arrived in 1995, the F was the subject of much critical acclaim, and it’s easy to see why – it was a proper MG right through. Neat design was married to running gear that gave sprightly performance without exorbitant running costs. There was just one engine option at first; a 1.8-litre K-series unit in 120bhp standard or 145bhp VVC (variable valve timing) forms. By 2001 there would be a 1.6-litre edition too, along with a 159bhp option in the Trophy 160.

MG EX253 (1997)

Several times in its past, MG has created streamlined versions of its core products to break records. This formula was revisited in 1997 with the MGF-based EX253, which was essentially a streamlined F bodyshell with a 329bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre engine. That was enough to take EX253 to 217mph at Bonneville.

MG EX255 (1998)

A year after enjoying success with EX253 at Bonneville, MG returned for more. The plan was to beat the record set in 1959 with EX181. That meant a target of over 255mph which is why a supercharged V8 was slotted in where a four-cylinder K-Series unit normally sat. But clutch problems meant EX255 never got to break the record and the car returned to the UK to become a museum exhibit.

MGF Super Sports (1998)

There was never any realistic prospect of the Super Sports going into production, but this flight of fancy unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Salon showed what was possible. The 1.8-litre K-series engine was supercharged to give 197bhp, which was enough to take this streamlined roadster to 140mph. The windscreen was replaced by a fairing, a huge air intake was fitted just behind the cockpit, while a tonneau turned the Super Sports into a single seater. Despite this there were two bucket seats in the cabin, which was trimmed in white leather.

MG ZR (2001)

MG started out by tailoring mass-produced cars to suit a more sporting audience, and more than 70 years later that's how it was once more. This time it was the Rover 25 that got the MG treatment, with bolder styling and retuned suspension for a sportier drive. Buyers could choose between 1.4, 1.6 or 1.8-litre petrol engines, along with a 2.0-litre diesel.

MG ZS (2001)

Introduced alongside the ZR was this bigger family saloon, with a choice of 1.6, 1.8 or 2.5-litre V6 petrol engines, along with a 2.0-litre diesel – there was even an LPG option for those who wanted to slash their fuel bills. Based on the Rover 45, the MG campaigned the ZS in the British Touring Car Championship where it enjoyed some class wins, but little in the way of outright success.

MG ZT (2001)

The third in MG's trio of Rover-based family cars was the front-wheel drive ZT, using the Rover 75 as its basis. Buyers could choose between 1.8, 2.0 or 2.5 V6 petrol engines or a BMW-sourced 2.0-litre diesel, but what everybody wanted of course was the fabulous rear-wheel drive ZT260, with its 4.6-litre quad-cam V8. For those who wanted a real Q car the V8-powered ZT came in estate form as well as in saloon guise.

MG EX257 (2001)

OK, so it was really a Lola rather than an MG, but the EX257 carried MG badges and it spearheaded the company's attempt to boost its standing by entering the 2001 Le Mans 24 Hours. You couldn't accuse MG of lacking ambition, but both cars retired early due to mechanical glitches. The next year the cars failed to finish once more (now in the hands of privateers) and that spelled the end of MG's Le Mans hopes.

MG TF (2002)

Soon after this, in 2002, the F was heavily revised to become the TF. Suspension revisions meant improved dynamics while for the first time ever there was also an automatic option in the form of the Stepspeed CVT. The car stayed in production until MG Rover went bust in 2005.

MG SV (2003)

Talk about fiddling while Rome burned. While MG Rover was in dire straits, struggling to sell its core models, its directors decided to embark on this: a carbon fibre-bodied , V8-powered supercar priced at around £70,000. It made no sense whatsoever but that didn't stop MG introducing the SV in 2003. The SV had started out as the De Tomaso Mangusta before then becoming the Qvale Mangusta, before being restyled and renamed the MG SV. Just 80 or so were made before MG Rover closed down.

MG TF GT (2005)

Unveiled just before MG Rover bit the dust in April 2005, the MG TF GT was a fixed-head TF coupé designed by Peter Stevens. But this was more than just a TF with a coupé roof grafted on, as the four-cylinder engine was ditched in favour of a 2.5-litre KV6 unit. The car was pretty much production-ready when MG Rover went belly up, so the TF GT remained a one-off.

MG TF LE500 (2008)

After MG Rover had gone bust the company's assets were bought by Nanjing Automobile Group (part of SAIC), which decided to put the MG TF back into production in 2008 – more than two decades after the MGF that sired it had been introduced. Initially known as the MG TF LE500 (a TF 135 followed) the car was outdated and overpriced, which is why sales were very hard to come by. Despite this, it's claimed that more than 900 of these later TFs were produced.

MG6 (2010)

When MG returned to mainstream family motoring in 2010, with the MG6, it had become very much a budget brand. While the MG6 handled superbly its key selling point was its value; mediocre styling and low-rent cabin plastics meant few people got as far as driving one, so the MG6 always struggled to sell, and few people noticed it fade away in 2016.

MG Icon concept (2012)

Clearly inspired by the Nissan Juke, the MG Icon was unveiled at the 2012 Beijing motor show and was supposed to preview a production B-segment SUV that would go on sale in China in 2014. It didn't. MG glossed over any resemblance to the Juke and cited instead its own MGB as the inspiration for the chunky supermini-sized SUV, which featured rear-hinged back doors and no B-pillar – as all good concepts are supposed to.

MG3 (2013)

UK buyers couldn't get their hands on an MG3 until 2013, two years after it had gone on sale in China. Even then this was the second-generation MG3, as the original was a revived Rover Streetwise which was sold in China only. Like the MG6, when the MG3 Mk2 arrived it got the thumbs up for its fine handling and top value but once again the styling was awkward and the cabin ambience was disappointing – although a hefty facelift in 2018 addressed these criticisms to a point.

MG Dynamo concept (2014)

Roewe is one of the divisions within SAIC, the group that also owns MG. In 2012 Roewe introduced an electric city car called the E50 (for sale in China), and it was this that provided the basis for the MG Dynamo concept which was unveiled in 2014. The Dynamo was merely a rebadged Roewe E50 and with a range of just 50 miles or so it was never going to be popular…

MG GS (2016)

It made sense for MG to introduce an SUV, especially a competitively priced compact model as that's what's currently hot with buyers. The first SUV to come from MG, the GS has since been joined by two more SUVs (HS and ZS) but sadly there's no sign of anything sporty on the horizon. The GS is likeable enough but it's in a very competitive segment and sadly for the brand it just can't compete. Cecil Kimber would be spinning in his grave…

MG e-Motion concept (2017)

When it was unveiled in 2017, MG was bullish about the e-Motion being a preview of a production car that would be with us in 2020, priced at less than £30,000. Since then all we've seen is one SUV after another, so a swoopy coupé like the e-Motion would be a welcome shot in the arm for this previously sporting brand. Claimed to have a range of over 310 miles while also being capable of 0-62mph in under four seconds, we're not holding our breath on this one.

MG X-Motion concept (2018)

First shown at the 2018 Beijing motor show, the x-Motion concept gave us an early view of the brand's new production SUV for 2019 – the HS, which went on sale in the final quarter of the year. The concept was powered by a 221bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine but that was too racy for the showroom edition, which comes only with a 160bhp turbocharged 1.5-litre powerplant, driving the front wheels.

MG ZS EV (2019)

It's the latest thing from MG and 95 years ago who could have guessed that in 2019 the latest octagon-attired car would be a pure-electric SUV? Based on the ZS that was launched in 2017, the EV (predictably) focuses on affordability.

But it's since improved, and the longest-range editions now promise a 250+ mile range. All of which has led MG to become the fastest-growing car brand in the UK; it sold over 30,000 cars in 2021, up 73% on the year before. Morris and Kimber we think would be pleased.