MG cars
MG is a British marque that traditionally has produced sports cars. MG stands for Morris Garages because early MGs were based on Morris mechanicals. Almost all "pure" MG's are two-seat open sports cars, but the brand has also been used to designate sportier versions of other models belonging to the same parent company.
History
From creation in 1929 until 1980 the MG factory was in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. As part of Morris, (itself part of the Nuffield Organisation), MG was effectively absorbed into the British Motor Corporation in 1952, and latterly British Leyland in 1968. The factory was closed as part of the ruthless programme of cutbacks necessary to turn BL around after the turbulent times of the 1970s.
MG is now part of the MG Rover Group based in Longbridge, Birmingham.
There were various pre-war models built, not all of them sports cars. MG built a name for itself in the early days of the sport of international automobile racing. After World War II, MG produced a line of cars known as the T-Series which were exported worldwide achieving better-than-expected success. MG departed from its earlier line of saloons and pre-war designs and released the MGA in 1955. The MGB was released in 1962 to satisfy demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car. With continuous updates, the MGB was produced until 1980. Between 1967 and 1969 a short-lived model called the MGC was released. MG also began producing the MG Midget in 1961. The Midget was a re-badged and redesigned Austin-Healey Sprite. As with MGB's, the Midget design was frequently modified until it was finally dropped in 1979.
The marque lived on after 1980 as British Leyland (later Austin Rover Group), the then owner, placed the MG badge on a number of Austin saloons. In the late 80's, ARG was renamed as the Rover Group and revived the two-seater with the MG RV8, then in 1995 introduced the all new MGF.
As of 2003, the site of the former Abingdon factory was host to McDonalds and the Thames Valley Police Force.
Models
Previous
- Midget ( - )
- MGR_V8 (-1995)
- Roadster ( - )
- TD ( - )
Current