I noticed the thread asking about what these cars were - and whether
there were any pictures. The story of course is not simple; the MGD
could have been Abingdon's own Midget in the late 'fifties, had the
Sprite not happened; the MGE could have been a four-seater MGA (the twin
cam was going to be the MGB, and the MGC was going to be a big
six-cylinder coupe).
Later, after the real MGB and MGC came out, there was a project to
replace both the midget and the MGB - this was EX234, but it never got a
model name. Later, there was ADO21 - a mid-engined car originally
intended as a new Midget (it only became a sort of MGB replacement as it
developed - this no doubt sealing its death warrant). In sketches, this
car was indeed shown as an `MGD' but everyone involved with it -
stylist, engineers etc. - only really knew it as ADO21.
Then in 1980, the cardinal sin of an MG TR7 reared its ugly head as the
so-called `MG Boxer' project. Some of the styling models wore `MGD'
badges; this was BL's response to the public outcry about the end of the
MGB, their reasoning being that MG owners would buy a TR7 with an MG
badge sellotaped on the nose. Strangely enough, the project died....
In 1985, we saw the `EX-E' concept car, which Austin Rover (as it then
was) produced to stun the world and silence the critics (who naturally
criticised the company for showing us such an incredible car but not
building any runners). At the time, the company said that MGD had
`aleady been used for an abandoned prototype'. This was PR hogwash I am
afraid; as I've already said, the MGD badge was only loosely applied to
various prototypes, and so saying that it had been used by a car which
was never produced is nonsense. EX-E runs together nicely and makes neat
graphics so it was used. So much for history and heritage.
Next up came the MGF - the name starting off as F-16 (16 valves were
still a novelty in 1986) with obvious fighter aircraft connotations.
Latest is the EX-F - the name ascribed to the record car which went to
Bonneville last month. As to the future - who knows (but MGG surely
sounds too odd)?
Where can you read more, and see photos? Why - in my new book of course!
MG The Untold Story is due to be available this month at $39.95 from
Motorbooks International or, if you can't wait or are not in the US
anyaway, try Bookspeed who have the UK edition (standard at =A339.95 and
deluxe at =A3100):
bookspeed@bookspeed.win-uk.net
As they are not far from where I live, I might even be persuaded to sign
a copy for you!
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