VotW – Recap of MG2016 in Louisville, KY

August 31, 2016 Michael Carnell 2

Our video this week is a features the sights and sounds of MG2016, the all-MG national meet held in June, 2016. The Ohio River in Louisville made a great backdrop for the 700 plus MGs on the show field. Get a short taste of the happenings. From the official “closing document” from Rick Ingram, Executive Director – North American Council of MG Registers: There were 829 registrations for this gathering. “On The Field” were 715 vehicles comprised of 2.66% ”pre-war” cars, 13.15% T-series cars, 22.52% MGAs or variants, and 56.78% MGBs/Cs/Midgets/1100s-1300s/or “Post-Abingdon” MGs. Additionally, 4.9% registered as “Other British” or enthusiasts participating without their MG. About 700 folks enjoyed our “Churchill Downs Experience” on Monday evening, and another 325 folks had the same experience on Wednesday evening. … Two hundred twenty enthusiasts visited the Corvette factory and museum over Tuesday and Wednesday on event-sponsored tours. About the same […]

UK Family Breaks MG Purchasing Record

August 18, 2016 Staff Comments Off

Many respected media outlets including the New York Times recently published articles about 2016 new cars being too expensive for the average family. One Welsh family demonstrated that it’s still possible to find a great deal on a new car. And when you do, you should grab it when you can. And, that’s what they did. Four times! The story begins with a young woman’s quest for a new car. While shopping for a car with her parents, they happened to hear a radio advert for MG Motors at Nathaniel Car Sales Ltd in South Wales. Intrigued by the advert, the family headed over to the source.

Photo of Mark receiving the Parish award from Chris Meyers (head of MGVR)

Mark Brandow Awarded Bill Parish Master of Speed Deception Award

August 18, 2016 Staff Comments Off

This just in from Greg Prehodka MG Vintage Racers. I just wanted to let you know that annual awarding of the MG Vintage Racers’ “Bill Parish Master of Speed Deception Award” that Ford Heacock of Heacock Classic Car Insurance established with MGVR years ago in Bill’s memory, continues! There have been so many deserving recipients of this award over the years! At the MGVR “Focus Event” at Waterford Hills, Michigan the end of July, MG racer Mark Brandow was awarded it as the MG racer “Having the most fun!” Mark’s MG vintage racing goes back to the 70’s, and he was a founding member of MGVR in 1981. He races both an MGTC and an MGA, and lives in Minnesota . Mark always has a smile on his face, helps other MG racers, and has great MG spirit! I’m sure if […]

MG’s Investment in the Future

August 17, 2016 Staff Comments Off

New state-of-the-art test facilities have been installed at MG Motor UK’s Longbridge site demonstrating investment in technology, and commitment to the future and the quality of its products. £1.2 million has been invested to install a fifth engine test facility and to further enhance the vehicle rolling road on-site at MG HQ in Longbridge. The state-of-the-art engine test facility has significant improvements on the existing test resource and brings with it a major step change for MG Motor’s test and development capability.

Current MG Line Highlighted for Great Value

August 12, 2016 Staff Comments Off

MG cars have won further positive accolades from two of Britain’s leading car magazines. Both Autocar and Auto Express have showered praise on the value-for-money of MG cars, with the MG3 being singled out as a “24-carat bargain” across the entire new car market. In an Autocar special investigation to find the best value cars in Britain, the highly-respected motoring guru Andrew Frankel, wrote: “Just one of our selected candidates charges less than £100 for a single horsepower, that car being the astonishingly cheap MG3, the best bang-for-buck value car not just in this class, but also across them all.”

John Twist’s MGB-GT For Sale

August 11, 2016 Staff Comments Off

John Twist has decided to sell the 1973 MGB-GT that he built and recently restored for his late wife Caroline. This is a rare opportunity to have John Twist sign the title to your new car. John has hired GR Autogallery to handle the sale, and is not taking questions as he’s bad at selling cars! He’s really good at fixing them though! John Twist of University Motors located in Grand Rapids, MI is a name that has been associated with unprecedented MG service for years. John and his staff have been exclusively specializing, servicing and restoring MG Automobiles for decades earning him international recognition in all MG circles. People that know John also know that he has a wealth of knowledge and is happy to share it.

Coral Taylor Biing an MG3 while on holiday

Buying an MG as a Holiday Souvenir

August 11, 2016 Staff Comments Off

Most people just bring a stick of rock back from their holiday. But tourists visiting Devon are taking larger souvenirs home – MG cars! Blights MG in Bideford, north Devon, is developing a thriving business in selling the latest MG cars to visitors to the holiday resort who to find the dealership by chance. General Manager, Dave Chumbley, said: “It’s amazing really, we’ve had three sales in the past week alone and all of the customers live miles away from us.” The latest holiday customer was Coral Taylor from Thatcham – 170 miles away from Bideford. She bought one of MG’s top-selling MG3 superminis. Coral said: “I was in Bideford for a long weekend and fancied a test drive, which Dave kindly arranged for me on the Saturday afternoon.

Ex-Colin McRae MG Metro 6R4 on eBay

August 4, 2016 Staff Comments Off

How about an eBay auction for a truly legendary piece of British auto racing history? Yes, the actual MG Metro 6R4 once owned by none other than the late, great Colin McRae is up for an offer of a mere £350,000 – about $460,000 as of today’s exchange rate. This car has been part of a doctor’s private collection for many years. It has the original V5 document verifying Colin Steele McRae as a previous owner. For your winning money, you can have one of Group B’s most boxy – and crazy – icons. 6 stands for the number of cylinders, R for rear-engined and 4 for four-wheel drive. All you need to know is it’s probably the hottest of hot hatches. Inferno levels of hot, actually. This one is in full rally trim, so has over 400bhp. The Metro is rare in being […]

MG Motor’s UK Design Team Expands

July 21, 2016 Staff 2

A growing company with a growing product line-up calls for more designers to play their part in developing new models. MG Motor UK’s design centre, based at Longbridge, Birmingham, has expanded and is continuing to expand its design team who play a key role in the MG models on the road of today and the future. Director of Design, Anthony Williams-Kenny, is now back in the UK after being based in Shanghai for three years. Anthony will be focusing on MG Motor in the UK, as well as on a global level.

MG Metro Turbos Return to Silverstone

July 20, 2016 Staff Comments Off

For the first time in more than 30 years, three giant-killing MG Metro Turbos will take to the track at the Silverstone Classic later this month (29-31 July). Adding to the sense of history, the evocative, three-pronged attack is being masterminded by touring car hero Patrick Watts, who himself will race one of the trio of pocket rockets in the Historic Touring Car Challenge at the Classic on Tin Top Sunday. The ever-effervescent Watts, now 59, has a special relationship with these cars having been an integral part of the ARG (Austin Rover Group) factory team back in the early eighties. Such is his indefatigable passion that he has spent the past few years tracking down and restoring three of the five esteemed racers originally built in period.

VotW – My Good Old MG Song

July 13, 2016 Michael Carnell 4

Our video this week is something I don’t think we have ever had here before, a song. Yes, a music video. Kind of, well, I guess it really is. Anyway, here is Mark Evenchick performing his song “I Wish I’d Never Sold My Good Old MG” at the Le Michele Ange Coffee Cafe, Ottawa, at the Spirit of Rasputin’s “The Next Stage” in May, 2012. This comes from Youtube by way of Kate Morgan of ConstantSoundStudio.com. So, does anyone know of any songs for Jaguars, Triumphs, Healeys or perhaps even TVRs?

MG Motor Celebrates Record Half-Year Sales

July 6, 2016 Staff Comments Off

MG Motor UK’s first ever SUV, the MG GS, has given a boost to record sales for the UK brand. Official half-year figures, released today from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT) show that MG Motor has had its best start to a year. Year-to-date figures show it has exceeded last year’s figures with 1,896 units; a 13.53% increase. June alone has pushed the brand up 43.59%, with 336 units. MG’s new SUV, the MG GS, is blazing the way with more than 70 registrations already; only a little less than two weeks since it officially went on sale. Regional test drives have been taking place across the country, which has paved the way to more sales and fantastic feedback on the new model. Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “This year has […]

MG GS UK Nationwide Tour

June 30, 2016 Staff Comments Off

G Motor UK is bringing the new MG GS to people nationwide as part of its regional test drive tour. The MG GS is over halfway through its tour of the country, where the MG team has been taking it to the public, in various locations, to give them the opportunity to have a drive and find out more about the newest addition. So far the MG GS has been to Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Huntingdon and Maidstone. The MG team has had great feedback with many drivers expressing interest in purchasing then and there. Seven sales quotes were prepared at Huntingdon for customers who were bowled over by the MG GS. Having test driven the MG GS Exclusive DCT, Mr Webb said: “Simply, I could not in any way consider a repeat purchase of my existing model, not because I […]

What’s In A Name for MG GS?

June 23, 2016 Staff Comments Off

This time last week, MG Motor’s new SUV, the MG GS, went on sale. Since then almost 40 have been registered, orders have been taken, deposits are being made and handovers are just around the corner. Customers looking to bag themselves this fantastic new model may not know that MG invited the public to be part of the creative process earlier this year.

Old Cars, Young Souls – A Mitty Story

June 22, 2016 Emilee Coomes 1

I met Ian Crawford and Emilee Coomes in Louisville, KY last week. What great folk! While talking with Ian he mentioned that Emilee had written a story about their road trip to The Mitty a few years ago. I am honored to publish her story her. Oh, and thanks for the beer. 😉

VotW – Magic Carpet – MG 1100

June 11, 2016 Michael Carnell Comments Off

Our Video of the Week (VotW) this go round comes by way of the British Motor Corporation of 1962. It is entitled “Magic Carpet” and is a nice period marketing piece for the MG 1100. The BMC family of 1100 and 1300 sedans were the big brothers to the Mini. Designated AD016, they were badge engineered as Austin, MG, Riley, and Morris to name a few. They were enjoyable little people movers and were the top selling, or one of the top selling cars, in Britain for many years. Although they never reached that same level of popularity here in the US, there did used to be quite a number of them around. Long ago I had a website devoted to the MG 1100, and although I haven’t updated it in a long time you can still find it at http://justbritish.com/mg1100. […]

MG3 comes to the rescue on new children’s digital channel

MG3 Comes To Rescue on Dr Molly Children’s Show

June 2, 2016 Staff Comments Off

The super-fun MG3 has taken on a new role; it is now the ‘Mollymobile’, transporter of Dr Molly and Stripes to tend to children’s broken toys! Today, E-Bop.tv, a new children’s digital channel, has launched. MG Motor is pleased to announce a collaboration with E-Bop.tv and be part of their Dr Molly series. Dr Molly specialises in fixing broken toys so, when a call comes through to Dr Molly HQ from a child in need, she calls upon her ‘Mollymobile’ MG3 to get her there as quickly as possible. Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “We are really pleased to be working with E-Bop.tv and to be involved in one of their new programmes. It’s fantastic to know that Dr Molly will be heading out to visit her patients in an MG3 as it reflects the […]

VotW – The Skyline Soiree with the New England MG T Register

May 25, 2016 Michael Carnell Comments Off

Our Video of the Week (VotW) this time go round comes from Steve Wincze of the Connecticut MG Club and the upcoming British by the Sea car show. You may also remember Steve as the winner of last month’s puzzle contest. The video in question is of the Skyline Soiree from 1993. This event was put on by the New England MG T Register. The Skyline Soiree was A scenic road trip through the mountains of the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway in mostly open 2-seater MGs. What we have here is 12 minutes of highlights from a 60 minute DVD. One of four great MG Road Trips sponsored by the New England MG-T Register. On this drive, and in this video, you get to experience the mountain vistas and natural beauty of two national parks and 574 miles […]

The British Motor Heritage BMH stand at last year’s MGLIVE!

British Motor Heritage (BMH) Presence at MGLIVE! 2016

May 9, 2016 Staff Comments Off

British Motor Heritage (BMH) has been a strong supporter of MGLIVE! and this year’s meeting at Silverstone on June 4/5 will mark its most comprehensive presence at ‘the world’s largest MG event’ to date. The company’s stand will feature a range of vehicles built from BMH replacement body shells and a large sample of other parts for classic MGs. Complementing this quality hardware will be a major selection of motoring products available via the company’s ever-growing online brand, Motoring Classics. They will include: MG-branded leather cases, travel bags, driving gloves and key rings MG-branded leisurewear by Auto Club Racing Moto-Lita steering wheels EBC brakes Tex original equipment wash/wipe and mirror products Other items by such respected brands as: Samco Revotec Zircotec Visitors to the stand are assured of a warm welcome, where BMH’s comprehensive and illustrated 2016 parts catalogue, the […]

MG GS Unveiled at London Motor Show

May 5, 2016 Staff Comments Off

MG Motor UK has unveiled its all-new SUV, the MG GS, at the London Motor Show today and announced an automatic DCT gearbox will be available. At an exclusive preview event at the Battersea Park show, MG has proudly pulled back the cover on the GS to reveal the striking new addition to the UK model range. MG was also pleased to announce that the GS will come with the British manufacturer’s first automatic transmission. The SUV’s top specification model will be available with the option of a DCT gearbox; which will be more responsive and provide customers with a much smoother ride. The GS will also come with an agile 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and will be available in three different trim levels.