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An MGA sports car has the classic look of the period, smooth flowing lines, plenty of bright chrome plating and a simple but functional cockpit layout.  Nearly fifty years on the car still looks “right”, so how did the design come about?

The MG Car Company had its factory in the town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, England where, in 1951, Chief Designer Syd Enever built a streamlined body as a “one off” for an MG model TD entered in the Le Mans 24 hour race.  To this concept, a new chassis was designed as the basis for a production sports car aimed at the North American market.

During 1952, internal politics at the British Motor Corporation led to the initial rejection of the project, known as EX 175.  However by 1953 the falling sales of the TF model were the trigger that gave the go ahead to build the car which was to be called the “MGA”.

Three prototypes cars, the EX182, ran in the 1955 Le Mans 24 hour race. Followed in September by the press launch of the MGA model with its 1500cc engine, the new BMC “B” series.  Over the next  seven years more than 100,000 MGAs were sold, variants include the coupe, Twin Cam and De luxe models. 

Want to find out more about the MGA?  Read here or download the full history as pdf-file.