Coolest MG - Two Seater of the last 20 years

Cool wall with a difference - I will post up a selection of MG's for you to choose from in various categories.

This is the big one. Here are your four MG two seater Sports cars of the last twenty years to choose from. The question is simple - which is the coolest?


First up we have the MG RV8. When Rover wanted to revive the world famous brand of MG they decided to create what was destined to become the ultimate MGB. They decided to update the immensely successful MGB roadster on which production had been stopped since 1980 and the MG RV8 was born.



It was launched in October of 1992 at the Birmingham motor show to go into production on the 31st of March of 1993. The MG RV8 was aimed at the die-hard enthusiast who had anxiously been awaiting the rebirth of the MG trademark logo.


Your next choice is the MGF. The best selling of the four and the best selling in it's class over it's production. When the MGF was launched on the 8th March 1995 to worldwide acclaim, the MGF heralded the return of MG to volume two-seat sports car production, the impact it made on the press and public was significant.



Autocar were impressed with the new car and it showed in their road test verdict of the 1.8i version: “It would have been so easy for Rover to stick an MG badge on the nose of a mediocre car and once more rely on the marque’s image to do the selling. This has not happened. Rover has instead created what is, in all probability, the world’s most complete and affordable open two-seater.

The MGF was created using novel design and a very considerable degree of ingenuity on the part of engineers whom with little or no budget from Rover management. What the car has achieved and its longevity is a testimony to the success of the work of those engineers. The main innovation was the location of the engine behind the seats to create a mid-engined layout. This layout provides the optimum for weight balance and delivers excellent handling, and the MGF certainly has excellent handling.

Next up we have the MGTF. The TF, continuing the trend set by the MGF, was the best selling car in it's class right up until the demise of MG-Rover in April 2005. The renamed MG TF evoked memories of its 1953 forebear, but only the nameplate was common. The new car was totally contemporary – and unlike many facelifts, the results of Peter Stevens’ work were totally successful, stylistically.



Although based upon the MGF, the TF is very considerably different from it. From the high performance twinned projector headlamps in the aerodynamically redesigned front, to a steel spring suspension with precise damping control. Therefore the TF provides a very different experience to the MGF, it is harder edged and more involving, although the 2005 model year cars were softer riding.

The collapse of MG Rover on 8th April 2005 was a major event and had very wide implications. At this time MG Rover were in the final stages of a collaborative deal with Shanghai Automobile Industrial Corporation (SAIC) of China, and shortly prior to the collapse SAIC had bought the rights to most of the MG Rover cars and K series engines. In July 2005 Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) of China bought the bulk of the remaining assets of MG Rover from the Administrators. In May 2007 they held a re-launch of a lightly altered MG TF at the Longbridge factory.

Mechanically all cars used a Chinese manufactured 1796cc N series engine, a development of the original Rover K series engine previously fitted, but now made in China and updated to be EU4 compliant. A single power specification applied with 135ps power and 165Nm torque, which was mated to a PG1 5 speed manual gearbox, essentially identical to the previous MG Rover PG1 gearbox, but again now made in China.


The final choice is the MG SV . The MG SV was the pet project of the MG Rover senior management to create a halo model for the modern MG range. It was a complete departure from all previous model MGs with the only possible comparable model being the 1930’s K3 Magnette.



The cars was a 2 seat closed coupe of considerable performance and technological content, developed from the Qvale Mangusta, which in turn was developed from the De Tomaso Bigua. Fifty SV SV-R were produced and cost between £65,000 and £85,000.


This is the big one so take a second look at all four before you decide, but don't forget to vote

To see all the Cool Wall cars click on this link :yesnod:

At the top of the Cool Wall section you will find the Coolest MG threads set out out in vehicles types. Take a look at them all and cast your vote. :yesnod:

Decisions decisions!

Nice one spotting the 50k post too Paul. :broon:

Has to be the F. Its the one I own!

This is such a difficult one to make a decision on!

I hadn't known much about the MGB V8 until I saw a yellow one at Arundel Castle on 1st Apri and Dad filled me in. I thought I had a pic, but apparently not

Always been a fan of the MGB - my Dad had one when I was born and I remember riding in the back seat Don't think I'd fit anymore! Although I am apparently a children's size 9 as far as Goodwood t-shirt sizes go! Dad was going to buy me an orange one 2 1/2 years ago - even took it for a test drive, but decided I needed a 4/5 seater to ferry friends around and make a few bob here and there, so went with Nissan 100NX. Silly choice. Here is a pic of me cleaning it, or at least pretending to



MGF/TF I can't really compare, aside from the fact the TF solved a lot of problems the F had, and that both my Dad and I have Fs . I have to say I prefer the lights and rear bumper of the F - they are kinder on the eye, but I'm a girl.

I hadn't thought much of the SV until stumbling across it researching for the quiz. And boy, what a car!! As far as looks go, it should really be a 4-seater, but its built for racing and with 320 bhp basic, 385 on the SV-S and 520 bph on the WR model... :omg:

I think trying to made a choice between the V8, F/TF and SV is almost impossible!

tui wrote: I hadn't known much about the MGB V8 until I saw a yellow one at Arundel Castle on 1st Apri and Dad filled me in. I thought I had a pic, but apparently not

[img]http://www.kewengineering.co.uk/upgrades4mgs/Body/images/rv8 roadster.jpg[/img]

I think the yellow one is actually a replica RV8 as yellow was not a choice of colour at the time when new. There's been a few replica MGB GT that are also very nice. http://www.kewengineering.co.uk/upgrades4mgs/Body/rv8_replicas.html

It has to be a ragtop for me to be a 'proper' MG - therefore I had to, reluctantly, discount the superb looking SV.

Don't want to be boring and vote for what I own so I am going for the RV8 - I saw one at Stoneleigh last year and it looked the mutt's nuts :yesnod:

MartinW wrote:

tui wrote: I hadn't known much about the MGB V8 until I saw a yellow one at Arundel Castle on 1st Apri and Dad filled me in. I thought I had a pic, but apparently not

[img]http://www.kewengineering.co.uk/upgrades4mgs/Body/images/rv8 roadster.jpg[/img]

I think the yellow one is actually a replica RV8 as yellow was not a choice of colour at the time when new. There's been a few replica MGB GT that are also very nice. http://www.kewengineering.co.uk/upgrades4mgs/Body/rv8_replicas.html

I think you're right, yes.

tui wrote: .. I think trying to made a choice between the V8, F/TF and SV is almost impossible!

My thinking went like this;

MG RV8 was good and helped the MGF see the light of day, but the original MGB is cooler in my book

MGF gets my vote simply because it is so much fun to drive and blends old style MG curves with a modern twist so well.

MGTF is a better drive, has better headlights (functionally speaking) than the MGF, however the styling is too modern. It just doesn't quite hit the spot and will not age as gracefully as the F.

MG SV is one heck of a car but can it really be cool when it looks like somebody has fitted a boy racer, after market, over the top body kit to it, complete with massive gills and Fiat Punto lights? It is an enthusiast car and if you have to explain the technical details behind why it's cool, it isn't cool.

To see all the Cool Wall cars click on this link :yesnod:

At the top of the Cool Wall section you will find the Coolest MG threads set out out in vehicles types. Take a look at them all and cast your vote. :yesnod:

oh dear i have owned the f and tf both nice cars to look at and drive , i still stop and glance at them when i see one. but the coolest to look at would be the sv

PQD44 wrote:

tui wrote: .. I think trying to made a choice between the V8, F/TF and SV is almost impossible!

My thinking went like this

Great minds think alike :yesnod: I came to the same conclusion with pretty much the same reasoning!

I love the look of the rv8 and the sv but i have never seen them in the flesh(or metal) so i have to decide between the F or the TF. I think i made that decision last year when i spent my money on a TF. I would love to have space for more cars. I saw two mgb's yesterday, a gt and a roadster and i would love to own one.

PQD44 wrote:

tui wrote: .. I think trying to made a choice between the V8, F/TF and SV is almost impossible!

My thinking went like this;

MG SV is one heck of a car but can it really be cool when it looks like somebody has fitted a boy racer, after market, over the top body kit to it, complete with massive gills and Fiat Punto lights? It is an enthusiast car and if you have to explain the technical details behind why it's cool, it isn't cool.

:

The fact that the great automotivley unwashed dont know its a carbon fibre monocoque V8 supercar for me doesnt affect how cool it is. Its true it has looks that only its mother could love, but it does have to muscle a lot of air aside when it is opened up. A local club member has one in gleaming black . I wonder if Darth Vader knows where his car is. The guy who has the SV also has a nice TF, it was at POL as one of the show cars. Of the two you see the TF out and about more often