MG Motors is an iconic car manufacturer, and today we’ll explore its evolution from the 1920s to the 80s. From how the company started to the ups and downs along the way, we’ll explain how MG has stood the test of time and the moments that have shaped its legacy.
Let’s kick things off with the origin of MG Motors.
The 1920s and The Birth of MG Motors
The MG story starts with Cecil Kimber, who after owning several vehicle companies, was appointed the sales manager of Morris Garages in 1921. He was then appointed general manager in 1922 after the untimely death of his predecessor, William Morris.
With a creative flair and a love of sleek, attractive lines, Kimber wanted to manufacture vehicles with special bodywork at Morris Garages. The goal was to attract more sales, identifying what he saw as a gap in the market.
So, he created the first MG, (named after Morris Garages) which comprised a Morris Cowley chassis, an open two-seat body, and sports lines on the exterior. He then commissioned Coventry’s “Carbodies” to manufacture two and four-seat options using the same chassis. These vehicles were sold as MGs and had the now-famous octagon logo adorning them.
The first of these models, a four-seater with a Morris Oxford 14hp engine and semi-polished body panels, went for a whopping £395 at the time, which started a trend of custom-built vehicles designed by Kimber.
Following the success of the custom cars, mass-produced options like the MG M-Type Midget and MG Magna were built and MG found itself in a state of growth which would continue in the 1930s.
The 1930s and The Golden Age of MG
The 1930s represented a peak in MG's history, with the company dominating motorsport events like the Mille Miglia and Ulster T.T. The period also saw the MG EX120, or the “Magic Midget”, becoming extremely popular with race car drivers, as it set the land speed record for the first 750cc car to exceed 100mph.
Alongside race success, MG road vehicles were growing in popularity with consumers in a decade that would define MG as one of the leading vehicle manufacturers in Great Britain. However, British industry ground to a halt to aid the war effort in the late 30s, and MG sports car production stopped until the Nazis were defeated in 1945.
MG’s Post-War Revival
Following the challenges of World War II, MG manufactured new models like the MGTC, MGTD, and MGA, just as thousands of Americans headed to the UK following the war.
Many of these ex-servicemen fell in love with MG sports cars and took them back to the U.S., making North America MG’s most important foreign market. The MGA is perhaps the most substantial example of America’s love affair with MG, and 95,000 of the 100,000 produced were exported from the UK to the U.S. in the 50s.
As well as commercial success with everyday motorists, speed lovers were exploring MG’s exhilarating capabilities in the 50s and the EX181, based on the MGA, broke multiple records over the pond.
The first of these record-breaking efforts came in 1957 when the 1498cc MGA developed 290bhp and hit over 245mph with Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel. Phil Hill eclipsed Moss’s effort in 1959, hitting just shy of 255mph with the “MG Streamliner” – the fastest MG ever.
MG Enters the Swinging Sixties
1961 saw MG’s global reputation skyrocket when the MGA was featured in the film Blue Hawaii alongside superstar Elvis Presley. What’s more, Elvis loved the car so much that he bought one of his own, keeping it at the world-famous Graceland and driving it regularly.
This led to a further surge in popularity for MG with sports stars, Hollywood actors, and even royalty buying their cars. Famous MG owners of the time included the likes of King Charles, James Dean, George Best, and more.
Following their rampant success, the MGB Roadster was later introduced in 1962 and is classed as one of the first modern vehicles. Using monocoque construction rather than a separate chassis, the MGB Roadster was hugely popular in the U.S.A. and remained a prevalent vehicle for almost two decades.
MG’s 1970s Boom and Beyond
The end of the 60s marked the amalgamation of MG Motors with Austin, Morris, Triumph, Jaguar, and Land Rover, into the nationalised British Leyland company. This saw the acceleration of MG production with the one-millionth MGB assembled in 1975, and the MG Midget hit over 220,000 sales until 1979 when it was discontinued.
However, while the 70s is widely regarded as one of the most successful years of MG’s history, the 80s was a much bumpier ride, which we’ll discuss in part two…