| MG At 1.5 Million | ||
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by Robert Lewis (17 Apr 02)
Now it has gone beyond the one and half million mark in recognised production models, since it started in business at a slightly disputed date in the early-ish 1920s. CARkeys was quite enthusiastic about the ZS 180 tested recently, although it may seem odd that MG has more saloon, hatchback and estate models in its catalogue than sports cars, of which the TF, having superseded the MGF, is the only current example. But the company's production statistics over nearly 80 years show that, among those million and a half vehicles, sports cars and coupés out-number saloons by only two to one. The all-time best seller is the MGB (together with its GT derivative) on 513,276 between 1962 and 1980. Number two in production terms is the Midget sold from 1961 to 1979 (the last model, oh dear, with a Triumph Spitfire engine) which managed 224,843. Number three is the 1100/1300 as sold between 1962 and 1971, of which 157,409 were built. Although the final versions were Americanised almost out of existence, it's worth noting that more than half the MGs ever built were of the MGB and MGB GT persuasion. The current models, naturally, haven't yet reached anything like those figures. The ZR is on 14,195, the ZS on 8392, the ZT on 5760 and the recently launched TF on 4027. Of course, the MGF which it replaced sold a healthy 77,269 from its introduction in 1995. Some To Forget There are one or two models in the extensive list that MG enthusiasts probably don't particularly want to recall. The Maestro Turbo, for instance, reached a production figure of only 504 from 1989 to 1991. And there are purists who sneer at the RV8 built between 1992 and 1995. But it just happened to be a fairly early example of "retro", and the Japanese loved it, enough for the production total to reach 1983.
Even disregarding the record cars which, being one-offs, aren't included in the list, there are some splendid racing machines from the 1930s. They include ten R-types, 88 Q-type Midgets and 31 examples of the magnificent K3 Magnette, one of which Tazio Nuvolari drove to win the 1933 Tourist Trophy, at an average speed which wasn't beaten till 1951. Admittedly, it was a handicap event, but it took Stirling Moss in an XK120 Jaguar to beat Nuvolari's winning 78.65mph average, and at Dundrod rather than Ards. And, going right back, what about the very first MG? This is a minefield for the uninitiated. The MG registered FC 9000, often referred to as "Old Number One", with which Cecil Kimber qualified for a gold medal in the 1925 Land's End Trial, was . . . but read Wilson McComb's magisterial book MG, published by Osprey, for a complete demolition of the "number one" business. The book begins with a splendid quotation from Tolstoy: "History would be an excellent thing if only it were true." |
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