MG Sports Car Books - History and Models

The Complete Book of Classic MG Cars

First produced in Oxford, England, in 1924, MG cars proved instantly appealing, with a cheeky spirit that would win the hearts of millions around the globe, not least of all in the United States. This was due in no small part to the fact that the price was as attractive as the styling and the performance. Inexpensive and fun became quintessential MG traits.

In this installment of Motorbooks' Complete Book series, author Ross Alkureishi offers a chronological model-by-model marque history. Narratives discuss design, production, and technology, while specification tables highlight key technical and performance data. Hundreds of photos illustrate the vehicles and even include detail shots of engine bays and interiors.

Originally formed as a side business, MG became one of the world's most recognized car brands. From prewar saloons to fast and affordable two-seat sports cars in the pre- and postwar periods, MG has exuded fun, thanks to models like the Midgets and Magnettes, the traditionally styled T-Types, and the vehicles that would become the marque's most recognizable: the MGA, MGB, and MGC.

MG would undergo several ownership changes throughout the years, and Alkureishi expertly shows how different ownership groups affected MG cars, good or bad. Along the way, the company competed on racetracks around the world, and Alkureishi describes the most successful of these exploits in complementary sidebars.

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The MG Story 1923-1980

The first MGs were a small number of cars sold with special bodywork by Morris Garages, but by the 1930s the MG had come to be recognised as the archetypical sporting car. The rapid development of the marque, and the cars' domination in their class of competition entry lists, is down to the energy, enthusiasm and skills of a small number of key personalities.
Here, as well as in-depth studies of all models produced, there are biographies of those most involved with MG development, record breaking and motor sport.
This book sets out to recount, in the form of a series of articles, the story of the marque from 1923 until the Abingdon factory closed in 1980. At that time this small market town housed what was probably the world's largest producer of sports cars.

Many of the competition efforts by both factory-supported entries and private owners are covered in detail and help show why MGs became so well known. To illustrate the text there are both black-and-white archive photographs from the author's collection and a great many modern colour pictures of restored cars. Period advertising material has also been included.
The wide range of topics covered gives the reader a real insight into the evolution of the company and its cars, and into the unique character of MGs that is the reason why they remain so popular.

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MG (1929-1939) - Brooklands Portfolio

Brooklands Portfolio book about the MG models from the years 1929-1939. Describes the MG 18/80, M, C, P (various models), J (various models), F, L, K tourer and racer, N, SVW and T-Types.

• The 89 articles, taken from contemporary British and American car magazines, provide much information about history, model changes and technology.
• Also driving impressions, tests, comparison tests, technical specifications, etc.

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More information on the Brooklands Portfolio books

MG Saloons & Coupes 1925-1980 Photo Archive

MG's are usually thought of as open two seaters; yet from the beginning in 1925, Cecil Kimber sought to provide cars that captured the essence of the M.G.'s sports cars for all segments of the motoring public. To that end he produced sedans and coupes that combined brisk performance with outstanding handling.
In the mid-1930s the SA, VA, and WA were presented to the public not only as sports cars but also as elegant modes of transportation, and that's when Cecil coined the ''Grace, Space, and Pace'' slogan much before Jaguar used it.

Beginning with ''Old Number One'', factory publicity photos, drawings, great advertisements and other contemporary photos feature these cars.

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MG

Britain's most popular sporting marque, MG is one of only a handful of British motoring names to have survived into the twenty-first century. From the quintessential open two-seater MG Midget, through the booming post-war years and the emergence of MG as a provider of sports cars for the world, Jonathan Wood provides an in-depth analysis of the rise and fall of a motoring legend.

Examining the various models in detail, the author covers the financial and corporate traumas which afflicted the company, its brief resurgence in 1995 with the release of the MGF, and the final sad chapter which saw a British icon sold off to foreign investors. This is an informative and at times touching glimpse into the history of one of the world's most recognisable sports cars.

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MG's Abingdon Factory

A pictorial study of men and women drawn from all parts of the country to this little known rural town to take part in the building of a motor car. These workers were a mixture of skilled people from the depressed areas of England and Wales together with the few MG car workers who made the journey with the MG from Oxford to Abingdon with its largely farming community.

This mixture coalesced to become a workforce that built a legend - The MG. With 160 photos of factory life both car building and during the war effort this is a fascinating story.

Features:
- Includes many photos taken by employees and kept in private collections
- Reveals the many facets of everyday factory life
- Illustrates the willingness of the employees to adapt to change
- The little known work carried out during the war
- Illustrates the way that the factory governed the mens' working and leisure lives
- Captions reveal an intimate knowledge of the pictures' subjects
- An important record of MG history
- Reveals MGs initiative in designing testing facilties to conform to EU & USA regulations
- Tells stories of the generations of families working together in the factory
- Will prove to many people that Abingdon could have still been in the forefront of sport car manufacture.

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MG, Made in Abingdon : Echoes from the shopfloor

MG was a home-grown concept that became an international success, bringing the small market town of Abingdon onto the global map. This book recounts the inside story of the famous factory, recognising that the most important aspect of MG's success was its team - the tea-boys and girls, the shop floor workers, the engineers and racers, the apprentices and management.

From memories of the production line to recollections of racing incidents, the untold story of MG from the men and women who worked in the Abingdon factory is revealed for the first time in a book that is both nostalgic and historically important.

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Mr MG - A Biography of John William Yates Thornley OBE (1909-1994)

A biography of MG director John William Yates Thornley, written by his son Peter J. H. Thornley.

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Kim: A Biography of M.G. Founder Cecil Kimber

NEW

M.G., the world's most-loved make of sports car, was created in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber - invariably known as Kim. Rising above disability, with his energy, enthusiasm and vision Kimber became a leading figure in the British motor industry.
Initially placing sporty bodies on Morris chassis, within a few years he had built M.G. into the leading European manufacturer of sports cars, with an impressive record of competition successes.

He survived industrial upheaval only to fall victim to the venomous internal politics of M.G.'s parent company. Sacked from his high-profile job, he was preparing to bounce back when he lost his life in a needless accident.
Respected businessman, wayward husband, fallible parent - Cecil Kimber was a man of surprising contrasts. Here for the first time is the colourful story of the man behind those famous initials.

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MG - Tous les modèles depuis 1924

From the start of production in Oxford in 1924, MGs proved appealing. Their brash styling would go on to win over millions of customers worldwide. MG, Every Model Since 1924 offers a comprehensive retrospective of the various MGs, saloons and sports cars, all stylish, affordable and, above all, fun.

In this book, you will discover the different models of the brand in chronological order, as well as tables of specifications and performance. The global sporting prowess of the MG brand is also highlighted. From the first pre-war saloons, the 14/28 and 14/40, to the RV8, via the fast two-seaters, the Midget and Magnette, the T-Type and the iconic MGA, MGB and MGC, none is forgotten.

"MG - Tous les modèles depuis 1924" is a reference work on one of the most original and oldest automobile brands in the world. It gives for each model its history, design, production, technology, technical characteristics and sports performances.

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MG, les sportives so british

Created in 1923 by Cecil Kimber as a sports version of Morris cars, the MG brand established itself over the years as a manufacturer in its own right. The Midget T series and then the MG A and MG B allowed it to acquire an immense international reputation in popular sports cars. Unveiled in 1962, the MG B would be the most produced traditional sports car in the history of the automobile, with more than 520 000 units until 1980.
In 1995, MG enjoyed success again with its mid-engined MG F, which would break sales records until the mid-2000s.
Throughout its 90-year history, MG has also distinguished itself brilliantly in motor racing, with special vehicles, in rallies, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans or in speed records.

Richly illustrated, the book traces, year after year, the destiny of all the models manufactured by the brand, with production and registration figures. Several pages are also devoted to MGs produced in China since 2007, a country where the future of the famous two-letter crest is now at stake.

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MG, sport cars par excellence

A pillar of the English sports car brands, MG has had a particularly eventful history. Buried several times, it continually returns to the forefront, according to the various owners of the brand...
Nearly 90 years of history have thus passed, leaving each decade with its share of legendary models. This book aims to discover the entire post-war phase, when MG was integrated into the British Motor Corporation, to deliver its most emblematic cars: MG TD, TF, A, B, Midget, without forgetting the saloons or even the entire Rover period, recent, but very rich.

This retrospective of the MG brand is intended primarily for novices who would like to enter the world of the Octagon, the famous emblem of Morris Garage. An educational and clear text, which allows you to find your way through the many directions undergone by MG, embellished with a large number of photos, all original and unpublished.

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