MG Comet Reviews

Mention the name MG and an image of a rakish sports car racing down a winding country road, windscreen folded forward, its driver’s hair blowing in the wind comes instantly to mind. The British brand is synonymous with sports cars, it’s the first car you think of when sports cars are talked about, so it was a sad day when the revered old badge was put down in the early 1980s.Equally it was an exciting day when Rover unveiled a new MG sports car at Geneva in 1995. It took another two years before the MGF arrived in Australia, but it was a time of great celebration by MG enthusiasts, coming 24 years after the last MG sports car was sold here.Despite the absence the love of MGs barely waned over the years. Thousands of enthusiasts and more than 20 MG-dedicated car clubs ensured the memory of the great sports car brand would live on. The return of the octagonal badge gave them cause for celebration, and the MGF didn’t disappoint.Thankfully the ‘F’ wasn’t a stuffy remake of the past aimed at crusty old buffers who remain locked in the 1930s, it was a thoroughly modern design that brought the MG brand right up to date.It had to be because the sports car market was several degrees hotter than it was when the last MG sports car left the production line back in 1982. While MG was lying dormant Mazda, BMW, Mercedes and Honda had rediscovered the joys of topdown sports motoring and had developed new models. By the time MG returned to showrooms around the world buyers had plenty of choice.MODEL WATCHThe pretty ‘F’ was a major departure from MG tradition with its engine located amidships, just behind the cockpit, for optimum 45-55 per cent front-rear weight distribution and brilliant handling. Put simply the MGF was a great driver’s car.Double wishbone independent suspension was featured at each end, along with anti-roll bars and Hydragas spring/damper units as well as a conventional strut. The Hydragas suspension was a development of the old Hydrolastic suspension used on Minis back in the 1960s. It’s a system that links the front and rear suspension units to better control the ride.Steering was by rack-and-pinion and there was an electric power steering option available that was both positive in feel and linear in response.Braking was by discs on all corners, ventilated at the front and solid at the rear, with the assistance of ABS antilock electronics.MG offered a choice of engines. The entry model was powered by a 1.8-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four -cylinder that produced a respectable 90 kW at 5500 revs and 166 Nm at 3000 revs. That was enough to have the ‘F’ accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in a little over nine seconds and on to a top speed of better than 190 km/h.For more zip there was the VVC engine. The VVC was Rover’s Variable Valve Control engine, a 1.8-litre double overhead cam fuel-injected four, but with variable valve timing which altered the inlet valve opening and closing periods to deliver optimum performance, economy and emissions over a broad range of operating conditions.The VVC engine produced a power peak of 107 kW and maximum torque of 173 Nm at 4500 revs, and was redlined at 7300 revs. That was sufficient to power the ‘F’ to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, and a top speed of 210 km/h.Initially there was just one transmission on offer, a five-speed manual, but in 2001 there was also the choice of a sports-shift five-speed auto on the regular ‘F’.The interior was roomy and comfortable with a number of small compartments to store most necessities, while the boot was roomy enough to carry a reasonable amount of luggage.The roof was manually operated, but was easy to raise and lower. The rear window was plastic which meant it was prone to discolouration over time, particularly if not looked after.Standard features included dual airbags, power windows, central locking, engine immobiliser and sound system. Options were air-conditioning, CD player and a hard top.Upgraded models were introduced late in 2000. The ‘F’ roadster got more equipment, including a tilt steering column and a CD player, and there was a five-speed sports-shift auto available. The VVC model was also upgraded with standard air-con, tilt column, and CD sound.IN THE SHOPBuild quality has been an issue with all British cars since those dark days of the 1970s when it was a very real concern. Today it’s less of an issue, but is still something to consider as British-built cars are generally not up to the build quality coming from carmakers in other countries.The MGF does have some issues of build quality, but they mainly concern interior trim, which doesn’t stand up over time. Wood grain panels that come adrift, plastic surrounds that fall off, switches that come loose are very visible turnoffs in an otherwise good car.Lack of an adjustable steering column and a rather high seating position makes it a little cramped for tall drivers, and the heater box in the passenger side footwell is an unwelcome intrusion on leg room.Always be careful when checking a soft-top sports car or convertible to see how the roof and interior have been treated. One ‘F’ recently inspected had a foul smell inside, the result of being allowed to get wet with the roof down. The roof was mouldy, the dash stained, the carpets smelly and in need of replacement. In this case the interior needed to be thoroughly cleaned.A little time is needed to become acquainted with the F’s sharp response. Unlike most front-engine cars, it really is quite well balanced which can be unnerving if you’re not used to it, but once you become accustomed to the handling you’ll find it to be brilliant.On top of that the ride is really comfortable, mostly because the weight over the front wheels is much less than it would be if the engine was located in the front, and that means the suspension can be more compliant.OWNERS SAYAlan Mackew has owned his 1997 MGF VVC for nearly four years. It has now done 110,000 km and he has found it to be totally reliable requiring only routine maintenance and a water pump at 105,000 km. The VVC engine spins freely to the red line and the ride and handling is excellent with a very supple ride provided by the fluid suspension. He says the only real weakness of the car is that if the coolant is not properly changed by someone who knows what they are doing there is a high probability that an airlock will be created in the cooling system resulting in a blown cylinder-head gasket.Jane Attard bought an MGF after considering a Toyota MR2 and a Mazda MX5. The MGF offered the boot space, smooth ride and the style that she preferred. The MX5 felt like a 1960’s Sprite, full of shakes and high pitched engine noise, whereas the MG is exceptionally smooth and solid. She liked the MX5’s short throw gear shift, but found the rest of the car ordinary. The MG has a signature racing style petrol cap that’s been copied by many since it came out. It also has a mohair hood whereas the other cars had vinyl. The MR2 had too many grey plastic external panels and no boot space. The MG had many standard features that were extra on the other cars, such as door sill tread plates and embroidered quality mats. Jane also discovered how safe the MGF is when a crash finished her ’99 MGF off; once the door was forced open she emerged unhurt. Again she shopped for a sports car, looking at the MX5, MR2, the Alfa, BMW Z3 and again bought an MGF. Her new MGF steptronic came with even more features such as leather seat bolsters as standard. Full leather option, including the console and bins, was a factory option whereas on the MX5 and MR2 the factory seats would be stripped by a local tradesman and recovered in leather. There was also a factory full tonneau like the old sport cars had, which is not available for other modern convertibles. The MG also has the bonus of a heritage that a Mazda and Toyota can never have and that you don’t see an MGF on every street is a big plus. For Jane, the MG is the winner.LOOK FOR• great ride and handling• zippy VVC engine• roomy interior with generous luggage space• poor build quality• MG heritage

The MGB was greeted with great excitement when it arrived here in 1963. It was the latest in a long line of sports cars from the British carmaker that had come to define the very essence of what a sports car should be, but the B also caused a sensation because it was such a shift away from MG tradition.When earlier MGs were stripped down to the bare minimum, had a bone jarring ride that threatened to shake the fillings from your teeth, the B was as smooth as silk. MG traditionalists were aghast at this newcomer they regarded as soft and for sissies.MODEL WATCHThe B had indeed departed from MG tradition, but the result was a smooth and sophisticated sports car for its time.Gone was the separate chassis used on previous models, the B was MG’s first unitary construction car, and that resulted in a much stiffer car with more predictable and precise handling.It was also pretty, with classical long nose and stubby tail proportions, and clean uncluttered lines, although critics at the time had problems coming to terms with the fins that had grown from the rear guards.The mechanical package was simple. The engine was a BMC B-series four-cylinder engine of 1.8 litres capacity. It was a long stroke unit with pushrod actuated overhead valves and was fed by twin SU carburettors.On full song the B put out 71 kW of power at 5500 revs, and 145 Nm of torque at 3500 revs, enough to push the 920 kg roadster to 97 km/h in 11.3 seconds, and through the standing 400-metre sprint in 18.2 seconds. When pushed to the limit it would reach 170 km/h.The numbers rightly suggest the B was no fire-breathing monster; nevertheless it was quite spirited for its day.When first released the transmission was a four-speed manual with synchromesh on the top three gears, and a precise gearshift.Underneath, the B had independent front suspension with coil springs and lever type hydraulic shock absorbers, while at the rear it had a live axle slung from semi-elliptic leaf springs and lever type shocks.The B’s brakes were quite good for the time, with solid discs at the front and drums at the rear.Rack and pinion steering was direct, but precise and with quite good feel.Wire wheels, 14 x 4.5 inches, finished off the picture of a classic sports car and the tyres were radials. In standard form the wheels were painted silver, but for an extra dash of gloss they could be bright chrome plated.Inside, the B was quite roomy by sports car standards. It had a broad cockpit with a pair of black trimmed sports buckets either side of the centre tunnel. Carpets covered the floor; there was a black thin-rimmed wire-spoked steering wheel and a full complement of Smiths black-faced gauges.A smoother engine, with five main bearings instead of three, was launched in 1965, and an electrically operated overdrive gearbox followed in 1968.Later in 1968 BMC released the Mk II B, which then boasted an all-synchromesh gearbox as the main change.The final act came in 1970 when the B was replaced by the restyled L, which ran through to 1972 when the then British Leyland ceased local production. The B continued in production in England until the 1980s when it was finally put to rest.A number of these later cars, generally referred to as rubber bumper cars because of their American low speed crash bumpers, have been imported over the years, but don’t have the same appeal as the original chrome bumper cars built here.IN THE SHOPThe simplicity of the B makes it perfect for a restoration project, the sort that bonds a father and son, but beware of restoration costs because they often blow out of control to the point they can exceed by many times the price of buying a car already restored.Rust is the main problem with the B, as it is with any car that’s 40 years or more old. Look for rust in the sills, the floors, around the battery boxes behind the seats, in the front guards, boot floor and in the scuttle.Rust repairs really require expert skills and shouldn’t be tackled at home unless you have the experience to do them properly.It’s best to search for a car that has minimal rust, even if the mechanicals are worn out because it’s much easier to rebuild the engine, gearbox, suspension, steering and brakes at home than it is to cut out rust.The good news is that parts are readily available from specialists, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg by classic standards.The B is also a good base on which to develop and improve. There’s plenty of specialist knowledge available on what to do to improve the performance, and handling, like fitting telescopic shocks absorbers in place of the old level type.OWNERS’ VIEWSJim Bradley was attracted to the MGB when as a young man he saw one zipping around his hometown of Woodend. Later, as an 18-year-old he bought a three main bearing '64 model, which he says caused him nothing but trouble, but looked charming and he missed driving it after it was sold. Ten years later he restored his father’s B, which was in a very poor state. He enjoys the characteristic engine note, reasonable performance and handling.LOOK FOR• good looking classic sports car• solid unibody construction• modest performance by today’s standards• good brakes• avoid rusty resto rockets• ready supply of replacement parts at reasonable cost• affordable fun classic• great club sceneVERDICTSmooth driving and affordable classic British sports car that won’t send you broke if it breaks. Good club scene offers plenty of fun social motoring.RATING75/100

It has just signed an agreement with CITIC Guoan Mengguli Corp in China to build the wheels for Chinese carmakers and anyone else who wants it.First revealed exclusively in Carsguide last year, the company's head of research, Philippe Denimal says the wheel could revolutionise the car industry.Michelin previewed the system 12 months ago at the Challenge Bibendum in Beijing.The Michelin active wheel uses two electric motors, one for power and braking and another for an integrated active suspension system.Each sits inside the wheel hub, allowing the car's drivetrain to fit neatly inside the wheel.Michelin believes the innovative design will help revolutionise how a car is built, allowing a diverse range of designs and chassis combinations.The French tyre-specialist believes it could be applied to virtually any type of car.The active wheel's lithium-ion battery development will be done in China where test-mules equipped with lithium-powered wheels are already running around city streets.Michelin executives believe a production ready system could be available by the end of the year.Engineers from both companies have been working hard to reduce the wheel's weight and deliver similar damping characteristics available with conventional suspension systems.Each wheel tips the scales at 42kg.Earlier this year Michelin and CITIC Guoan Mengguli, known as MGL, signed an agreement to develop electric powertrain systems for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.The system will integrate the active wheel technology with MGL's lithium-ion batteries.The active wheel is Michelin's proprietary design aimed at electric and fuel cell-powered vehicles.MGL executives say the system should be available to carmakers in China by the end of the year but most of the demand is expected from export markets.MGL was the exclusive battery supplier for 50 electric buses used in the Olympic villages during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.Michelin and MGL have already developed a pure electric car based on the Lifan 520 that has been fitted with the in-wheel system.The Lifan 520 electric car has a maximum speed of 150km/h and can travel up to 180km when fully charged. 

Today, he proudly has two to his name, although can rattle off many more that have come in and out of his life over the years. “My first MG was a TF when I was 19 at university,” he says. “But I sold that and bought an MGA 1600, but then sold that.” And when a family and mortgage came along, Lyons was forced to put his MG passion on hold for 30 years. But while working in Eastern Europe during the 1990s, he decided it was time to revisit that passion. He started with a 1974 MGR V8, and then added an MGB V8 and a 1968 MGC Roadster to his collection. “I was a member of the MG owners club in England for many years and I happened to be looking in car club magazines, saw some MGCs for sale, so I thought that looks good, why not?” he says. “I'd had a number of MGs over the years and always used to look for something that was unusual. The MGC was unusual because there weren't many of them made.” After driving it around London for some time, he had it shipped back to Australia in 1998 and continued driving it here. But after some years on the road, he decided it needed some real work. So he sold the MGB to finance the project, stripped it back to bare metal and spent the next four-and-a-half years getting it up to scratch. Only about 4500 MGC Roadsters were built and many were sent to the US, particularly California, where they didn't rust out as easily. Lyons's model was one of the Californian cars, but when stripping it back he discovered it had some 'dodgy' work done, including a conversion back to right-hand-drive when it was brought back to England. And that meant a lot of extra hard work and money. “I stopped counting at $20,000,” he says. But Lyons says restoring an MG is made much easier because parts are readily available. “There's an industry keeping these cars on the road,” he says. “One of the reasons I bought the MGC was because I knew I could afford to restore it at a reasonable price.” Lyons says there are probably only about 100 MGCs in Australia, Lyons says. They were never officially sold here, but some dealers did import them independently. And while Lyons is very proud of his car, he believes in driving it, rather than merely keeping it immaculate for shows. “I don't believe in that,” he says. “I like to use them; that's the fun. Why have something if you can't drive it? Some people bring their cars to the meetings on trailers, dust them off ... but I bought it to drive it.” Lyons has had his MG on the road for the past 15 to 16 months and tries to drive it at least two to three times a month. His aim is to one day drive it between Melbourne and Adelaide and he hopes on achieving that very soon. “It's a beautiful touring car, much nicer to drive than the MGR V8,” he says. But it does have its downsides, which include slower acceleration through the four-speed gearbox and 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. And it can be hard to manoeuvre around corners. “The only problem is it has a big six-cylinder motor sitting up the front and it doesn't always like to go hard around the corners,” he says. “It will understeer if you go into corners too quickly, but it's a beautiful touring car.” The MGC was only produced between 1967 and 1969. It was based on the MGB body, but had the larger and heavier engine and could be distinguished by a bulge in the front bonnet. As well as the 4500 Roadsters built, there were also about the same number in the GT Coupe version that hit the road. Lyons enjoys getting out on the open road in his MGC where it just “purrs” along and is “great for 120mph (193km/h),” he says. “It's a lovely car to drive and there's a certain amount of pride when you pull up and someone admires the car, they say, 'Very nice,' you say, 'Thank you very much,' knowing you can't have done that bad of a job,” he says. Lyons isn't the only one in the family to gain enjoyment from the MG. His grandson has also taken a big interest. “We put his child seat in the thing and I take him for a run. He thinks it's just great,” he says. And while his wife has driven both of his toys, she's not too keen to get behind the wheel. “She's too concerned that if she damages it, she'll never hear the end of it,” he laughs. And there's no way Lyons will be getting rid of his classic any time soon, even though it could attract a value of between $30,000 and $40,000. “I wouldn't sell it, not willingly anyway,” he says. “There'd have to be a good reason. There weren't many built and a lot have rusted out.” Snapshot 1968 MGC Roadster Value now: about $30,000 to $40,000 Verdict: Not many MGCs made it to Australia and despite its handling problems, it's a classic car many MG fans love.  

Now owned by the Chinese company, Nanjing Automobile Corporation, MG (which stands for Morris Garage), was a private British company founded in 1924 by William Morris and Cecil Kimber.Morris Garage was the sales division of Morris cars and Kimber had the idea of producing sports cars based on Morris sedan platforms.While the company made a variety of cars it's best known for two-seater sports soft tops. The first MG was called the 14/18 and was simply a sporty body fitted on to a Morris Oxford.As World War II erupted in 1939 MG was introducing its new TB Midget roadster, derived from the earlier TA model, itself a replacement for the MG PB.Production went into limbo as the factory geared up for the war effort, but soon after hostilities ended in 1945 MG introduced the TC Midget - a slick little open two-seater.In reality it was a TB with some modifications. It still had a 1250cc four-cylinder engine, borrowed from the Morris 10, and now had a four-speed synchromesh gear shift.The TC is the car that entrenched the MG name in Australia. That it did well here, and elsewhere, should come as no surprise.In the aftermath of World War II cars were in general terms practical transport, not fun. Petrol was also scarce. And after years of war everyone was looking to enjoy the hard-earned peace. Cars like the TC put fun back into life.No doubt, going on the massive turnout of TCs, TDs and TFs at the MG National Concours at Easter, the T series cars continue to brings smiles to faces and joy to those who drive them.The TD and TF followed before radical styling changes introduced the MGA and later the MGB, cars more familiar to those born after the war.In recent years the company brought back the T series with the TF, built in 1995.About 10,000 MG TC cars were produced between 1945 and 1949, many of them exported. The TD resembled the TC, but in reality had a new chassis and was a more sturdy car. For the layman, trying to tell the difference between a TC and TD is easy. The one with the bumper bars is a TD.The TD ran from 1949-53 when the TF was introduced, complete with a new 1466cc engine. The TF lasted just two years when it was replaced with the more streamlined MGA, that inherited a legacy of a series of cars that were yes, selfish, but mechanically simple, reasonably reliable and fun to drive as are all open top cars.Throughout its history the MG road was rocky. In 1952 Austin Motor Corporation merged with Morris Motors to form British Motor Corporation Ltd.Then, in 1968, it was merged into British Leyland. Later it became MG Rover Group and part of BMW.BMW divested its interest and in 2005 MG Rover went into liquidation. A few months later the MG name was bought by Chinese interests.The significance of the Chinese purchase stems from a belief that the MG brand and name have some currency in a worldwide market. The vehicle that played a significant role in establishing that value is, without doubt, the MG TC. 

It's no secret that the majority of classic car owners are men. With all the mechanics involved, the endless hours that have to be dedicated to maintenance and the close relationship formed between car and man, it seems this is not a hobby which appeals to many women. But that doesn't mean they don't exist. Lynne Sewell is proof. The 54-year-old has owned a 1953 MG TD for the past nine years. And while her father was a mechanic, Sewell says she is far from a car nut herself. “I was brought up in a family where I knew what a carburettor was and spark plugs but I'm not a rev head,” she says. “But I do know the bits and pieces under the bonnet. My father did show me how to change the battery and change the tyre. I had a good general idea, more knowledge than the average person.” So with a basic understanding of cars and a desire to own an MG, Sewell, with the support of her husband Rick, set off to find her own special car in 1998. “I had always said one day I'd like to buy one of those T types,” she says. The previous owner had restored the black model after it spent some time sitting in a warehouse in the 1960s. But Sewell decided there was still more work to be done. “Everyone said, `Dont go there, once you do, you won't stop, it's like Pandora's box',” Sewell jokes. “A club friend worked on it and my husband and I helped. We did a full body restoration, it took nearly two years because of the slow way we were doing it. “It had an engine rebuild, we put a new clutch in it, it just purrs. “My father was very proud of me having it. And this model really is a gem.” It recently came second at a national MG meeting for the second year in a row and has won other accolades. It is also road registered, unusual for older models which are usually just registered through the clubs. “It's me who does all the cleaning and preparation for events. I'm the registered owner, but I'd be lost without my husband's support,” Sewell says. And as the ad goes: Initial purchase, around $20,000, value the car is currently insured for, more than $30,000, the many wonderful memories ... priceless. Among the memories was the driver who continuously honked to draw Sewell's attention and signalled her to pull over to the side of the road so he could inspect her prize possession, then offered to swap his much less expensive average car for hers. And then there was her daughter's wedding reception, when the happy couple arrived and departed in the MG. And the time when a group of surfers stopped for a chat, saying, “We love your wheels. It's just fantastic”. “When else would a bunch of surfers come and talk to a middle-aged couple,” Sewell says. Sewell and her husband actively embraced the MG owners club and have found there's much more to owning a classic car than just the car itself. “There are a lot of social weekends away. In the winter I'm known for rugging up and always having the roof down,” she says. “It enables us to have a social interest as a couple, with other like-minded couples.” The MG may not be fitted with great security measures, indeed it doesn't even have locks, but Sewell says she is yet to have a problem with that. “I think people respect the old cars and they like to look at them. We often just park it, the seats are exposed, people look at the instrument panel and interior, it's so different to modern cars,” she says. And while she loves her car, there are a couple of features which make it difficult to drive. “I joke about the airconditioning, it's very hot in the summer, your feet cook and in the winter, you're cold,” she says. As with most old cars it lacks power steering and Sewell says she rarely takes it in Sydney traffic as it is a lot slower than modern cars. But in no way is the mother-of-two ready to give it up. Indeed, she is hoping there will be at least one more MG in her future. While MG ceased production in 2005, a Chinese company recently bought the brand. It will initially target the Chinese market and perhaps the US, Sewell says, so the couple are looking forward to the possibility of a modern MG in their garage. “I would look at buying a modern one, because this one is limited in the type of roads and conditions I can take it on.”   Fast Facts 1953 MG TD Value when new: £530 Value now: More than $30,000 Verdict: It may not have all the modern perks, but the MG will no doubt turn heads with its classic style and charm.  

Ford, which has owned the company since 1993 will keep a 10 per cent holding.The company at the heart of the takeover, Prodrive, is a specialist motor racing business based in England which spread its tentacles to Australia where it has owned a V8 Supercar team since 2003.Ford Performance Racing evolved from Prodrive's buy of racer Glenn Seton's Ford team.Prodrive has become a leading player in the world of motor racing and is scheduled to run a team in Formula One after being allocated the 12th team franchise in 2008.Richards, right, led the takeover of the Gaydon-based (Warwickshire) sports car icon yesterday for $1.1billion, reputedly far less than what owner Ford wanted.Ford will reportedly continue to supply engines and components to Aston Martin which was established in 1913 by two Britons and which has had a chequered ownership and financial history having gone bankrupt and been rescued a number of times.Richards, who has regularly attended V8 Supercar races over the last few years, won the World Rally Championship co-driving for the great Ari Vatanen in 1981.Prodrive also runs the Subaru World Rally Team which has Gold Coast ace Chris Atkinson driving.He is being touted as a future world champion.It has won six WRC titles with Subaru (three driver's and three manufacturer's gongs).Rallying success also extended to involvement with Porsche, BMW and MG over the years.Other headline successes for Prodrive include five British Touring Car Championships and it was a class winner with the Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello at Le Mans in 2003.Prodrive also runs the Aston Martin Works sports car team which races cars in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-hour where up to six cars will be entered for the June marathon.Under Prodrive Aston Martin Racing returned to competition in 2005 when it won its first two races with the awesome DBR9.Prodrive is one of the world's biggest motorsport and motor vehicle technology firms.It has more than 900 staff in Europe, North America, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.From 2002 to 2004 Prodrive managed the BAR Honda F1 team before control reverted to Honda.Prodrive owns 51 per cent of Ford Australia's performance road car arm, Ford Performance Vehicles.

Fans of the old MGs were somewhat taken aback when the F abandoned the traditional MG mould of front engine and rear drive for the more contemporary mid-engined layout. While it was a big departure from the old school, it brought the brand right up to date.The F was a smart little two-seater with smooth flowing lines that gave it a sense of speed even when standing still.Inside, there was adequate room for two adults, although taller occupants could feel cramped. Apart from that, the interior was attractive with cloth trim in the base model and leather in the VVC-powered model.The instruments were cream and brown, the minor controls were well within reach and simple to use, and the steering wheel was a nice size for a sports car.The roof was manually operated, but it was easy to use and folded out of sight behind the seats. When raised, the space it left behind the seats was handy for storage.There was also plenty of equipment in the F, including power windows, power steering, dual airbags, central locking with an engine immobiliser and audio system.The engine, a 1.8-litre twin overhead camshaft four-cylinder unit, was mounted transversely behind the cockpit. There were two versions, the base engine which produced 90kW at 5500 revs and 165Nm at 3000 revs, and a more powerful one with VVC variable valve timing, which produced 107kW at 7000 revs and 174Nm at 4500 revs.The transmission was a slick shifting, five-speed manual with the drive ultimately distributed to the rear wheels for a thrilling drive. Underneath, the F had Hydragas suspension, which gave it a comfortable ride and contributed to its brilliant handling.Brakes were four-wheel discs with ABS electronics to keep tabs on the action at the tyre-tarmac interface. On the road, the F was simply brilliant once you squeezed yourself into the cockpit. The mid-engine layout gave it a balance front-engined cars could never achieve, with an agility and responsiveness that few cars could match.Most notably the MGF suffered from head gasket problems, with gaskets blowing with as few as 20,000km on the clock.MG specialists worked out that the steel cooling pipes running between the engine and the radiator at the front of the car were corroding. The head gaskets were eventually improved and the problem was fixed.The Hydragas suspension also proved a problem area. The system uses a combination of nitrogen gas and a fluid instead of conventional springs and shock absorbers. But over time the nitrogen leaks out of the system and the suspension sags. It's possible to return the car to its correct ride height by pumping the suspension full of the fluid, but that adversely affects the ride. The system was replaced by conventional springs and shocks on the TF model that replaced the F.Look out for signs of the car being caught in the rain with the roof down. If there are water stains or damp smells, it means it has been left exposed to the elements.Parts are readily available for the F and generally less expensive than the parts originally supplied by the factory.Dual airbags provide good passive protection in the event of a crash, while the combination of an agile chassis, four-wheel disc brakes and anti-skid electronics provide a good level of active safety.

The Royal Adelaide Showground at Wayville has been teeming with people wanting to get a glimpse of their dream cars and those researching the vehicles they have a genuine chance to own.Motor show director Ian Digby says the crowds are up by about 10 per cent on 2005 figures and could continue towards a record level – testament to the interest in the auto industry of the South Australian public. "If we were to sustain the increase over five days, we would get a record," he says. "Over 65 per cent of our crowd comes in on the weekend and, even with the weather, the response has been good – and the weather forecast is improving."The crowds have been given plenty of treats, among the most significant for the SA automotive industry being the birth of a new, small-scale, local car maker.SC Cars, of Mt Barker, had to work night and day in the fortnight leading up to the Adelaide Motor Show in order to get its first prototype MGB-bodied, V8-powered sports car on the stand.But SC boss Graham Crowley says the hard work has definitely proved worthwhile."The interest has been very strong. We've got around a dozen quality leads and one who's pretty close to buying one," he says."They love the British styling and the Japanese running gear. It's all been positive – we couldn't have asked for a better start."Mr Crowley hopes about 12 of the specialised MGBs will be built in the small car factory at Mt Barker each year and he has a vision that, one day, a single make race series will be held using the cars.Priced from about $65,000, the car has the body of a 1970 MGB MkII, with a four-litre, 32-valve DOHC Toyota/Lexus V8 engine as its heart.It produces a massive – considering its weight of just 881kg – 260kW of power and can do a 0-400m drag in 10.5 seconds, while having an estimated top speed of 250km/h. Mr Crowley says the SC will rival Ferrari's 430 and motor show goers have at least been able to make that judgment based on appearance alone and not performance, with a F430 on show at Wayville.Ferraris, Lamborghinis and the aristocratic Bentley Azure were always going to be the "drool-producers" of the show – the cars which prompt longing stares and conversations which start with "When I win the lottery".The new Bentley Azure is one of the most expensive cars – at a starting price of $649,000 – but Bentley sales have improved in recent years.Bentley PR manager for South-East Asia and Australasia James Barclay says the Azure is the company's new pinnacle product."We're developing the products we want, including the new Azure – which is a pinnacle product – to give us a complete range," he says.Mr Barclay says the Bentley brand had benefited greatly from investment by the VW Group and it was showing in the results: "Globally we did 1017 cars in 2003, in 2004 we went to around 6500 cars with the GT and some Arnage, last year we went to around 8500 cars, it's positive times for us."The car is entirely hand-built – each one takes more than 600 man hours to build, including the 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8, which bears the name of the engine technician who assembled it.But it has been some Australian-made products that have been capturing the most attention, namely the FJ-inspired Holden hot rod, the Efijy, and the backyard-built super sports car, the Redback Spyder. Holden stand manager Ray Purrington says: "It's been great, like it's been since we launched the Efijy in Sydney. There must have been thousands of pics taken of this car by now. It's a car that people respond to."The Efijy is expected to carry the Australian flag in Motor City, Detroit, later this year when it takes part in the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise, America's largest annual celebration of hot rods and custom cars.A Redback Spyder is already in the U.S. where its maker, Nick Tomkinson, is hopeful the concept will get the support needed to produce the car in small numbers for the public to buy at a cool $250,000."It's been overwhelmingly positive. Adelaide has embraced the car. The crowd really knows their stuff. We've got one guy really interested in buying one. It's all good," he says.

While it hasn't quite disappeared it appears to be in its death throes with little real chance of being saved. MG is the company that defined the sports car genre with its Midget series that dates back to 1928.The first MG was created in 1925, it was in effect a stripped down and tuned up Morris, but it was the Midget series which established MG's pre-eminent position in the motoring world.BUYING AN MG TODAYIt is a simple task to buy your own MG now, as there are lots around. There are also plenty of experts who can repair them and keep them running sweetly.And there are plenty of local suppliers who stock just about everything needed to restore or repair an MG. And, if a part can't be found locally, there are lots of companies reproducing parts in England and America.Before you buy, it's worth getting advice on the model you're interested in.Here's three to consider.MG TCIf any model really encapsulates the MG ethos it's the TC, which was really a pretty simple update of the TB.With a modest 1.25-litre overhead valve four cylinder engine, albeit with twin carburettors and a sporty camshaft among a number of modifications from the family car engine it's based upon, the TC's performance is spirited rather than sizzling.The exhaust note is one of the true joys of driving a TC and the gearbox is the other delight. A four-speed unit, it has the best shift of any car ever built.The brakes are dodgy by modern standards and it rides like a dray, but those criticisms quickly fade away on a sunny day when the open air is blowing through what hair you have left and the exhaust is resonating behind you.The TC was in production from 1946 to 1949 and some 10,000 were produced.MGAThe MGA was the first modern MG. Built between 1955 and 1962, the A had sweeping lines derived from a one-off streamlined T-Type special raced at Le Mans in 1951.While the A still sat on a separate chassis, it now had a 54 kW 1.5-litre BMC B-Series four cylinder engine and four-speed gearbox. But like all MGs it handled well.Top speed approached the magic 100m/ph (160 km/h) mark.An update in 1959 saw the 1.5-litre engine replaced by a 1.6-litre version and the front drum brakes were replaced with discs.The final update was the Mark II in 1961 which had more power and the top speed finally exceeded 100m/ph (160km/h). There were also pretty coupe and hot twin cam versions of the A. In the seven years it was in production, 101,470 As were built.MGBThe B replaced the A and proved to be the most popular of all MGs with more than half a million built between 1962 and 1980.The B was quite sophisticated, with wind-up windows and opening quarter vent windows, a useful boot and even a folding roof.The body was of monocoque construction with a hint of fins and it looks good even today which, is testament enough to its design.Its B-Series engine was stretched to 1.8-litres which pushed the power to 70kW and the top speed to around 170km/h.