Morris Garages had opened in 1913 and was building cars at Cowley, near Oxford. A young Cecil Kimber joined the company as Sales Manager in 1921. He took over as General Manager in 1924 and later formed the famous MG Car Company. Here began an exciting new venture into designing and building sports cars. The advent of racing competitions provided an opportunity for MG, from the early days racing at Brooklands in Surrey, to develop a range of high performance cars. MG Number One was a bull-nosed sports model raced in the 1925 Lands End Trial and gained a first class award.
Perhaps the most well known MG sports cars were those manufactured at MG’s Abingdon Plant in Oxfordshire in the 1930s, the ‘C’ type, ‘J’ type Midget and ‘K’ type Magnette. The Magic Midgets were a number of record-breaking 750cc “midget” cars of the 1930s, one of which exceeded 128 mph at Montlhéry race track in France in 1933. However, the famous ‘T’ type MG sports cars of the 1930s’ are probably the best well known cars, the TA first produced in the early 1930s’ through to the TF produced in 1954.
Did you know?
Prince Charles, Elvis Presley and Geri Halliwell are among a few well known personalities who have owned an MG.
Where to see more of the iconic MG and other vintage vehicles around the UK:
National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire
www.beaulieu.co.uk
British Motor Museum at Gaydon in Warwickshire
www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Silverstone Experience at Towcester in Northamptonshire
www.silverstone-experience.co.uk
Haynes Motor Museum at Sparkford in Somerset
www.haynesmotormuseum.com
Brooklands Museum at Weybridge in Surrey
www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Cotswold Motoring Museum at Bourton-on-the Water in Gloucestershire
www.cotswoldmotoringmuseum.co.uk
Llangollen Motor Museum at Llangollen in North Wales
www.llangollenmotormuseum.co.uk
National Motor Museum
Website: www.beaulieu.co.uk
British Motor Museum
Website: www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Silverstone Experience
Website: www.silverstone-experience.co.uk
Haynes Motor Museum
Website: www.haynesmotormuseum.com
Brooklands Museum
Website: www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Cotswold Motoring Museum
Website: www.cotswoldmotoringmuseum.co.uk
Llangollen Motor Museum
Website: www.llangollenmotormuseum.co.uk