History

Launched in 1955 by the MG Division of the British Motor Corporation, the car made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. During its 6 years of production, 101,081 units were produced, with the majority being exported. It was replaced by the MGB in 1962. The MGA has three basic configurations to its name, which include the first line from 1955-1959 powered by 1498cc pushrod engines. Next came the MGA 1600 Mark 1 with a more powerful engine as well as disc brakes up front. From 1961-1962, the final edition was the MGA 1600 Mark 2.

Exterior

Its design has an interesting story behind it and dates back to 1952. The limitation of using the TD chassis on for George Philips’ TD 24 Hours of Le Mans car led to the creation of a new design which was rejected by the company, but the falling sales of MG models led to a change of heart. The series was initially titled UA-series but its distinctive design from the previous MG models led to it being named the MGA.

The car had no exterior door handles and supported a body-on-frame design. Road wheels options available for the car included either wire spoked or steel disc road wheels.

Handling Experience

The engine of the MGA 1500 is a 1498 cc four cylinder, which was introduced in 1953. The engine churned out 68 horsepower at 5500 rpm. The only transmission available on the MGA 1500 was a four speed manual gearbox. Open car tests for the MGA 1500 produced a top speed of 97.8 mph and an acceleration of 0-60 mph in 16 seconds. Its fuel consumption was recorded at 26.7 miles per gallon.

Distinctive Features

All MGAs have an exterior identifier, which is an MGA cast into the middle rib of the air vent. The 1500 has no badge near the air vent as opposed to its other two configurations. The turn signal lamps and marker on the 1500 are small and feature a clear lens, which is different from other models. Many options were given on the early MGA with an aluminum hardtop being the most important one.