MGB Roadster :: FactFile

The MGB was in production at Abingdon, near Oxford, from 1962 and 1980. It was by far the best-selling sports car ever made by MG. As the world's best-selling open sports car (386,789 cars), it was only overtaken by Japanese rivals in the late 1990s.

MG was founded in 1923, the factory moving to Abingdon in 1929. Originally owned personally by Lord Nuffield, it became part of BMC in 1952, and of British Leyland in 1980.

The MGB, which featured a combined body/chassis monocoque shell was designed as a car to export, particularly to North America. To keep costs down, its engine, transmission, suspension and steering were all evolutions of those fitted to the previous model, the MGA. The engine and transmission was shared with many other BMC/British Leyland models.

The original specification - a 1.8-litre engine which developed 95bhp, backed by a four-speed gearbox - was retained for 18 years, though with many improvements. An overdrive was always available, an all-synchromesh gearbox arrived for 1968, and there was a short-lived automatic transmission option.

The MGB GT - on sale from 1965, was a smart coupe/hatchback version of the Roadster. Both types had to be face-lifted in 1974, with massive deformable front and rear bumpers. This change was enforced by new USA safety regulations.

When it was new in 1962, the MGB Roadster cost £835 - in 1980, when finally discontinued, it cost £5,808.