Added: 01/31/2006 |
UK Sports Cars – Significant Milestones In Motoring HistoryUK Sports Cars are world famous, whether the car in question has an AC, Aston Martin, Austin Healey, Jaguar, Lotus, MG, Triumph or TVR badge, it will be recognised throughout the world as one of an elite breed of motorcars that lends itself to the sporting image of motoring. Possibly no other country in the world possesses such a long list of desirable badges as those developed by UK Sports Cars. It is then odd that no clear definition exists of how sport cars are meant to appear.
The used sport cars in UK original concept probably began in 1924 when the MG company was founded. After WWII America discovered the MG TC, and even though the little MG came only in right hand drive, Americans were prepared to put up with its shortcomings. Some of which included a top speed of 75 mph and a 0-60 time of almost 23 seconds. Add those statistics to little in the way of creature comforts and who would have believed that Americans would have loved it, but they did. Between 1945 and 1949 10,000 were built. MG was able to sustain its bridgehead into the American market well into the early 1950s with its TD model that included left hand drive, in fact 90% of all TDs were left hand drive and between 1950 and 1953 more than 29,000 TDs were built.
However by the mid-fifties other UK sports cars were attracting American attention and MG began losing its once dominant grip. The Austin Healey 100 outperformed the small MG including the later TF, offering a top speed of more than 100 mph and a 0-60 time in around 10 seconds. The Austin Healey also possessed a modern appearance and even today remains one of the most attractive sports car designs ever created. Other UK sports cars also vying for American attention included Triumph's TR2, which caused a stir as much because of its cheap price as for the fact that it could almost compete with Austin Healey in performance terms. However by 1955 MG were fighting back with their MGA, which had modern styling and a 1500 c.c. engine that produced 72 bhp, sufficient to push it to a top speed of 98 mph and race from 0-60 in just over 15 seconds. Over 58,000 MGAs were built and in 1958 a twin-cam version was produced that offered even more power. Unfortunately this engine was probably a little ahead of its time, because MG did not possess the necessary engineering sophistication that the twin-cam demanded. Hence when problems began to occur because of a need for high octane fuel that resulted in damaged pistons, plus an unhealthy appetite for oil, the twin-cam became infamous for its poor reliability, something that it was never to lose and demand dropped accordingly.
However MG continued, and between 1962 and 1980 produced the famous MGB roadster and GT. In eighteen years of production more than 350,000 units were built. MG continued after Austin Healey finished production in 1971, while Triumph took its last bow in 1981 after having produced some of the most famous UK sports cars including the Spitfire, TR series and Stag.
However between the 1960s and 1970s other UK sports cars were arousing interest including the Lotus Elan, Reliant Scimitar, TVR Vixen and Tuscan, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, and importantly Jaguar with their E-Type. Probably one of the most significant cars of this period was Jaguar E-Type offered as a convertible or coupe, the E-Type epitomised what UK sports cars were thought to be about. At the time it's long, sleek body was the sexiest thing ever seen on four wheels while it's 4.2 litre, 265 bhp 6 cylinder engine provided it with 150 mph performance and 0-60 times of around 7 seconds. So successful was the E-type body design that it remained in production from 1962 to 1975 in a variety of versions including one powered by a V12 5.3 litre engine.
However one marque of UK sports car that continues to offer a style originally developed back in the early 1950s, is Morgan. This small company has continued to produce its unique design with a variety of engine sizes including a Rover 3.5 litre V8, which provided the Morgan Plus Eight with phenomenal acceleration such as 0-60 in a little more than 5 seconds. Today you can still purchase a Morgan roadster which looks like it just travelled out of the 1930s or opt for the sleeker Morgan Aero 8 with a BMW 4.0 litre powerplant.
The UK sports cars are alive and well with MG producing the TF, launched in 2002 with three engine versions, the most powerful being a 1.8 with 157 bhp that pushes the TF to a top speed of over 135 mph accompanied by a 0-60 time under 7 seconds. Lotus produces the Elise and Exige while TVR produces a range of powerfully fast sports cars designed to rush adrenalin to the brain. What they all share in common is the UK heritage that started it all.
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