MG Cars : definition of MG Cars and synonyms of MG Cars (English) 9 External links Overview The original MG marque was in continuous use (barring the years of the Second World War) for 56 years after its inception. Production of predominantly two-seater sports cars was concentrated at a factory in Abingdon , some 10 miles (16 km) south of Oxford . [2] The British Motor Corporation (BMC) competition department was also based at the Abingdon plant and produced many winning rally and race cars. In the autumn of 1980, however, the Abingdon factory closed and MGB production ceased. Between 1982 and 1991, the MG marque was revived on sportier versions of Austin Rover's Metro , Maestro and Montego ranges. After an interval of barely one year, the MG marque was revived again, this time on the MG RV8 – an updated MGB Roadster with a Rover V8 engine, which was produced in low volumes. A second revival came in the summer of 1995, when the high volume MG F two-seater roadster was launched.

This was an instant hit with buyers, and sold in volumes which had been unthinkable on affordable two-seaters since the 1970s. The MG marque passed, along with the Rover marque, to the MG Rover group in May 2000, when BMW "broke up" the Rover Group . This arrangement saw the return of MG badges on sportier Rover-based cars, and a revised MG F model, known as the MG TF , launched in 2002. However, all production ceased in April 2005 when MG Rover went into administration. The assets of MG Rover were bought by Chinese carmaker Nanjing Automobile in July 2005 [3] (subsequently bought by SAIC in December 2007), [4] who now operate a UK subsidiary, MG Motor . History The MG Car Company got its name from Morris Garages, a dealer of Morris cars in Oxford which began producing its own customised versions to the designs of Cecil Kimber , who had joined the company as its sales manager in 1921.

He was promoted to general manager in 1922, [5] a position he held until 1941 when he fell out with Lord Nuffield over procuring wartime work. Kimber died in 1945 in a railway accident . There is some debate over when MG started. The company itself stated it to be 1924,[ citation needed ] although the first cars bore both Morris and MG badges and a reference to MG with the octagon badge appears in an Oxford newspaper from November 1923. [5] Others dispute this and believe that MG only properly began trading in 1925. The explanation may lie in the distinction between the MG business and the company of that name which may have come to own it later. MG NB Magnette Airline coupé The first cars which were rebodied Morris models used coachwork from Carbodies of Coventry and were built in premises in Alfred Lane, Oxford. Demand soon caused a move to larger premises in Bainton Road in September 1925, sharing space with the Morris radiator works.

Continuing expansion meant another move in 1927 to a separate factory in Edmund Road, Cowley , Oxford, [5] near the main Morris factory and for the first time it was possible to include a production line. In 1928 the company had become large enough to warrant an identity separate from the original Morris Garages and the M.G. Car Company Limited was established in March of that year [5] and in October for the first time a stand was taken at the London Motor Show . Space again soon ran out and a search for a permanent home led to the lease of part an old leather factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1929, [5] gradually taking over more space until production ended there in 1980. The MG Car Club was founded in 1930 for owners and enthusiasts of MG cars. [6] Nuffield Organisation Originally owned personally by William Morris, MG was sold in 1935 to Morris Motors (itself a member of the Morris Organizations later called the Nuffield Organisation ) a change that was to have serious consequences for MG, particularly its motor-sport activities.

BMC MG was absorbed with Morris into The British Motor Corporation Limited , created in 1952 to merge Morris Motors Limited and The Austin Motor Company Limited . Long-time service manager John Thornley took over as general manager, guiding the company through its best years until his retirement in 1969. Under BMC, several MG models were no more than badge-engineered versions of other marques, with the main exception being the small MG sports cars. BMC took over Jaguar Cars in September 1966 and that December BMC changed its name to British Motor Holdings . BMH joined with Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968 to form British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). BL Following partial nationalisation in 1975 BLMC became British Leyland (later just BL). Amidst a mix of economic, internal and external politics, the Abingdon factory was shut down on 24 October 1980 as part of the drastic programme of cutbacks necessary to turn BL around after the turbulent times of the 1970s. The last car to be built there was the MGB, and after the closure of the Abingdon plant the MG marque was temporarily abandoned.

[7] Though many plants were closed, none created such an uproar among workers, dealers, clubs and customers as this closure did. Years later, Sir Michael Edwardes expressed regret about his decision. In 1982, the marque was revived and the Austin Rover Group built high performance versions of their saloon and hatchback models built at Longbridge (Metro) or Cowley (Maestro and Montego). The MG Metro continued until 1990, with the Maestro and Montego versions being suspended a year later. As of 2003, the site of the former Abingdon factory was host to McDonald's and the Thames Valley Police with only the former office block still standing. The headquarters of the MG Car Club (established 1930) is situated next door. BAe then BMW After BL became the Rover Group in 1986, ownership of the MG marque passed to British Aerospace in 1988 and then in 1994 to BMW . MG Rover BMW sold the business in 2000 and the MG marque passed to the MG Rover Group based in Longbridge, Birmingham .

The practice of selling unique MG sports cars alongside badge-engineered models (by now Rovers) continued. The Group went into receivership in 2005 and car production was suspended on 7 April 2005. In 2006, it was reported that an initiative called Project Kimber , led by David James, had entered talks with Nanjing to buy the MG brand in order to produce a range of sports cars based on the discontinued Smart Roadster design by DaimlerChrysler . No agreement was reached, which resulted in the AC Cars marque being adopted for the new model instead. As of 2009, the project appears to be dormant. Nanjing and SAIC Main article: MG Motor On 22 July 2005, the Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to the MG brand and the assets of the MG Rover Group for £53 million creating a new company NAC MG UK Limited . In 2011 MG launched a new model, the MG6 GT. Car models The earliest model, the 1924 MG 14/28 consisted of a new sporting body on a Morris Oxford chassis.

[5] This car model continued through several versions following the updates to the Morris. The first car which can be described as a new MG, rather than a modified Morris was the MG 18/80 of 1928 which had a purpose designed chassis and the first appearance of the traditional vertical MG grille. A smaller car was launched in 1929 with the first of a long line of Midgets starting with the M-Type based on a 1928 Morris Minor chassis. MG established a name for itself in the early days of the sport of international automobile racing. Beginning before and continuing after World War II , MG produced a line of cars known as the T-Series Midgets which, post-war, were exported worldwide, achieving better than expected success. These included the MG TC , MG TD , and MG TF , all of which were based on the pre-war MG TB , with various degrees of updating. MG departed from its earlier line of Y-Type saloons and pre-war designs and released the MGA in 1955. The MGB was released in 1962 to satisfy demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car.

In 1965 the fixed head coupé (FHC) followed: the MGB GT . With continual updates, mostly to comply with increasingly stringent United States emissions and safety standards, the MGB was produced until 1980. Between 1967 and 1969 a short-lived model called the MGC was released. The MGC was based on the MGB body, but with a larger (and, unfortunately, heavier) six-cylinder engine, and somewhat worse handling. MG also began producing the MG Midget in 1961. The Midget was a re-badged and slightly restyled second-generation Austin-Healey Sprite . To the dismay of many enthusiasts, the 1974 MGB was the last model made with chrome bumpers due to new United States safety regulations; the 1974½ bore thick black rubber bumpers that some claimed ruined the marque MGB. In 1973, the MGB GT V8 was launched with the ex- Buick Rover V8 engine and was built until 1976.

As with the MGB, the Midget design was frequently modified until the Abingdon factory closed in October 1980 and the last of the range was made. The badge was also applied to versions of BMC saloons including the BMC ADO16 , which was also available as a Riley , but with the MG pitched as slightly more "sporty". The marque lived on after 1980 under BL , being used on a number of Austin saloons including the Metro , Maestro , and Montego . In New Zealand, the MG badge even appeared on the late 1980s Montego estate, called the MG 2.0 Si Wagon. There was a brief competitive history with a mid-engined, six-cylinder version of the Metro. The MG Metro finished production in 1990 on the launch of a Rover -only model. The MG Maestro and MG Montego remained on sale until 1991, when production of these models was pruned back in order for Rover to concentrate on the more modern 200 Series and 400 Series .

High performance Rover Metro, 200 and 400 GTi models had gone on sale in late 1989 and throughout 1990 as the MG version of the Metro was discontinued in 1990 and the versions of the Maestro and Montego were axed in 1991. The Rover Group revived the two-seater with the MG RV8 in 1992. The all-new MGF went on sale in 1995, becoming the first mass-produced "real" MG sports car since the MGB ceased production in 1980. Following the May 2000 purchase of the MG and Rover brands by the Phoenix Consortium and the forming of the new MG Rover Group , the MG range was expanded in the summer of 2001 with the introduction of three sports models based on the contemporary range of Rover cars. The MG ZR was based on the Rover 25 , the MG ZS on the Rover 45 , and the MG ZT/ZT-T on the Rover 75 . The MG Rover Group purchased Qvale , which had taken over development of the De Tomaso Bigua.

This car, renamed the Qvale Mangusta and already approved for sale in the United States , formed the basis of the MG XPower SV , an "extreme" V8-engined sports car. It was revealed in 2002 and went on sale in 2004. In 2011 MG launched the MG 6 in saloon and hatchback versions. Motorsport From its earliest days MGs have been used in competition and from the early 1930s a series of dedicated racing cars such as the 1931 C-Type and 1934 Q-type were made and sold to enthusiasts who received considerable company assistance. This stopped in 1935 when MG was formally merged with Morris Motors and the Competition Department closed down. A series of experimental cars had also been made allowing Captain George Eyston to take several world speed records. In spite of the formal racing ban, speed record attempts continued with Goldie Gardner exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) in the 1100 cc EX135 in 1939.

After World War II record breaking attempts restarted with 500 cc and 750 cc records being taken in the late 1940s. A decision was also taken to return to racing and a team of MGAs was entered in the tragedy-laden 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the best car achieving 12th place. Prior to the use of the Toyota Tundra silhouette in the Craftsman Truck Series , MG was reported as the last foreign brand to be used in NASCAR. It was driven in 1963 by Smokey Cook. [8] In 2001 MG re-launched their motor sport campaign to cover the 24 Hours of Le Mans ( MG-Lola EX257 ), British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) ( MG ZS ), British and World Rally Championships and MG Independent British Rally Championship ( MG ZR ). The Le Mans team failed to win the endurance race in 2001 and 2002 and quit in 2003. MG Sport+Racing raced in the British Touring Car Championships with the MG ZS between 2001–2003 as a factory team.

In 2004 WSR raced the MG ZS as a privateer team. After three years without a major sponsor, WSR teamed up with RAC in 2006 and the team was called Team RAC.In 2007 an MG ZR driven by BRC Stars Champion Luke Pinder won class N1 on Britain's round of the World Rally championship. Wales Rally GB. The MG British Rally Challenge still runs today despite the liquidation in 2005. In 2004 plans to race in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with a heavily modified V8 powered ZT supertouring car were cancelled due to MG Rover's liquidation in April 2005. On 25 January 2012, Triple Eight Race Engineering announced it would run a pair of works GT models under NGTC regulations in the 2012 British Touring Car Championship season . The drivers would be Jason Plato and Andy Neate under the banner MG KX Momentum Racing.

List of models Car History 4U - History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers 8.7 Great Britain (UK) 8.7.1. Aston Martin The company was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford and the first car to bear the name was ready by 1915. After encountering financial difficulties during 1924/5 the company was sold in 1926 and renamed “Aston Martin Motors”. Seven years later, in 1933, the company changed ownership again. Up to the start of World War 2, in 1939, about 700 Aston Martin cars had been produced. In 1947 the company was purchased by David Brown Limited, who also acquired the Lagonda car company the same year. The DB range of cars started in 1948 with the 2-Litre Sports DB1. This was followed by the 2,580 cc DB2 (1950-53) and the racing model DB3 in 1957.

The 240 hp (179 kW) 3,670 cc DB4 was first produced in 1958; a car with a top speed of 140 mph (224 kph). By 1963, when production of the DB4 ceased, 1,110 had been made (from 1962 70 were convertibles). 100 short wheelbase DB4 GT/Zagoto models were also built. The lightweight DB4 GT version was introduced in 1959. 75 of these cars, which had a top speed of 153 mph (240 kph), were built. Is 75 correct? In 1961 the company launched the DB4 Vantage model. The 266 hp (198 kW) car was fitted with three SU carburettors. 136 saloons and 32 convertibles were built. Between 1961 and 1963 19 DB4 GT Zagato models were produced, the bodies of which were built by Zagato in Italy.

The 3,995 cc DB 5 model was produced from 1963 to 1965. The 282 hp (210 kW) version, which was fitted with three SU carburettors, had a top speed of 141 mph (226 kph). In 1964 the company produced the high performance, 314 hp (234 kW), DB5 Vantage coupe model. 65 were built. A total of 1,024 DB5 models were produced; 901 two-door coupes and 123 convertibles. A figure of 1,063 has also been quoted. Which is correct? 19 of the convertibles were left-hand drive. 12 special estate car versions were also built. A DB5 car was used in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger (Ian Fleming’s book featured a DB Mark III). 1,567 DB6 models were produced from 1965 to 1970.

The 325 hp (242 kW) 3,996 cc car had a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph). It accelerated from 0-60 mph (96 kph) in 8.4 seconds. A Mark 2 version was launched in 1969. Having been sold in 1972 to a British consortium, the company was bought in 1975 by two American businessmen, who produced the V8 Vantage in 1977 and the the convertible Volante in 1978. Between the early 1980s and 1987 the company changed ownership three more times until the Ford Motor Company initially purchased 75% of the company (gaining full control in 1993). Between 1968 and 1988 approx. 5,000 Aston Martin cars were made. In 1993 the company announced the DB7. In 2002, when production reached 6,000, the DB7 became the top selling DB model.

The DB9 coupe was introduced in 2003, followed by a convertible version the following year. In March 2007 the Ford Motor Company sold Aston Martin to a British consortium led by David Richards. 8.7.2. Austin The Austin Motor Company was founded in 1905 by Herbert Austin, becoming a private limited company in 1908. In 1906 the company produced a large 5 litre family sized model, the first of about 8 different models that were produced in this first decade. In its first year the company produced 23 cars. By 1917 the company’s factory at Longbridge was the largest of its type in Great Britain. The first model introduced after the end of World War 1 was the Austin 20 in 1919. In 1922 a scaled down version, the Austin 12, was produced. Another model introduced in 1922 was the Austin 7, which remained in production until 1939 by which time over 375,000 had been made. It was also being built in Germany, U.S.A and France.

In the early 1930s it was the most popular car in the world. The car had a 747 cc engine and a top speed of 42 mph (67 kph). The first cars produced after World War 2 were based on pre-war designs. These were the Austin 8, 10, 12 & 16 models. The 1,200 cc Austin A40 was the company’s first post war designed car and was produced between 1947 and 1951. By 1952 Austin had produced some 28 different models since it started production in 1906 and two million cars. In 1952 the company merged with Morris Motors to form the British Motor Corporation (which was taken over in 1968 and renamed the British Leyland Motor Company). Whilst part of British Leyland the Austin-Healey 100 (1953-56), Sprite (1958-70) and 3000 (1959-67) sports cars were manufactured.

In 1959 the Austin Mini was introduced and 5,387,862 were produced by the year 2000. These cars had an 848 or 1,275 cc 4-cylinder transverse engine and a top speed of 72 or 96 mph (115/154 kph), dependent on which engine was fitted. Between 1952 and 1989, when the last car to carry the Austin name was built, about 14 new models were introduced, including the Austin A30, A40, A60 Cambridge, 1100/1300, 1800, Maxi, Allegro and Metro. 8.7.3. Bentley The Bentley Motor Company was founded in 1918 by two brothers; Walter and H Bentley. Most of the early models were very successful racing cars, one of the most famous being the 3.0 litre Bentley, which had a top speed of 80 mph (128 kph).

It won the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1924, with other models winning from 1927 to 1930. Between 1921 and 1927 the company produced 1,633 of these 3 litre cars. The Company was seriously affected by the 1929 stock market crash, having just launched its ultra-luxury 8-litre model and only 100 were made. After producing just over 3,000 cars the company was bought by Rolls-Royce in 1931. The first model produced after the end of World War 2 bearing the Bentley name was the 4.3 litre Mark Vl (1946-52), with a convertible version introduced in 1951. In 1952 the R Type was introduced and 2,320 of these 4,566 cc cars were made. The 4,887 cc Continental version was produced for the European market; the first Bentley car to carry the Continental name, and 207 were made by 1955.

The S2 Type was produced between 1959 and 1962, followed by the S3 (1962-65), the T1 (1965-77), and the T2 (1977-81). 2007 Models include the Brooklands, Arnage, Azure and Continental. 8.7.4. Jaguar In 1932 the Swallow Sidecar Company produced its first car; the two-door SS 1. In the mid 1930s the company produced the Jaguar SS100, the first car to carry the Jaguar name. Just over 300 of these 2.5 and 3.5 litre cars were made. Immediately after World War 2 the company changed its name to Jaguar Cars Limited due to the link between the initials “SS” and Nazi Germany. The first cars bearing solely the Jaguar name were the pre-war designed 1.5/2.5/3.5 litre models that were produced from 1945 to 1948. The Mark V, produced in 1948, was the first post war designed model.

Shortly afterwards the company launched the XK120. This was followed by the XK140 in 1954 and the XK150 in 1957. About 72,500 E-Type Jaguars were produced between 1961 and 1973. The car had a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds. In 1968 the top selling XJ6 entered service and by 1979 over 155,000 had been made. After various mergers during the 1960s and then nationalisation, the company became a separate company again in 1984. Five years later it was acquired by the Ford Motor Company. Other models produced between 1950 and 1980 include the S Type, 240, 420, Mk 1, Mk 2 (over 90,000 produced), Mk V11/Vlll/lX and the XJ12.

Models produced since 1980 include the XJS 5.3, XK8 and XJ8. The 2007 range includes the XK, XJ, and XF range, the S Types and the X Types. 8.7.5. Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Limited was formed in 1906 by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. In 1904 an agreement had been reached that C S Rolls & Co would sell only cars manufactured by Royce Limited and that the cars would bear the name “Rolls-Royce”. Between 1904 and the start of World War 2 in 1939 about 22,200 cars were produced. In 1907 the company launched the six-cylinder Silver Ghost, selling 6,173 by 1925. Between 1906 and 1972 the company produced some 20 different models, including the Phantom, Wraith, Silver Wraith, Silver Dawn and Silver Shadow range. In 1971 Rolls-Royce Limited was nationalised by the British Government when it encountered serious financial problems.

Two years later, in 1973, it was de-nationalised with the formation of “Rolls-Royce Motors” and “Rolls-Royce Limited” (aero-engine business). In 1975 “Rolls-Royce Motors” launched the Camargue, production of which ceased in 1986. “Rolls Royce Motors” was acquired by the British company Vickers in 1980 and then, in 1998, by Volkswagen. The rights to the Rolls-Royce name and logo were, however, licensed to BMW and “Rolls-Royce Motors” were only allowed to use the name and logo until 1 January 2003. In 2002 the Volkswagen owned “Rolls-Royce Motors” ceased production of their Corniche model. In January 2003 BMW’s subsidiary “Rolls-Royce Motor Cars” launched their Phantom model. 8.7.6. MG The MG letters are derived from the initials of Morris Garages Ltd, which was a distributor for Morris Cars Ltd from 1913 until the late 1920s.

In 1922 Cecil Kimber became General Manager of Morris Garages and in 1923 he started to produce customised Morris cars. These “specials” became known as “Morris Garage Chummys”. Within a year, possibly initially along with the Morris badge, the distinctive octagon MG badge started to appear. The 1924 14/28 MG Super Sports Morris is considered by many to be the first car fitted with the MG badge (fitted on the car’s running boards). 440 were built between 1924 and 1927. This 1,802 cc model, which had a top speed of 65 mph (104 kph), consisted of a new sports body fitted to a Morris Oxford chassis. Just before Cecil Kimber’s death in 1945 he referred to a car called “Old Number One” (FC 7900) as the “first M.G. car I ever built.” The MG badge was fitted on the side of the car. The car had a 1,496 cc Hotchkiss four-cylinder engine and produced about 38 bhp.

The car was registered in March 1925, just prior to the competitive event for which it was built. In 1927 Morris Garages introduced the MG 14/40 model. This was followed in 1928 by the MG 18/80, a car considered to be the first purpose built MG. In addition to its specially designed chassis, the Morris type bullnose radiator was replaced on this model with the now traditional MG grille. In 1929 MG cars produced M-Type Midget, the first in a long line of “Midget” sports cars models. 1930s Company records are said to indicate that the M.G. Car Company Ltd (Reg # 249645) was formed in 1930. In what month? In that year MG built about 1,000 cars. The first car produced in 1930 by the newly formed Company was the MG 18/100 “Tigress” racing car. Two further racing cars were produced in the 1930s, the Q-Type in 1934 and the R-Type in 1935.

In 1935 the M.G. Car Company was sold to Morris Motors Ltd. Up to the start of World War 2 in 1939 the company produced more than 10 different sports models, a small salon car, the MG KN (1933-34), another medium sized car, the MG VA (1937-39) and the two larger salon cars, the MG SA (1936-39) and the WA (1938-39). 1940s The first car produced after World War 2 was the 1,250 cc MG TC Midget, a sports car that had a top speed of 78 mph (125 kph). Between 1945 and 1949 over 10,000 were built. In 1947 MG introduced the YA Type, a medium sized saloon car that had been developed by late 1939. Nearly 6,200 of these cars were built up to 1951.

1950s During the 1950s MG also produced 3 models of the TD Midegt (1950-53); a total of 29,566 + 98 in 1949, the TF Midget (1953-55); a total of 9,600 (including 3,400 1,466 cc models), the 1,488 cc MGA (1955-62); a total of 101,081 and three Magnette models, the ZA, ZB & Mk lll (1953-61). 1960s Between 1961 and 1968 the company produced the Mk lV Magnette. The 1,798 cc MGB was produced from 1962 to 1980, a car with a top speed of 105 mph (168 kph). Including a GT version, over 500,000 of these cars were built.

In 1975 an MGB became the one millionth MG car. In 1962 the company also started production of their MG 1100 model, with nearly 117,000 being built by 1967. MG also produced the 1300 model from 1967 to 1973. Other Models Other models produced up to 2007 include the MG Midget, MGC, RV8, MGF & TF, Maestro, Montego, Metro, MG ZR, ZS & ZT, MG 3, MG 7 and the MG XPower SV.

Ownership Between 1935 and 2007 t MG has been owned by Morris Motors & the Nuffield Organistion (1935-52), BMC (1952-68), BLMC (1968-86), Rover Group (1986-88), BAe (1988-94), BMW (1994-2000), the MG Rover Group (2000-05) and the Nanjing Automobile Group of China since 2005. 8.7.7. Morris William Richard Morris formed WRM Motors in 1912 and by 1913 he had produced his first car, the 1018 cc two-seater Morris Oxford (Bullnose). By the end of 1914, including a coupe version, over 1300 of these cars had been built. In 1915 the company introduced a larger car, the 1.5 litre 4-seater Morris Cowley.

Between 1915 and 1917 just over 1,140 Morris Cowley and Oxford cars were produced. In 1919 WRM Motors ceased trading and Morris Motors Ltd was established. In 1926, just before the renowned “Bullnose” radiator was replaced by a flat one, the Cowley and Oxford models accounted for over 40% of all British car production. Production of these first two models ceased in the mid 1930s. In 1928 the company produced the first in a range of Morris Minor models. Between 1928 and 1933 over 86,000 of these 847 cc cars were built. The model was replaced by the Morris Eight. Production of the Morris 8 (hp) started in 1935, with the 100,000th being delivered on 30 June 1936. Within 3 years nearly 220,000 were built, including the updated Series 1, Series 2 and Series E.

A wide range of other models were produced during the 1930s, including the 1,938 and 2,062 cc Oxford Six (1929-33), the Isis (1930-35), the 16 & 20 models, with over 6,300 produced (1934-35), the 14/16/18 range (1935-39), the Morris 10 (1933-48) and the Morris 8 (1935-48). In 1937 the Morris Company became Europe’s largest vehicle manufacturer and by 1939 it was the first British company to produce one million vehicles. In 1938 Morris Motors Ltd merged with the MG Car Company and Riley to form the Nuffield Organisation. Production resumed after World Two (1939-45) with the pre-war Morris 8 and 10. In 1948 the model 8 was replaced by the Morris Minor and the model 10 by the Morris Oxford.

The Morris Six MS was also introduced in 1948. Between 1948 and 1971 three versions of the Morris Minor were produced; the 918 cc MM model (1948-53), the 803 cc Series 2 (1952-56) and the 948 and 1098 cc Morris 1000, of which nearly 850,000 were built (1956-71). In 1961 the one millionth Morris Minor was built, the first British car to achieve this figure. The 1,476 cc Morris Oxford MO model was produced from 1948 to 1954 and nearly 160,000 were built. The 40.5 hp (30 kW) car had a top speed of 72 mph (115 kph). Between 1954 and 1961 four further versions of the Morris Oxford, all with a 1,489 cc engine, were produced.

The Hindustan Ambassador produced in India (1958 and still in production in 2007) was based upon the Oxford lll model. See Part 2, Section 8.9.1 . The final version was the 1,622 cc Oxford Vl (1961-71), of which over 208,000 were built. In 1952 the Nuffield Organisation merged with the Austin Motor Company to become the British Motor Corporation (BMC). In 1968 BMC became part of British Leyland Motor Corporation and then British Leyland in 1975. The “Mini” car was first produced in 1959 and was originally sold by BMC as both the Austin 7 and the Morris Mini-Minor. In North America and France it was called the Austin 850 and Morris 850. The car was first named the “Mini” in 1961. It was the first front wheel drive car in the world with a traverse fitted engine. This two-door car had an 848 cc engine and was only 10 feet (305 cm) long.

It had a top speed of 72 mph (115 kph). The Mini Cooper version was produced in 1964 with a 997 cc engine, which was later increased to 1,275 cc, giving the car a top speed of 98 mph (157 kph). When production of the Mini Cooper ceased in 1971 150,000 had been built. A newer version was introduced in 1990. In 2000, when production of the Mini ended, over 5.3 million had been built. During this time three upgrades had taken place; the Mk ll, the Clubman and the Mk lll, plus an estate version and the Mini Moke. In 2001 BMW produced a newly styled Mini One and Mini Cooper. Other Morris cars produced include the 1100, with over 800,000 built (1962-71), the 1300 (1967), the 1800 (1966-75) and the Marina (1971-80).

The Ital model (1980-84) was the last car to carry the Morris name. 8.7.8. Other British Car Manufacturers AC, Alvis, Argyll, Armstrong Siddley, Bond, Bristol, BSA, Healey, Hillman, Humber, Jenson, Jowett, Lagonda, Lanchester, Lea Francis, Lotus, Metropolitan, Morgan, Napier, Panther, Reliant, Riley, Rover, Singer, Standard, Sunbeam, Triumph, TVR, Vanden Plas, Vanguard, Vauxhall and Wolseley. 8.7.9. British Car Web Sites British Motor Manufacturers

Question: From 1925 to 1935, what did the letters "MG" on a make of English sports car signify?
Answer: Morris Garages