Sports car projects
BMC and BL were both knocked for some of their bread and butter cars, but revered for their sports cars. Here, we take a closer look at some of the sports cars that did not make it.
ADO56
Although he is known to have favoured rear-wheel drive for sports cars, Alec Issigonis nevertheless instigated the development of this Mini-based MG coupé...
Enter...
ADO34, 35 and 36
These three related projects produced a number of prototypes for a small, Mini-based sportscar series, to be sold in MG and Austin-Healey forms.
Rootes Asp project
Promising little lightweight sports car based on the Hillman Imp would have scored well. Sadly, a lack of resources at Rootes meant it would never see the light of day.
MG EX234
The Pininfarina styled, Hydrolastic suspended Midget/MGB replacement. It had all the ingredients for success - but not the commitment of the management.
ADO68: Project Condor
Having recently headhunted the gifted Roy Haynes from Ford, BMC had put this man's talents to good use. The first fruits of his labour were the Marina and Mini Clubman, but the Cowley based designer had plans for a range of sporting coupés based on the floorpans of their more humble saloon cousins...
ADO21
After an already long innings, MG looked again at the idea of developing a replacement for the MGB. This time, the company began to actively pursue something more dramatic...
ADO30
Or Fireball XL5 as it was known to its friends. Robert Leitch tells its remarkable story...
ADO70: The Michelotti Mini
The MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite needed a replacement and this stylish Michelotti-penned creation was to be that car...
ADO76: The facelifted MGB
Michelotti style for the MGB? Don't bet against the proposal.
The Triumph projects: Bullet, Lynx and Broadside
Triumph needed a next generation of sports cars to replace the rapidly ageing TR6/GT6, and with the help of Michelotti the new cars were soon forthcoming.
The Aston MGB
When BL announced that it was going to close Abingdon, Aston Martin's chairman, Alan Curtis, led a consortium to buy the factory. The venture was a failure, but it did give us this interesting facelifted MGB...
MG EX-E
Austin Rover design under Roy Axe was an exciting place to be - here's the ultimate manifestation of how a future MG should look - and it still looks good today..
Matra M72
Meet the original CityRover
OMNI MG Project
Pictures of the MG Proposal by OMNI Design. All further information gratefully received....
MG GT Concept
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the formation of MG, this latter-day MGB GT was rolled out....
Pictures of ADO56, ADO35, EX234 and ADO68 taken from "MG: The Untold Story", by David Knowles
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