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3 days ago
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- The Advertiser
2025 Frontline MGA review: Quick drive
Australia and the MGA go way back. From 1957 to mid-1962 more than 2000 MGAs were assembled in factories at Enfield and Zetland in Sydney. In a streetscape then dominated by chunky Holden sedans and blocky Bedford trucks, the British sports car was a sensation, turning heads like Ferraris or Lamborghinis do today. Under its sheet metal this MG still had the separate chassis, lever-arm shocks, leaf-spring live rear axle and wooden floor of the vintage vibe TC, TD, and TF models that preceded it. But it looked modern, with streamlined bodywork styled by MG's chief designer Syd Enever that was inspired by the rebodied TD roadster he had created in 1951 for the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Six decades later, the MGA is back – and this one's going to turn heads, too. Developed in Britain by MG restoration and restomod specialist Frontline Cars, the new Frontline MGA looks like a carefully restored classic. But under the skin is a modern powertrain, plus redesigned and upgraded suspension, brake, and steering hardware, that combine to make it a brilliantly beguiling sports car. The Frontline MGA follows the formula established with the company's long line of MGB restomods. "The MGA was the natural next step for us," explains Tim Fenna, founder and chief engineer of Frontline Cars. "It's an icon of British motoring, but one that was always crying out for more performance and refinement." Australian market versions of the car will be manufactured, sold and serviced by Sydney-based Frontline Cars Australia, a subsidiary of Modern Classic Cars Foundation, which has built Frontline MGBs for the past 10 years. Frontline Australia MGAs start with an Australian market donor car – a roadster, or the rarer coupe – that can either be sourced by Frontline or supplied by the customer. The chassis is strengthened and fitted with a redesigned front suspension that features Nitron telescopic shocks and fabricated upper links in place of the vintage lever-arm shocks that were standard on the original MGA. The original leaf-sprung banjo rear axle is swapped for a late model MGB unit that's been modified to allow coil springs and Nitron shocks and is located by upper and lower trailing links and a Panhard rod. Other chassis upgrades include disc brakes all round, the front rotors vented and clamped by four-piston calipers, and electronic rack and pinion steering. Customers can choose between traditional-style 15-inch wire wheels or 15-inch Dunlop alloys that look like the wheels fitted to Jaguar's D-Type and Lightweight E-Type racers during the 1950s and 60s. Customers can choose between two naturally aspirated Mazda engines, one a 2.0-litre unit that develops 168kW of power at 7200rpm and 241Nm of torque at 4500rpm, the other a 2.5-litre unit that develops 216kW at 7100rpm and 330Nm at 4200rpm. They drive the rear wheels through a Mazda five-speed manual transmission. Each engine features a bespoke individual throttle body induction system, revised camshaft profiles, a new ECU, and a tuned stainless steel exhaust system. The 2.5-litre engine's balance shaft has been removed to reduce frictional losses and improve throttle response. All the mechanical hardware is topped with a body that retains its stock dimensions but has been carefully reworked to improve its structural rigidity, primarily by way of the addition of an aluminium honeycomb floor (British-built models have a steel floor) that now tightly ties together the bodysides. Detail bodywork changes include the removal of the front indicators – they are now located within the modern LED headlight units – and the deletion of the octagonal MG badge from the boot lid. Look closely and you'll also see discreet Frontline badging near the vents either side of the narrow bonnet, but otherwise the Frontline MGA looks just like a beautifully restored original car. The cockpit is more luxuriously trimmed, in leather or Alcantara, than that of any original MGA, however. The dash features Frontline-branded Smiths dials, and there's an audio system with two speakers, two tweeters, an amplifier, and a Bluetooth module all controlled by a discreetly hidden head unit. The modern luxuries don't stop there. Customers can specify heated versions of Frontline's optional aluminium-framed bucket seats, and one-touch electric windows are available on the coupé. Air-conditioning is also available as an option. Australian-spec cars get a host of minor detail changes – everything from ADR-approved seat belts to steel brake lines – that allow the Frontline MGA to be registered on Australian roads. We had the chance to get behind the wheel of the first Frontline MGA built, a British-spec car fitted with the 2.0-litre engine, and a relatively tall 3.07 diff rather than the 3.4 or 3.7 ratios typically used in the Frontline MGBs because the owner wanted the car to feel relaxed while cruising. And relaxed it is: At 80km/h in fifth gear the Mazda engine, which will rev enthusiastically to 7750rpm, is turning just 2000rpm. The engine sounds properly rorty-snorty when you take it through the gears, like an old-school British performance four-cylinder engine. And though the Mazda four has much more top-end bite than any of those old Brit engines, it has a similarly solid swathe of mid-range torque you can exploit with the transmission's tightly packed ratios. The Mazda powertrain weighs 60kg less than the vintage MG hardware, which takes weight off the front axle and means the Frontline MGA tips the scales at about 900kg. So, despite its tall diff ratio, the little MG felt marvelously alive on British B-roads, easily scooting to 130km/h or 145km/h between the corners. The ride is tightly controlled, but it's not harsh, thanks to the way the Nitron shocks deal with sharp inputs and the absorptive quality of the generously sidewalled 185/65 R15 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. The electronic power steering assists up to about 50km/h, then drops away. Feel and feedback through the steering wheel rim is terrific. You can have manual steering if you want. Don't bother. It'll only make you sweat muscling the woodrim steering wheel at low speeds. Like all old-school rear drive sports cars, the Frontline MGA likes to be braked in a straight line, then turned into a late apex as you get on the throttle. Get too ambitious with your right foot, though, and the abundant traction from the standard Quaife limited-slip differential will push the nose wide. Brake feel is very good, and the well-placed pedals, combined with the beautifully crisp throttle response and the short throws of the transmission, make heel-and-toe downshifts a cinch. What stands out about the Frontline MGA, however, is how taut and tight it feels. There's no scuttle shake – none – and no vibration back through the steering. Suspension noise and impact harshness are very well suppressed. Though it's very light, and with a live rear axle, the car feels astonishingly planted and composed, even on indifferent roads. In terms of the way it drives the Frontline MGA is a truly stunning piece of work. Indeed, there are modern sports cars that don't feel as coherent as this reworked MG. For sheer fun and driver engagement the modern sports car that comes closest to the Frontline MGA is – ironically, given its powertrain – Mazda's MX-5 roadster, a car that is 47mm shorter, with an 80mm shorter wheelbase, but 262mm wider and at least 170kg heavier. There's something else in the MX-5 comparison, too: The idea that less is more. Tim Fenna says the 2.0-litre Frontline MGA takes about 5.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100km/h (the 135kW MX-5 takes at least 6.0 seconds). The 2.0-litre Frontline car is thus just 0.7 seconds slower to 100km/h than the 2.5-litre model, and both versions have a top speed of 250km/h. Increased cost of the bigger engine aside, we suspect its extra power and torque could make the Frontline MGA, which has neither traction control nor ABS, a bit of a handful, especially on a wet road. The 2.0-litre model feels the sweet-spot car. The original MGA was a relatively affordable sports car. The Frontline MGA is not, with prices starting at about $290,000 plus taxes and shipping and the cost of a donor car, according to Frontline Australia CEO David Dyer. "The major reason for building the car in Australia is the customer can get involved," Dyer says. It also means access to a reasonable stock of relatively rust-free right-hand drive donor cars – 81,000 of the 101,000 MGAs built between 1955 and 1962 were exported to the US, and fewer than 1900 right-hand drive cars are believed to exist in the UK. What's more, the Australian-built Frontline MGA doesn't attract the imported vehicle luxury car tax. Yes, the Frontline MGA is expensive. But for the money you get a genuinely bespoke, joyously analogue driver's car that's thoroughly engaging at real-world speeds on real-world roads. And it will turn more heads than any run-of-the-mill modern Ferrari or Everything MG Content originally sourced from: Australia and the MGA go way back. From 1957 to mid-1962 more than 2000 MGAs were assembled in factories at Enfield and Zetland in Sydney. In a streetscape then dominated by chunky Holden sedans and blocky Bedford trucks, the British sports car was a sensation, turning heads like Ferraris or Lamborghinis do today. Under its sheet metal this MG still had the separate chassis, lever-arm shocks, leaf-spring live rear axle and wooden floor of the vintage vibe TC, TD, and TF models that preceded it. But it looked modern, with streamlined bodywork styled by MG's chief designer Syd Enever that was inspired by the rebodied TD roadster he had created in 1951 for the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Six decades later, the MGA is back – and this one's going to turn heads, too. Developed in Britain by MG restoration and restomod specialist Frontline Cars, the new Frontline MGA looks like a carefully restored classic. But under the skin is a modern powertrain, plus redesigned and upgraded suspension, brake, and steering hardware, that combine to make it a brilliantly beguiling sports car. The Frontline MGA follows the formula established with the company's long line of MGB restomods. "The MGA was the natural next step for us," explains Tim Fenna, founder and chief engineer of Frontline Cars. "It's an icon of British motoring, but one that was always crying out for more performance and refinement." Australian market versions of the car will be manufactured, sold and serviced by Sydney-based Frontline Cars Australia, a subsidiary of Modern Classic Cars Foundation, which has built Frontline MGBs for the past 10 years. Frontline Australia MGAs start with an Australian market donor car – a roadster, or the rarer coupe – that can either be sourced by Frontline or supplied by the customer. The chassis is strengthened and fitted with a redesigned front suspension that features Nitron telescopic shocks and fabricated upper links in place of the vintage lever-arm shocks that were standard on the original MGA. The original leaf-sprung banjo rear axle is swapped for a late model MGB unit that's been modified to allow coil springs and Nitron shocks and is located by upper and lower trailing links and a Panhard rod. Other chassis upgrades include disc brakes all round, the front rotors vented and clamped by four-piston calipers, and electronic rack and pinion steering. Customers can choose between traditional-style 15-inch wire wheels or 15-inch Dunlop alloys that look like the wheels fitted to Jaguar's D-Type and Lightweight E-Type racers during the 1950s and 60s. Customers can choose between two naturally aspirated Mazda engines, one a 2.0-litre unit that develops 168kW of power at 7200rpm and 241Nm of torque at 4500rpm, the other a 2.5-litre unit that develops 216kW at 7100rpm and 330Nm at 4200rpm. They drive the rear wheels through a Mazda five-speed manual transmission. Each engine features a bespoke individual throttle body induction system, revised camshaft profiles, a new ECU, and a tuned stainless steel exhaust system. The 2.5-litre engine's balance shaft has been removed to reduce frictional losses and improve throttle response. All the mechanical hardware is topped with a body that retains its stock dimensions but has been carefully reworked to improve its structural rigidity, primarily by way of the addition of an aluminium honeycomb floor (British-built models have a steel floor) that now tightly ties together the bodysides. Detail bodywork changes include the removal of the front indicators – they are now located within the modern LED headlight units – and the deletion of the octagonal MG badge from the boot lid. Look closely and you'll also see discreet Frontline badging near the vents either side of the narrow bonnet, but otherwise the Frontline MGA looks just like a beautifully restored original car. The cockpit is more luxuriously trimmed, in leather or Alcantara, than that of any original MGA, however. The dash features Frontline-branded Smiths dials, and there's an audio system with two speakers, two tweeters, an amplifier, and a Bluetooth module all controlled by a discreetly hidden head unit. The modern luxuries don't stop there. Customers can specify heated versions of Frontline's optional aluminium-framed bucket seats, and one-touch electric windows are available on the coupé. Air-conditioning is also available as an option. Australian-spec cars get a host of minor detail changes – everything from ADR-approved seat belts to steel brake lines – that allow the Frontline MGA to be registered on Australian roads. We had the chance to get behind the wheel of the first Frontline MGA built, a British-spec car fitted with the 2.0-litre engine, and a relatively tall 3.07 diff rather than the 3.4 or 3.7 ratios typically used in the Frontline MGBs because the owner wanted the car to feel relaxed while cruising. And relaxed it is: At 80km/h in fifth gear the Mazda engine, which will rev enthusiastically to 7750rpm, is turning just 2000rpm. The engine sounds properly rorty-snorty when you take it through the gears, like an old-school British performance four-cylinder engine. And though the Mazda four has much more top-end bite than any of those old Brit engines, it has a similarly solid swathe of mid-range torque you can exploit with the transmission's tightly packed ratios. The Mazda powertrain weighs 60kg less than the vintage MG hardware, which takes weight off the front axle and means the Frontline MGA tips the scales at about 900kg. So, despite its tall diff ratio, the little MG felt marvelously alive on British B-roads, easily scooting to 130km/h or 145km/h between the corners. The ride is tightly controlled, but it's not harsh, thanks to the way the Nitron shocks deal with sharp inputs and the absorptive quality of the generously sidewalled 185/65 R15 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. The electronic power steering assists up to about 50km/h, then drops away. Feel and feedback through the steering wheel rim is terrific. You can have manual steering if you want. Don't bother. It'll only make you sweat muscling the woodrim steering wheel at low speeds. Like all old-school rear drive sports cars, the Frontline MGA likes to be braked in a straight line, then turned into a late apex as you get on the throttle. Get too ambitious with your right foot, though, and the abundant traction from the standard Quaife limited-slip differential will push the nose wide. Brake feel is very good, and the well-placed pedals, combined with the beautifully crisp throttle response and the short throws of the transmission, make heel-and-toe downshifts a cinch. What stands out about the Frontline MGA, however, is how taut and tight it feels. There's no scuttle shake – none – and no vibration back through the steering. Suspension noise and impact harshness are very well suppressed. Though it's very light, and with a live rear axle, the car feels astonishingly planted and composed, even on indifferent roads. In terms of the way it drives the Frontline MGA is a truly stunning piece of work. Indeed, there are modern sports cars that don't feel as coherent as this reworked MG. For sheer fun and driver engagement the modern sports car that comes closest to the Frontline MGA is – ironically, given its powertrain – Mazda's MX-5 roadster, a car that is 47mm shorter, with an 80mm shorter wheelbase, but 262mm wider and at least 170kg heavier. There's something else in the MX-5 comparison, too: The idea that less is more. Tim Fenna says the 2.0-litre Frontline MGA takes about 5.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100km/h (the 135kW MX-5 takes at least 6.0 seconds). The 2.0-litre Frontline car is thus just 0.7 seconds slower to 100km/h than the 2.5-litre model, and both versions have a top speed of 250km/h. Increased cost of the bigger engine aside, we suspect its extra power and torque could make the Frontline MGA, which has neither traction control nor ABS, a bit of a handful, especially on a wet road. The 2.0-litre model feels the sweet-spot car. The original MGA was a relatively affordable sports car. The Frontline MGA is not, with prices starting at about $290,000 plus taxes and shipping and the cost of a donor car, according to Frontline Australia CEO David Dyer. "The major reason for building the car in Australia is the customer can get involved," Dyer says. It also means access to a reasonable stock of relatively rust-free right-hand drive donor cars – 81,000 of the 101,000 MGAs built between 1955 and 1962 were exported to the US, and fewer than 1900 right-hand drive cars are believed to exist in the UK. What's more, the Australian-built Frontline MGA doesn't attract the imported vehicle luxury car tax. Yes, the Frontline MGA is expensive. But for the money you get a genuinely bespoke, joyously analogue driver's car that's thoroughly engaging at real-world speeds on real-world roads. And it will turn more heads than any run-of-the-mill modern Ferrari or Everything MG Content originally sourced from: Australia and the MGA go way back. From 1957 to mid-1962 more than 2000 MGAs were assembled in factories at Enfield and Zetland in Sydney. In a streetscape then dominated by chunky Holden sedans and blocky Bedford trucks, the British sports car was a sensation, turning heads like Ferraris or Lamborghinis do today. Under its sheet metal this MG still had the separate chassis, lever-arm shocks, leaf-spring live rear axle and wooden floor of the vintage vibe TC, TD, and TF models that preceded it. But it looked modern, with streamlined bodywork styled by MG's chief designer Syd Enever that was inspired by the rebodied TD roadster he had created in 1951 for the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Six decades later, the MGA is back – and this one's going to turn heads, too. Developed in Britain by MG restoration and restomod specialist Frontline Cars, the new Frontline MGA looks like a carefully restored classic. But under the skin is a modern powertrain, plus redesigned and upgraded suspension, brake, and steering hardware, that combine to make it a brilliantly beguiling sports car. The Frontline MGA follows the formula established with the company's long line of MGB restomods. "The MGA was the natural next step for us," explains Tim Fenna, founder and chief engineer of Frontline Cars. "It's an icon of British motoring, but one that was always crying out for more performance and refinement." Australian market versions of the car will be manufactured, sold and serviced by Sydney-based Frontline Cars Australia, a subsidiary of Modern Classic Cars Foundation, which has built Frontline MGBs for the past 10 years. Frontline Australia MGAs start with an Australian market donor car – a roadster, or the rarer coupe – that can either be sourced by Frontline or supplied by the customer. The chassis is strengthened and fitted with a redesigned front suspension that features Nitron telescopic shocks and fabricated upper links in place of the vintage lever-arm shocks that were standard on the original MGA. The original leaf-sprung banjo rear axle is swapped for a late model MGB unit that's been modified to allow coil springs and Nitron shocks and is located by upper and lower trailing links and a Panhard rod. Other chassis upgrades include disc brakes all round, the front rotors vented and clamped by four-piston calipers, and electronic rack and pinion steering. Customers can choose between traditional-style 15-inch wire wheels or 15-inch Dunlop alloys that look like the wheels fitted to Jaguar's D-Type and Lightweight E-Type racers during the 1950s and 60s. Customers can choose between two naturally aspirated Mazda engines, one a 2.0-litre unit that develops 168kW of power at 7200rpm and 241Nm of torque at 4500rpm, the other a 2.5-litre unit that develops 216kW at 7100rpm and 330Nm at 4200rpm. They drive the rear wheels through a Mazda five-speed manual transmission. Each engine features a bespoke individual throttle body induction system, revised camshaft profiles, a new ECU, and a tuned stainless steel exhaust system. The 2.5-litre engine's balance shaft has been removed to reduce frictional losses and improve throttle response. All the mechanical hardware is topped with a body that retains its stock dimensions but has been carefully reworked to improve its structural rigidity, primarily by way of the addition of an aluminium honeycomb floor (British-built models have a steel floor) that now tightly ties together the bodysides. Detail bodywork changes include the removal of the front indicators – they are now located within the modern LED headlight units – and the deletion of the octagonal MG badge from the boot lid. Look closely and you'll also see discreet Frontline badging near the vents either side of the narrow bonnet, but otherwise the Frontline MGA looks just like a beautifully restored original car. The cockpit is more luxuriously trimmed, in leather or Alcantara, than that of any original MGA, however. The dash features Frontline-branded Smiths dials, and there's an audio system with two speakers, two tweeters, an amplifier, and a Bluetooth module all controlled by a discreetly hidden head unit. The modern luxuries don't stop there. Customers can specify heated versions of Frontline's optional aluminium-framed bucket seats, and one-touch electric windows are available on the coupé. Air-conditioning is also available as an option. Australian-spec cars get a host of minor detail changes – everything from ADR-approved seat belts to steel brake lines – that allow the Frontline MGA to be registered on Australian roads. We had the chance to get behind the wheel of the first Frontline MGA built, a British-spec car fitted with the 2.0-litre engine, and a relatively tall 3.07 diff rather than the 3.4 or 3.7 ratios typically used in the Frontline MGBs because the owner wanted the car to feel relaxed while cruising. And relaxed it is: At 80km/h in fifth gear the Mazda engine, which will rev enthusiastically to 7750rpm, is turning just 2000rpm. The engine sounds properly rorty-snorty when you take it through the gears, like an old-school British performance four-cylinder engine. And though the Mazda four has much more top-end bite than any of those old Brit engines, it has a similarly solid swathe of mid-range torque you can exploit with the transmission's tightly packed ratios. The Mazda powertrain weighs 60kg less than the vintage MG hardware, which takes weight off the front axle and means the Frontline MGA tips the scales at about 900kg. So, despite its tall diff ratio, the little MG felt marvelously alive on British B-roads, easily scooting to 130km/h or 145km/h between the corners. The ride is tightly controlled, but it's not harsh, thanks to the way the Nitron shocks deal with sharp inputs and the absorptive quality of the generously sidewalled 185/65 R15 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. The electronic power steering assists up to about 50km/h, then drops away. Feel and feedback through the steering wheel rim is terrific. You can have manual steering if you want. Don't bother. It'll only make you sweat muscling the woodrim steering wheel at low speeds. Like all old-school rear drive sports cars, the Frontline MGA likes to be braked in a straight line, then turned into a late apex as you get on the throttle. Get too ambitious with your right foot, though, and the abundant traction from the standard Quaife limited-slip differential will push the nose wide. Brake feel is very good, and the well-placed pedals, combined with the beautifully crisp throttle response and the short throws of the transmission, make heel-and-toe downshifts a cinch. What stands out about the Frontline MGA, however, is how taut and tight it feels. There's no scuttle shake – none – and no vibration back through the steering. Suspension noise and impact harshness are very well suppressed. Though it's very light, and with a live rear axle, the car feels astonishingly planted and composed, even on indifferent roads. In terms of the way it drives the Frontline MGA is a truly stunning piece of work. Indeed, there are modern sports cars that don't feel as coherent as this reworked MG. For sheer fun and driver engagement the modern sports car that comes closest to the Frontline MGA is – ironically, given its powertrain – Mazda's MX-5 roadster, a car that is 47mm shorter, with an 80mm shorter wheelbase, but 262mm wider and at least 170kg heavier. There's something else in the MX-5 comparison, too: The idea that less is more. Tim Fenna says the 2.0-litre Frontline MGA takes about 5.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100km/h (the 135kW MX-5 takes at least 6.0 seconds). The 2.0-litre Frontline car is thus just 0.7 seconds slower to 100km/h than the 2.5-litre model, and both versions have a top speed of 250km/h. Increased cost of the bigger engine aside, we suspect its extra power and torque could make the Frontline MGA, which has neither traction control nor ABS, a bit of a handful, especially on a wet road. The 2.0-litre model feels the sweet-spot car. The original MGA was a relatively affordable sports car. The Frontline MGA is not, with prices starting at about $290,000 plus taxes and shipping and the cost of a donor car, according to Frontline Australia CEO David Dyer. "The major reason for building the car in Australia is the customer can get involved," Dyer says. It also means access to a reasonable stock of relatively rust-free right-hand drive donor cars – 81,000 of the 101,000 MGAs built between 1955 and 1962 were exported to the US, and fewer than 1900 right-hand drive cars are believed to exist in the UK. What's more, the Australian-built Frontline MGA doesn't attract the imported vehicle luxury car tax. Yes, the Frontline MGA is expensive. But for the money you get a genuinely bespoke, joyously analogue driver's car that's thoroughly engaging at real-world speeds on real-world roads. And it will turn more heads than any run-of-the-mill modern Ferrari or Everything MG Content originally sourced from: Australia and the MGA go way back. From 1957 to mid-1962 more than 2000 MGAs were assembled in factories at Enfield and Zetland in Sydney. In a streetscape then dominated by chunky Holden sedans and blocky Bedford trucks, the British sports car was a sensation, turning heads like Ferraris or Lamborghinis do today. Under its sheet metal this MG still had the separate chassis, lever-arm shocks, leaf-spring live rear axle and wooden floor of the vintage vibe TC, TD, and TF models that preceded it. But it looked modern, with streamlined bodywork styled by MG's chief designer Syd Enever that was inspired by the rebodied TD roadster he had created in 1951 for the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Six decades later, the MGA is back – and this one's going to turn heads, too. Developed in Britain by MG restoration and restomod specialist Frontline Cars, the new Frontline MGA looks like a carefully restored classic. But under the skin is a modern powertrain, plus redesigned and upgraded suspension, brake, and steering hardware, that combine to make it a brilliantly beguiling sports car. The Frontline MGA follows the formula established with the company's long line of MGB restomods. "The MGA was the natural next step for us," explains Tim Fenna, founder and chief engineer of Frontline Cars. "It's an icon of British motoring, but one that was always crying out for more performance and refinement." Australian market versions of the car will be manufactured, sold and serviced by Sydney-based Frontline Cars Australia, a subsidiary of Modern Classic Cars Foundation, which has built Frontline MGBs for the past 10 years. Frontline Australia MGAs start with an Australian market donor car – a roadster, or the rarer coupe – that can either be sourced by Frontline or supplied by the customer. The chassis is strengthened and fitted with a redesigned front suspension that features Nitron telescopic shocks and fabricated upper links in place of the vintage lever-arm shocks that were standard on the original MGA. The original leaf-sprung banjo rear axle is swapped for a late model MGB unit that's been modified to allow coil springs and Nitron shocks and is located by upper and lower trailing links and a Panhard rod. Other chassis upgrades include disc brakes all round, the front rotors vented and clamped by four-piston calipers, and electronic rack and pinion steering. Customers can choose between traditional-style 15-inch wire wheels or 15-inch Dunlop alloys that look like the wheels fitted to Jaguar's D-Type and Lightweight E-Type racers during the 1950s and 60s. Customers can choose between two naturally aspirated Mazda engines, one a 2.0-litre unit that develops 168kW of power at 7200rpm and 241Nm of torque at 4500rpm, the other a 2.5-litre unit that develops 216kW at 7100rpm and 330Nm at 4200rpm. They drive the rear wheels through a Mazda five-speed manual transmission. Each engine features a bespoke individual throttle body induction system, revised camshaft profiles, a new ECU, and a tuned stainless steel exhaust system. The 2.5-litre engine's balance shaft has been removed to reduce frictional losses and improve throttle response. All the mechanical hardware is topped with a body that retains its stock dimensions but has been carefully reworked to improve its structural rigidity, primarily by way of the addition of an aluminium honeycomb floor (British-built models have a steel floor) that now tightly ties together the bodysides. Detail bodywork changes include the removal of the front indicators – they are now located within the modern LED headlight units – and the deletion of the octagonal MG badge from the boot lid. Look closely and you'll also see discreet Frontline badging near the vents either side of the narrow bonnet, but otherwise the Frontline MGA looks just like a beautifully restored original car. The cockpit is more luxuriously trimmed, in leather or Alcantara, than that of any original MGA, however. The dash features Frontline-branded Smiths dials, and there's an audio system with two speakers, two tweeters, an amplifier, and a Bluetooth module all controlled by a discreetly hidden head unit. The modern luxuries don't stop there. Customers can specify heated versions of Frontline's optional aluminium-framed bucket seats, and one-touch electric windows are available on the coupé. Air-conditioning is also available as an option. Australian-spec cars get a host of minor detail changes – everything from ADR-approved seat belts to steel brake lines – that allow the Frontline MGA to be registered on Australian roads. We had the chance to get behind the wheel of the first Frontline MGA built, a British-spec car fitted with the 2.0-litre engine, and a relatively tall 3.07 diff rather than the 3.4 or 3.7 ratios typically used in the Frontline MGBs because the owner wanted the car to feel relaxed while cruising. And relaxed it is: At 80km/h in fifth gear the Mazda engine, which will rev enthusiastically to 7750rpm, is turning just 2000rpm. The engine sounds properly rorty-snorty when you take it through the gears, like an old-school British performance four-cylinder engine. And though the Mazda four has much more top-end bite than any of those old Brit engines, it has a similarly solid swathe of mid-range torque you can exploit with the transmission's tightly packed ratios. The Mazda powertrain weighs 60kg less than the vintage MG hardware, which takes weight off the front axle and means the Frontline MGA tips the scales at about 900kg. So, despite its tall diff ratio, the little MG felt marvelously alive on British B-roads, easily scooting to 130km/h or 145km/h between the corners. The ride is tightly controlled, but it's not harsh, thanks to the way the Nitron shocks deal with sharp inputs and the absorptive quality of the generously sidewalled 185/65 R15 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. The electronic power steering assists up to about 50km/h, then drops away. Feel and feedback through the steering wheel rim is terrific. You can have manual steering if you want. Don't bother. It'll only make you sweat muscling the woodrim steering wheel at low speeds. Like all old-school rear drive sports cars, the Frontline MGA likes to be braked in a straight line, then turned into a late apex as you get on the throttle. Get too ambitious with your right foot, though, and the abundant traction from the standard Quaife limited-slip differential will push the nose wide. Brake feel is very good, and the well-placed pedals, combined with the beautifully crisp throttle response and the short throws of the transmission, make heel-and-toe downshifts a cinch. What stands out about the Frontline MGA, however, is how taut and tight it feels. There's no scuttle shake – none – and no vibration back through the steering. Suspension noise and impact harshness are very well suppressed. Though it's very light, and with a live rear axle, the car feels astonishingly planted and composed, even on indifferent roads. In terms of the way it drives the Frontline MGA is a truly stunning piece of work. Indeed, there are modern sports cars that don't feel as coherent as this reworked MG. For sheer fun and driver engagement the modern sports car that comes closest to the Frontline MGA is – ironically, given its powertrain – Mazda's MX-5 roadster, a car that is 47mm shorter, with an 80mm shorter wheelbase, but 262mm wider and at least 170kg heavier. There's something else in the MX-5 comparison, too: The idea that less is more. Tim Fenna says the 2.0-litre Frontline MGA takes about 5.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100km/h (the 135kW MX-5 takes at least 6.0 seconds). The 2.0-litre Frontline car is thus just 0.7 seconds slower to 100km/h than the 2.5-litre model, and both versions have a top speed of 250km/h. Increased cost of the bigger engine aside, we suspect its extra power and torque could make the Frontline MGA, which has neither traction control nor ABS, a bit of a handful, especially on a wet road. The 2.0-litre model feels the sweet-spot car. The original MGA was a relatively affordable sports car. The Frontline MGA is not, with prices starting at about $290,000 plus taxes and shipping and the cost of a donor car, according to Frontline Australia CEO David Dyer. "The major reason for building the car in Australia is the customer can get involved," Dyer says. It also means access to a reasonable stock of relatively rust-free right-hand drive donor cars – 81,000 of the 101,000 MGAs built between 1955 and 1962 were exported to the US, and fewer than 1900 right-hand drive cars are believed to exist in the UK. What's more, the Australian-built Frontline MGA doesn't attract the imported vehicle luxury car tax. Yes, the Frontline MGA is expensive. But for the money you get a genuinely bespoke, joyously analogue driver's car that's thoroughly engaging at real-world speeds on real-world roads. And it will turn more heads than any run-of-the-mill modern Ferrari or Everything MG Content originally sourced from:
Motor 1
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
This MGA Restomod Has a Miata's Soul. And It's Brilliant
Somewhere in the UK, a lady had a great idea. She wanted a classic MG to tool around in, but didn't want the one-on-every-corner MGB that most go for. Nor did she want any possibility of breaking down. So she went to Abingdon's Frontline Cars, who make MGBs bulletproof (and electric… and V8-powered) and asked them to work their magic. Perhaps it was the right combination of sunny afternoon, British countryside, and classic British sports car. Perhaps it wasn't. But this was one of the best experiences I've had in a car in 2025. Photo by: Frontline Cars Let's back up a bit—what is Frontline? It's a business that restomods MGBs. It started off as a company that modified MG Midgets for racing, but as time went on, Frontline realized it could take the world's plentiful supply of B's and make them quicker, more reliable, and more luxurious. The lady with a good idea didn't want an MGB, though; she wanted an MGA. Older and sleeker than the B, the A's shape appealed to her, and lo, the Frontline MGA Factory Edition was born. You can have an MGA with a 2.0 or 2.5-liter Mazda -derived four cylinder that's been delightfully reworked (with ITBs..!) to produce 225 or 290 horsepower. Whichever motor you choose is hooked up to the famously brilliant Mazda MX-5 gearbox to ensure slick shifting and big grins. Photo by: Frontline Cars Photo by: Frontline Cars The brakes and springs have been swapped out too, the chassis has been reinforced, and the wooden floors have been replaced with steel for better ride and handling. Pleasingly, there's a Quaife limited slip differential fitted too. Frontline's treatment doesn't stop at making an MG go better, either. This A's interior is covered in sumptuous leather, with alloy bucket seats to keep you in place during spirited driving. There's even a USB slot, Bluetooth audio, and it's all hidden away so you can keep your phone charged for on-the-fly Google Maps. While the dials are all as they were in period, the electrics powering them are modern, so they shouldn't go all 1950s on you and conk out at an inconvenient moment. Frontline's demonstrator was built to look like the standard car, but the firm says you can happily ask for a de-bumpered car fitted with a perspex racing screen if you want to look like you're going endurance racing, too. They'll make you a convertible or a coupe, depending on preference as well. There's a lot to love about the whole deal, though it comes at a cost: £145,000 ($195,000) plus local taxes, so it's one for the more committed enthusiasts out there. That said, Frontline's prowess is proven, which means you can rest assured the work going into the car isn't half-assed. Photo by: Frontline Cars Whichever motor you choose is hooked up to the famously brilliant Mazda MX-5 gearbox to ensure slick shifting and big grins. On a sunny day in the UK, folding yourself into the cockpit is a joy—though one that requires some work if you're tall. The MGA is not a capacious car. The controls are all pleasingly classic. Smiths dials are neatly laid out over the stunning dash. Everything works as you'd expect, bar the indicators, which are on a toggle switch to the right of the wheel. Pull the lever to the left to indicate right, and vice versa. It takes a while to get used to, and the mechanism is a bit soft, but once you know what you're doing, you'll be fine. Classics, restored or otherwise, can be a bit of a crapshoot to set off in. The risk of stalling a shiny car that draws the eye is ever present, and in the MGA, you really don't want to be 'that guy.' The Mazda 'box puts those fears to bed. Photo by: Frontline Cars Photo by: Frontline Cars It's easy to slot into gear, and the light clutch is a joy to roll away slinkily from a stop. In town, it's easy to thread the MGA through any gap you'd care to mention. It's a car from the 50s, when everything was smaller and actually fit on the UK's roads (the less said about safety regulations the better… ahem), so you needn't worry about peeling bits off the side. Even if that was a concern, the MG's body is low and easy to see over, which allows for last-moment bum proppage to make sure you're in a good place on the road. The visibility is a genuine highlight. The windshield is large enough to keep bees out of your retinas, and there's no roll hoop to speak of. Being narrow and roofless, the rear view mirror does the job of the (absent because old car) wing mirrors, and if you do need to do a lifesaver check, you don't need to turn your head too far to see over the back of the low trunkline. You'll get eyes on you in town, and you'll have a lovely time gently parping around as though the '50s never ended. But to go full 'post-war fun', you need to head to the country. Usually, when you're driving an older car, it feels somewhat cruel to push the motor. The MGA sounds tremendous on a trundle, and you'll pick up a decent clip without bother. However, when I looked at the rev counter, I saw that rolling up to 4,500 rpm was barely touching the sides of its range. Photo by: Frontline Cars Usually, when you're driving an older car, it feels somewhat cruel to push the motor. The MGA sounds tremendous on a trundle, and you'll pick up a decent clip without bother. A suitably straight bit of road found, I gave it some welly and the thing soared far, far higher, letting out a beautiful noise as it went. Loud, glorious parps flew from the rear, plastering a big grin on my face as they did so. In 225 hp spec, with 178 pound-feet on tap, it feels plenty quick. The gas pedal has decent feel. A gentle push to get you going leads to smooth progression, allowing for parps-ahoy. Frontline says it'll get from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds and will apparently hit 155mph. With a suitably clear road and a heavy right foot, that's more than believable. There's only 815 kg to shift, so modest power is more than enough. Scrubbing the speed off is down to a set of chunky brakes, front and rear. There's no ABS to save you in a pinch, which means you need to learn them, and the pedal's on the heavy side. Once you've figured it all out, they're great, but don't go in thinking you can brake like a Golf. Parps are one element of the fun, the handling is a cherry on top. Double wishbones with Frontline's own dampers live up front, with five-links and Frontline telescopic dampers at the rear. The MGA simply glides around the tight 'n twisties. The ride can get jarring on some of the UK's more… lumpy roads, but that's par for the course with old British metal no matter how much you do to it. It's all part of the fun. Photo by: Frontline Cars Frontline's steering is a joy, too. A neatly-sized Motolita 'wheel is your connection to the road. It's assisted at low speeds (in this car - it can be adjusted to driver preference) because old cars are heavy buggers, but once you're at speed it's all you. It's well weighted and gives you confidence that you know where the car's going to go. Wind in your hair (or beard), sun shining, and engine on song, Frontline's take on the MGA is nothing short of unfiltered happiness. The sounds it makes, the smell of its leather interior, the feel of its wood-rimmed wheel, the look of the thing… it all adds up to a uniquely British experience. You may even end up tasting an errant bee if one slips over the windshield. Yes, it's expensive and still comes with 1950s sports car compromises, so it's not for everyone, but that's part of its charm. More Restomod News This Jaguar E-Type Restomod Does the Original Proud This Isuzu Truck Is the Coolest Restomod We've Ever Seen Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
