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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:
Business Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Business Times
MG ZS Hybrid+ review: Hybrid hitman
[Shanghai] Some cars are just cars, but the MG ZS Hybrid+ was born to be an assassin. Its specific target, to hear MG's engineers and product planners tell it, is the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid. That ought to worry the Japanese (not to mention, those who sell their cars). The small sport utility vehicle (SUV) with big sales is a showcase of what Toyota excels at, namely fuel efficiency, user-friendliness and fuss-free ownership. The fact that it's in the crosshairs of MG's parent, SAIC, is a clear sign that China's car giants are looking beyond glitzy electric vehicles (EVs) now, and are coming for Japan's hybrid heartland next. Fittingly, the ZS itself will go from being a pure EV offering in Singapore to a hybrid one when the new version arrives in the fourth quarter of the year. Its 1.5-litre petrol-electric setup is good for a gutsy 215 horsepower in other markets, but the interesting thing is that the MG can apparently run on electric power alone all the way up to 87 kmh. Nevertheless, MG is looking at how to detune the powertrain to let the car qualify for the cheaper Category A Certificate of Entitlement here. That means lopping off at least 40 per cent of its power output, which might not sound like much fun, but without it the ZS Hybrid+ would be dead on arrival. In any case, the MG's main selling point seems to be space. At 4.43 metres long, the ZS Hybrid+ is still a compact car, but it's a whole 25 centimetres longer than its Japanese foe. As a result, rear legroom is generous for the class, and the rear doors swing open wide enough that you can heave a child seat on board without dislocating a shoulder. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up I didn't have a baby stroller handy when I test drove the car at MG's private proving grounds, but to me the boot looked big enough to swallow one, maybe even two (strollers, I mean, not babies). Officially, the ZS Hybrid+ offers 443 litres of cargo space with the rear seats up, expanding to a generous 1,457 litres when folded flat. Either way, there's plenty of room for luggage and groceries, in a class not known for cars with big boots. In a similar vein, MG's designers say there are 30 storage areas inside, so your kids will have no shortage of places to stash half-eaten boxes of Hello Panda biscuits. The cabin itself shows a bit of flair, with angular lines, a gear lever that looks like it was lifted from an airplane's cockpit and a crisp digital driver display screen. They suggest that MG is trying to catch the eye of younger buyers with the ZS, so I'm clearly not the target buyer. My favourite feature is the air-con vents, which are mounted nice and high, where they can actually do some good. I didn't get to play much with the 12.3-inch touchscreen, and one reason for that is that a row of physical switches lets you get by without jabbing at the screen like a fiend. The other reason is that I simply didn't spend much time behind the wheel. My test drive took place on a fenced-off patch of tarmac with enough room to show off the hybrid system's peppiness, but no real way to assess the ZS' handling (unless you count swerving around the stray dogs who wandered into the area). I also have no idea how the MG's suspension fares on real-world roads, how quiet the car is on the highway or whether the hybrid system is as fuel-efficient or smooth as Toyota's. But if first impressions count for anything, the ZS Hybrid+ is a promising car with a strong focus on the day-to-day practicality that buyers really look for in the small SUV segment. Priced competitively, this would-be assassin could have killer appeal. MG ZS Hybrid+ (as tested) Engine 1,495 cc, 16V, in-line four Electric motor 136 hp, 250 Nm Engine power 102 hp Engine torque 128 Nm System power 215 hp System torque 465 Nm Gearbox 3-speed auto Top speed 170 kmh (estimated) 0-100 kmh 8.7 seconds Fuel efficiency 4.7 L/100 km Price To be announced Agent Eurokars EV Available Now
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Over 1.5L MGNREGA workers in Haveri await Rs 16 crore pending wages
Haveri: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) scheme, designed to provide employment opportunities in rural areas, has become essential for many workers. However, delayed wage payments have created significant financial difficulties for labourers. Haveri district is currently owed approximately Rs 16 crore in MGNREGA wages from the Centre. MGNREGA provides employment to rural workers within their villages. The scheme requires gram panchayats to employ registered labourers with job cards for local projects after obtaining zilla panchayat approval. The daily wage rate, previously Rs 349, was increased to Rs 370, with direct bank transfers to workers' accounts. However, workers in Haveri district are experiencing financial hardship due to payment delays. The workers, who contribute significantly to MGNREGA projects, educational infrastructure, and rural development across the state, have been struggling to manage daily expenses due to delayed wages. While the scheme has helped reduce migration for employment, the payment delays are undermining its effectiveness, with over 1,50,000 district workers awaiting payment. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The MG EOFY Sale is on now! MG Motor Australia Get Offer Undo MGNREGA guidelines stipulate wage payment within 15 days of work completion. Workers are entitled to compensation for delayed payments, calculated at 0.05% of unpaid wages per day beyond the 15-day period after muster roll closure. The state govt bears responsibility for this compensation. "The PDO assured us that we will be paid wages within 15 days after the completion of work. However, we have not received our wages even after a month. It has become difficult for us to sustain our livelihood. Moreover, we do not know how to visit offices to get our wages. The department concerned should pay our wages within the prescribed period," demanded Kavita Dundasi, who worked under the scheme in Hirekerur taluk. Hanumantappa Byadagi, a resident of Kadaramundalagi who worked under the scheme, expressed his displeasure. He said, "Earlier, we migrated from other areas to get jobs, but after MGNREGA, we settled in our village because we got busy with the works. However, we are once again facing financial hardship due to the delay in our wages, making it difficult to pay school fees, medical expenses, and others. Officers have not taken responsibility and say that the govt needs to release funds. " When contacted, Ruchi Bindal, CEO, zilla panchayat, Haveri, stated that the funds required to release from the Union govt. The balance wages will be credited directly to the workers' accounts. "The grant will be released within a week. No need to panic," she assured. "More than 1.5 lakh workers need to be paid approximately Rs 16 crore in pending wages since April 17. These labourers have been facing financial difficulties to sustain their livelihood. The govt should release grants for the welfare of the scheme," said SD Baligar, CEO, Vanasiri Rural Development Society (NGO), Ranebennur.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IMVT Q4 Loss Narrower Than Expected, Stock Up, Pipeline in Focus
Immunovant, Inc. IMVT reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 net loss of 64 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 72 cents. The reported figure is wider than the year-ago quarter's loss of 52 cents per share. Currently, Immunovant does not have any approved products in its portfolio. As a result, it has yet to generate revenues. The stock gained 5.6% following the better-than-expected earnings results. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.) Year to date, IMVT shares have plunged 39.9% compared with the industry's 3.5% decline. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Research and development expenses totaled $93.7 million, up 42% from the year-ago quarter's figure. The uptick can be attributed to activities related to the clinical studies of IMVT-1402, including contract manufacturing costs for drug substance and increased personnel-related expenses. General and administrative expenses amounted to $20.2 million, up 36% year over year. The rise was primarily due to an increase in personnel-related expenses, legal and other professional fees, along with information technology and market research costs. As of March 31, 2025, Immunovant had a cash balance of $714 million compared with $374.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2024. Immunovant expects the extended cash runway to fund operations through 2027. Immunovant reported a loss of $2.73 per share for fiscal 2025, which matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company had incurred a loss of $1.88 per share in the previous fiscal year. Immunovant has designated IMVT-1402, a next-generation FcRn inhibitor, as its lead asset going forward, given its broad potential across multiple indications. The company is on track to initiate clinical studies in a total of 10 indications for IMVT-1402 by March 31, 2026. The company expects to achieve financial efficiencies in its IMVT-1402 development program by leveraging the data already available from batoclimab studies. Currently, Immunovant is developing IMVT-1402 for six announced indications: Graves' disease (GD), difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA), myasthenia gravis (MG), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Sjögren's disease (SjD) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Potentially registrational studies for IMVT-1402 in both MG and CIDP are currently enrolling patients. The company has also initiated its first potentially registrational study of IMVT-1402 for adult patients with GD who are hyperthyroid despite antithyroid drug treatment. It is looking to initiate a second potentially registrational study of IMVT-1402 for GD in the summer of 2025. In March, Immunovant initiated a potentially registrational study of IMVT-1402 (600 mg) in adult patients with ACPA-positive D2T RA, aiming to achieve deeper ACPA reduction for improved clinical outcomes. It has also initiated an early-stage proof-of-concept study of the candidate for CLE. A potentially registrational study to evaluate IMVT-1402 for SjD is also expected to begin in the summer of 2025. Immunovant is evaluating its second candidate, batoclimab, in ongoing mid-late-stage studies for two different autoimmune indications, GD and thyroid eye disease (TED). The company is gearing up to report new batoclimab proof-of-concept data for GD, including six-month treatment-free remission results, in summer 2025 to highlight IMVT-1402's potential. Top-line data from IMVT's late-stage TED study of batoclimab is expected to be shared in the second half of 2025, based on which IMVT will decide whether to file for regulatory approval. Immunovant, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Immunovant, Inc. Quote Immunovant currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Bayer BAYRY, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals LXRX and Amarin AMRN, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. In the past 60 days, estimates for Bayer's earnings per share have increased from $1.19 to $1.25 for 2025. During the same time, earnings per share have increased from $1.28 to $1.31 for 2026. Year to date, shares of Bayer have gained 44.7%. BAYRY's earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed on the remaining occasion, the average negative surprise being 13.91%. In the past 60 days, estimates for Lexicon's loss per share have narrowed from 37 cents to 32 cents for 2025. During the same time, loss per share estimates for 2026 have narrowed from 35 cents to 31 cents. Year to date, shares of LXRX have lost 10.7%. LXRX's earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed the same on the remaining occasion, delivering an average surprise of 11.97%. In the past 60 days, estimates for Amarin's loss per share for 2025 have narrowed from $5.33 to $3.48. During the same time, loss per share estimates for 2026 have narrowed from $4.13 to $2.67. Year to date, shares of AMRN have gained 20.4%. AMRN's earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, matched once and missed the same on the remaining occasion, delivering an average surprise of 29.11%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Bayer Aktiengesellschaft (BAYRY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (LXRX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amarin Corporation PLC (AMRN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Immunovant, Inc. (IMVT) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
UK stock markets rise with trading steady while US tariffs ‘in limbo'
UK stock markets have ended the month in the green as markets remain steady in the face of persistent uncertainty over Donald Trump's tariffs. London's FTSE 100 rose 55.93 points, or 0.64%, to close at 8,772.38. The index outperformed European peers, with Germany's Dax rising 0.27%, while France's Cac 40 closed 0.36% lower. Trading started off on the back foot over on Wall Street. The S&P 500 was down about 0.35%, and Dow Jones was 0.15% lower by the time European markets closed. A group of equity analysts for Barclays wrote in a research note: ' Equity markets held steady this week amidst ever changing policy narratives.' 'It also shows that investors are reacting more calmly to tariff headlines now, viewing them increasingly as negotiation tactics.' They added that there were signs of 'fatigue' among traders as Mr Trump's trade policy is held 'in limbo'. In new developments this week, the US president is fending off potential roadblocks to his trade policies from the US courts. On Thursday, a federal appeals court said it was allowing Mr Trump to continue collecting import taxes for now, a day after a lower court blocked the duties. Barclays' analysts said the 'guessing game on tariffs leaves the market exposed' to sharp moves as a result of the changes. Meanwhile, the pound was down about 0.1% against the US dollar, at 1.348, and rising around 0.1% against the euro, at 1.187. In company news, M&G said it had partnered with Japanese life insurer Dai-ichi Life to accelerate the group's expansion into European private markets, and give it greater access to markets in Japan and across Asia. Dai-ichi Life plans to buy a 15% stake in M&G as part of the deal, the firm said, which would make it the largest shareholder in the British investment firm. Shares in M&G rose 5.5% on Friday, making it the biggest riser on the FTSE 100. BP announced it has appointed David Hager to its board of directors, who joins following a 40-year career in the oil and gas industry, including as the former chief executive of Devon Energy. Mr Hager 'brings deep-rooted knowledge of the US upstream oil and gas industry', BP's chair Helge Lund said. BP's shares closed 0.5% higher. The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were M&G, up 12.3p to 236.7p, GSK, up 51p to 1,507p, BT, up 5.5p to 179.45p, AstraZeneca, up 322p to 10,720p, and Unite Group, up 21.5p to 861p. The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were IAG, down 6.7p to 326.1p, Spirax, down 100p to 5,715p, Compass Group, down 45p to 2,605p, Polar Capital Technology Trust, down 5.5p to 326.5p, and Rio Tinto, down 59p to 4,402p.
