Latest news with #MGs
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Ask the Expert: Which modern convertible can replace our classic MGB?
Dear Alex, We are thinking of changing our 1971 MGB Roadster, which we've owned for 31 years, for a car that's easier to enter and exit. While it has not had a full rebuild, the MG has an uprated engine and drives well. It is well maintained, has a current MOT and a guaranteed write-off value of £15,000. We fancy a slightly sporty convertible, possibly based on a four-seater saloon. What do you recommend for £15,000? And what's the best way to sell the MG? – CE Dear CE, I don't imagine you'll have much of a problem selling your MGB, as it's a classic with a huge following. Normally I'd say to try selling privately via a classic car classifieds site – Car & Classic is probably the best known and most popular in the UK. However, given the huge following for MGs, you might have better luck using an MG owners' club. If you belong to one of the many such groups, place an advert in the club magazine, or contact the club to see whether you can circulate your car's details to fellow members. You never know; they may have someone looking for a car just like yours. What to replace it with? Nothing modern will offer the charm, simplicity or connection of something much older like the B, so be prepared for that. The closest you'll get will be with a Mini Convertible. For your £15,000 budget you can get an early F56 (third-generation) example introduced in 2014. This should offer as much character as a modern car can muster along with the sporty feel you seek, with its zippy handling and perky engines, along with a retro interior that looks and feels more interesting than most. And while earlier Minis had a poor reputation for reliability, these later models seem to have fared much better – indeed, Mini beat Lexus, Suzuki, Honda and Toyota to first place out of the 31 manufacturers in the What Car? Reliability Survey last year, with the Mini Hatch achieving an excellent score of 97.9 per cent. A Cooper with the 1.5-litre petrol engine makes a great little all-rounder thanks to a slightly more forgiving suspension set-up than other versions. A 2020 example in well-equipped Exclusive form, with a low 26,000 miles and a full history, can be yours for £14,990. However a Cooper S, with the punchy 2.0-litre engine and grippier handling, will be more exciting to drive – I found a 2020 Cooper S Classic, with less equipment but again with a full history, for the same price. If a Mini feels a bit too gaudy, look at an Audi A3 Cabriolet instead. It's larger and therefore roomier, but also pricier. It'll be less of a hoot than the Mini, and potentially less reliable too, but this is still a satisfying car to drive, with crisp handling and responsive engines. The consensus is that the 1.4-litre engine is nicer to drive than the slightly blander 1.5 that replaced it and more reliable than the 1.8, making it the one to go for. I found a 2017 1.4 S-Line with 44,000 miles and a full history for £14,500.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I drove this Chinese EV and it's just another example of the trouble Tesla is in
The MG4 is one of the most popular EVs in the UK. The Chinese-made car is stylish, well-appointed, and keenly priced making it a danger to Tesla. The XPower version I tested is extremely fast and has some nice touches, but failed to excite. One of Britain's most quintessential sports car brands has been Chinese-owned for many years — and after driving one of its best-selling cars, I could see the kind of innovation combined with competitive pricing that has Western automakers so worried. MG was founded in Oxford in 1924 and its cars have appeared in countless films and TV shows, driven by stars from Elvis to Audrey Hepburn. MGs were sold in the US until 1980, but their then-owner withdrew from the market amid financial difficulties. Things never really improved, and in 2005, MG Rover was bought by China's SAIC, although production continued in the UK until 2016. The MG badge never disappeared from British showrooms and the Chinese-made cars have become increasingly popular there. The brand notched up record sales of just over 81,000 vehicles last year, putting MG in 10th place for registrations, with a market share of almost 4.2%. About one in four MGs sold were electric. The MG4 hatchback was the fourth best-selling EV in the UK last year and was the second most popular model with private (as opposed to fleet) buyers. Part of the appeal is probably down to the prices, which range from £27,000 (just under $35,000) — about £13,000 less than the cheapest Tesla in the UK and about the same as a BYD Dolphin — through to £36,500 (about $47,000.) So what's the MG4 like to drive? I had the most expensive XPower version, which promises 0 to 62 miles an hour in 3.8 seconds from the 64kWh battery — half the time the long-range model takes. (A test by What Car? got the Xpower to 60mph in just 3.6 seconds — faster, they say, than a Porsche Taycan 4S.) It also boasts all-wheel drive, enhanced brakes, launch control ,and has a claimed maximum driving range of between 239 miles on the WLTP measure, and 328 miles in the city. I rather liked the shade of matte green, although the styling may not win any design awards. As far as Chinese EVs go, it could be much worse. The flashy alloy wheels with orange brake calipers are a nice touch. Inside, the seven-inch screen behind the (leather-clad) steering wheel is complemented by a larger, wider central screen with entertainment and navigation options. I was pleased to find a row of good, old-fashioned physical buttons for volume, fan, and hazard lights. However, connecting my iPhone to the sound system was a fiddlier experience than it needed to be. I took the MG4 south of London one gloomy Sunday to a scenic spot called Box Hill. Unlike other cars I've driven for BI, it did not scold me the moment I exceeded the speed limit by even 1 mile an hour — a blessed relief given many roads have a 20 mph limit. More bonus brownie points. It's a breeze to drive, and as I suggested above it goes like the clappers when required (on the freeway, of course.) Other than delivering boy-racer levels of acceleration, that's about the only relation to the MGs of yesteryear and this "hot hatch" is hard to get too excited about. Given that it's almost certain to never go on sale in the US, you probably won't have to grapple with that dilemma. If I was in the market for an EV this size, I'm not convinced the XPower would make my shortlist (and that was before I learned the MG4 performed very poorly in What Car?'s annual reliability survey.) No matter what I think, the MG is likely to attract some buyers who might previously have considered a Tesla Model Y, which is almost £18k more. The MG4 has very respectable range, a decent amount of trunk space — and you could fit three adults in the back as long as they really like each other. It may start at about £56,000 and only has two seats, but I think the real star of MG's European model range may be the stunning Cyberster roadster. Read the original article on Business Insider
CBS News
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Stax keyboard legend Booker T. Jones plays classic songs at Yoshi's
Marin-based Hammond B-3 organ legend Booker T. Jones brings his current band to Yoshi's in Oakland for three shows over two nights starting Thursday. As the leader of the Memphis-based instrumental outfit Booker T. and the MGs, organist Jones helped lay the soulful foundation of popular music in the '60s by writing many of the group's chart-topping singles as well as providing backing for Stax label mates Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Eddie Floyd. Jones was still only a high-school student when he penned the indelible Hammond B-3 groove of "Green Onions," the first of a long string of hits like "Time Is Tight," "Hip Hug-Her" and "Soul Limbo" that dominated the charts during the decade. Jones and the MGs (guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and drummer Al Jackson, Jr.) also served as the Stax touring band, playing behind the above named artists on the road including Redding's legendary performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival. Jones' extensive experience in the studio paid off in the '70s when he became a go-to session player (guesting on albums by Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Steven Stills to name a few) and producing classic recordings like Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine and Willie Nelson's timeless Stardust album. He also recorded a number of solo albums featuring a smooth, soulful vocal delivery he only occasionally unveiled in his earlier work. During the '90s, he and MGs Cropper and Dunn provided live backing for Neil Young (on tours of the U.S. and Europe) and for the famous Bob Dylan tribute concert at Madison Square Garden in 1991. The keyboard great continues to play periodic reunions with the MGs in addition to leading his own band. In 2009, Jones released his first new solo recording in two decades when Anti- Records issued his Grammy-winning effort Potato Hole. Pairing Jones with accomplished Southern rock outfit the Drive-By Truckers (who backed vocal legend Bettye LaVette to equal acclaim on her Anti- album Scene of the Crime) and guest guitarist Young, the recording features a vital Jones once again pouring his soul out through the Hammond on a number of hard-grooving original songs as well as covers of tunes by Tom Waits, OutKast and the Truckers themselves. Two years later, Jones issued the gritty, soulful follow-up effort The Road from Memphis. Described as an autobiographical work that sketches soul music's family tree from Memphis roots to branches in Philly, Motown, New York City, LA and beyond, the album features Jones backed by stellar hip-hop/funk ensemble The Roots (the album's production was headed by Jones with The Roots' drummer ?uestlove and noted producer Rob Schnapf). It includes a rare vocal performance by the organist himself on the stirring "Down In Memphis" as well as guest singers Sharon Jones of the Dap-Kings, My Morning Jacket's Yim Yames and the late rock legend Lou Reed. His 2013 collaboration with production team of brothers Bobby Ross Avila and Issiah Avila Ring the Alarm put a decidedly more modern sheen on Jones' traditional sound while staying true to his R&B roots. The collection featured guest appearances by next generation players like Mayer Hawthorne, blues guitarist Gary Clarke, Jr. and soulful rockers Vintage Trouble as well as veterans including Sheila E. and Poncho Sanchez. In 2020, Jones published his revelatory memoir, Time Is Tight: My Life Note By Note. Taking a close look at his professional and personal life, the keyboard great remembers his early struggles balancing his music studies at Indiana University with work at Stax and starting a family and magical moments he shared onstage and in the studio with Redding, blues guitar giant Albert King and the MGs. The autobiography gives a detailed picture of the challenges and rewards of a life well lived. Jones has also released an accompanying CD, Note By Note that revisits some of the key songs of his career with newly recorded versions in addition to two brand new tunes. For these shows at Yoshi's in Oakland starting Thursday night, Jones and his current band deliver classic tracks, surprise covers and more recent music.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Frontline MGB 2.5 review
Does Abingdon-based Frontline still need an intro? As one of the most established names on the restomod scene, perhaps not, but herewith the nutshell. In 1991 Tim Fenna began to develop competition-reliable parts for classic MGs, having been repeatedly let down by the company's original gearboxes. By the 2000s, Frontline was the worldwide go-to for performance parts for these cars, whatever your requirement or application. In 2010, it moved to its current home, the old Benetton Formula 1 team factory, and not long after that it started making full MGB restomod rebuilds – first up the LE50, with a modified 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5 engine. More than a decade later, Frontline is still focused on the MGB, although the interiors have become more artful and the hardware more serious and ambitious than ever. Two years ago, the company introduced the spectacular 4.8-litre V8-engined LE60, with performance to hunt down a modern BMW M4 CSL, as well as the BEE GT, an electric conversion built in response to demand from clients wanting the thrill of driving a diddy, expertly honed MGB, only in near-silence. Here we're focusing our attention on neither of those cars but the unassuming 2.5. Don't be misled by the prosaic name. Screw any suspense: here is one of the sweetest, most neatly conceived restomods we've driven in the past year, or any year, which goes some way to taking the sting out of an asking price close to £150,000 and a waiting list that runs to two years. The basis of the 2.5 is standard Frontline fare. You can supply your own old MGB for conversion, although Frontline prefers to use a fresh shell from British Motor Heritage, which owns the tooling from MG's old Abingdon factory. Sales director Conner Matthews explains when we show up to collect our test car that people often have a good donor car, but even if you acid-bathe and shot-blast the best, there are areas you still can't quite get to. He also mentions the fact that the MGB has a unique, inbuilt advantage as a restomod subject, stemming from its conception. 'Remember that in 1962, the car was first developed as a roadster, not a GT that they cut the roof off, so it was already a very strong chassis,' he says. 'What let it down was the fact that all of the adjoining panels weren't seam-welded. So we seam-weld them to FIA specification and that strengthens the entire body.' As such, a Frontline MGB needs no additional bracing (beneficial for weight-saving), although the comprehensively revised rear suspension does aid stiffness. So that Frontline's conversions identify as true restorations, not Q-plated kit cars, the live rear axle remains. But it's markedly adapted, now using a six-link set-up to stop the axle wandering independently of the body. There's also a Quaife differential, strengthened half-shafts and new bearings and seals. Up front, the 2.5 retains the original spring pans, lower arms and drop links, but the top half of the strut is bespoke. Crucially, none of the adaptations require lots of holes to be drilled in the shell, and it's easy enough to return a car to standard. This example – a development car fondly known as Sue – is also running manually adjustable Nitron dampers and a hefty brake kit with ventilated discs. From a technical perspective, this is an involved project, although you forget the detail the moment you hit the road, so instantly comfortable, intuitive and enveloping is the 2.5. Beyond electric power steering (EPAS), which is adjustable via a little dial under the dashboard, there are no driver aids whatsoever, but such is the transparency of the car that even on greasy back roads you're quickly exploring the upper reaches of the engine. And it's a cracking little engine – perhaps the defining element of the package and enough to make you wonder why you would ever need the added meat and inertia of the LE60's Rover V8. It's a crate Ford Duratec with ported heads and new pistons. Frontline also fits its own fuel injection, hotter cams, valves with stiffer springs, plus a new ECU and exhaust. It totals 289bhp and 240lb ft and spins out forever – a sensation enhanced by the long arc of the gently sprung throttle pedal. It finds an easy balance, peeling into bends steadily but accurately, with your fingertips on the filigree Moto-Lita wood rim. It grips well enough but leaves room for antics. Roundabouts become your best friends, the car's combination of Quaife diff, light nose, outstanding visibility and razor-sharp throttle response coming to the fore. Pure joy. Yes, there is something a bit rudimentary about the handling, which isn't perfectly cohesive at all times, but that's the point: it's authentic, a touch rustic. The B is of course also tiny. For those of us used to moderns, it's so refreshing. Ride? Good. Connected but not brittle and totally unflustered on the motorway (the Nitrons were about in the middle of their 21-click range for bump and rebound). Pedal weights are sensible; the clutch is reasonably forgiving; and the 25kg of sound-deadening that Frontline chucks in helps make the 2.5 only a little less polite than a Toyota GR86. Naturally some will pine for a racier experience: lose the EPAS, quicken the rack, deeper buckets, a bigger contact patch to eradicate understeer, more mid-range wallop (hello, V8). And Frontline will do all that for you. Equally, it's difficult to imagine a more versatile, honest and charming restomod than dear Sue. ]]>
