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RE: New MG

To: "'Phil Raby'" <mgworld@chp.ltd.uk>,
Subject: RE: New MG
From: Phil Vanner <pvanner@pclink.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 12:14:11 -0500
I would buy a new RWD MG sports car next week (as long as it wasn't a total 
piece of crap) if one became available for sale in the US - coupe or 
convertible.  I have no interest in a FWD MG. I could probably turn faster 
times at the autocross for half the price in a Neon - and it would bore me 
just about as much. If it's really going to be FWD let me know now - 
there's a nationally competitive B-stock Miata for sale near here for about 
$15K USD, and a 944 Turbo "S" with all the goodies (for quite a bit more) 
that I might be interested in. My wife likes the Z-3. I might as well start 
shopping.

Gerry McGovern may be right regarding people's attitudes toward drivetrain 
in mass volumes of sales.  But if he wants to keep the interest of 
enthusiasts he can't keep his eye on the lowest common denominator. MG can 
only be successful in the US if it keeps some of its enthusiast loyalty. 
The rest of the market has to overlook an old reputation for unreliability, 
and they will be unwilling to do that if MG loses the cachet of being 
"real" sports car. See Bill's comments regarding breeding. A thoroughbred 
can get away with a reputation for being temperamental. In a modern 
"commuter appliance" it's a death knell.   This isn't like a New Beetle 
where all that is required is to evoke the response "Isn't that cute!" and 
supply basic transport to hit the nail on the head.

There is a place in America's heart for MG that no Ad campaign can buy, but 
we're a cynical bunch, we'll abandon the new MG in heartbeat if it doesn't 
have "the right stuff." I'm almost ready to buy a new MG sight-unseen, but 
FWD is a deal-breaker for me.

Phil Vanner
Mk1 Midget

-----Original Message-----
From:   Phil Raby [SMTP:mgworld@chp.ltd.uk]
Sent:   Tuesday, September 15, 1998 4:47 AM
To:     MG digest submit
Subject:        Re: New MG

On 15/9/98 9:05 am mgs-owner@autox.team.net said

>I think that MG could compete in these circles given a decent car line.  A
>redesigned F would make a great Midget and a decontented (is that a word)
>Z-3 with MG(A) styling cues (I think the present Z-3 is ugly as sin) would
>make a good B replacement.  Leave the FWD in the family cars and the new
>Mini (the original hot hatch).  In America, sports cars are RWD.

It's interesting to read your comments about FWD. Gerry McGovern said to
me that he didn't believe that people today really cared about where the
engine and drivetrain is, so long as the car handles well. What do other
people think?

Personally, I think it's a shame that the F will be the one and only
mid-engined MG. And, interestingly, the last one to be designed before
BMW came along.

Actually, the MGF is substancially larger than a Midget. I'd like to see
a smaller MG along the lines of the Lotus Elise. Don't think it'll
happen, though.





Cheers,

Philip Raby
Editor, MG World
PO Box 163, Bicester OX6 3YS, UK
Tel: 01869 340061 Fax: 01869 340063 Mobile 0467 767361
www.chp.ltd.uk


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