Suisse, Moudon
- Chassis number: GHD L10 026 8
- Left hand drive
The MG MGA 1600 Coupé is a little gem of the British motor industry. With its elegant design and sporty performance, it is equipped with a 1600cc engine that develops 80 horsepower, enough to propel the car weighing less than 900kg.
If you are a vintage sports car enthusiast looking for an exceptional (for the time) driving experience, the MGA 1600 Coupe is a model that is sure to appeal to you.
Of the 2771 examples of the MGA 1600 Coupé, it is believed that only 1754 were built in left-hand drive.
Vehicle history
With only 2 owners to its credit, this little MG has always remained in the same family. Having been passed down from father to son, the current owner bought it from this family in Fribourg in the summer of 2022.
The car was restored to its original state in 2005-2007 and is now in remarkable condition.
It is a car that has always belonged to enthusiasts!
Vehicle information :
- The entire vehicle is original.
- The vehicle has been appraised on 28.07.2020 in Fribourg.
Recently completed work
In order to prepare it for the 2020 survey, work has been carried out by a specialist garage in Bulle:
- Carburettors overhauled
- Clutch replaced
- Engine revised and converted to unleaded
- Complete body paintwork
Condition of the vehicle
To talk about the current state of the vehicle, the bodywork has no particular defect, no impact or rust is visible. Concerning the paint, a Polish could give it back a shine.
The chromes have kept their shine, as well as the spoked wheels which are like new.
Inside the car, the leather seats, the door panels and the dashboard are in perfect condition.
The roof lining is in perfect condition.
The underside of the car is in very good condition, with a sound chassis that has never been damaged. There are no traces of rust or leaks.
Finally, mechanically, everything is in order, there is nothing to be expected.
With such a history and condition, this is a car that deserves to be maintained as well as it has been.
History of the model
The MGA was designed in 1951 by MG designer Syd Enever on the basis of a TD for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The EX172 project, named "UMG400", was very close to the final version. Despite this, the project was not pursued as BMC management preferred to concentrate on manufacturing Austin Healey cars in Abingdon. Three years later, after a drop in MG sales in the USA, the president of BMC gave the go-ahead for production of the MGA. The first models were presented at Le Mans in 1955 and series production began in May of that year, with an original 1500cc Austin engine with twin SU carburettors. The MGA is available in two versions (roadster and coupé) for each engine, with restyling occurring in the later years of production. Mention should also be made of the "Deluxe" versions, which are in fact Twin Cam chassis equipped with classic 1600 or 1622 engines. The MGA has had 4 different engines.
The production of the MGA was launched with more than 100,000 units sold worldwide during seven years, this car will be a great commercial success, especially in the USA where more than 80% of the production will be exported. In 1958, the "Twin-Cam" appeared to be the ideal sports car for MGA enthusiasts looking for even better performance than the production models, but only 2,111 were built due to the high price and above all the obvious lack of reliability. In 1959, the second mass-produced version of the MGA, the 1600, was launched with visible changes to the front and rear lights to comply with new legislation: the indicators were separated from the position and brake lights.
The MGA is also known to have been a favourite car of Elvis Presley, who owned one and can be seen at the Graceland Museum.
Compared to other post-war MG models that had been designed before the war, the MGA was a real breakthrough in terms of innovation. This elegant little roadster was distinguished by a modern, low and open body with clean lines, which broke with the traditional aesthetics of the previous models. Advertising at the time even claimed that the MGA was the "first of a new generation".
We can be reached by email [email protected] or by phone +41 79 516 03 44.