MG Magnette
Encyclopedia
The automobile manufacturer MG
used the Magnette name on the K-type
and N-type
cars in the 1930s, but the Magnette models of the 1950s and 1960s are probably best-remembered. Although loved today, the use of the Magnette name on an MG saloon car with a lowered Wolseley body and an Austin engine brought protest from motor magazine letter writers.
There were two distinct series of these Magnettes: The ZA and ZB of 1953 through to 1958 and the Mark III and Mark IV of 1959 through to 1968.
car to bear the MG badge.
The Magnette was designed by Gerald Palmer who made his name with the Jowett Javelin
, and featured modern Italian
inspired styling. Power came from the then new four cylinder
1.5 L (1489 cc) B-Series
I4
engine with twin 1¼ inch SU carburettors delivering 60 bhp, driving the rear wheels through a four speed manual
gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios.
Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs and had a live axle with half elliptic leaf springs at the rear. The steering was by rack and pinion. Hydraulically operated Lockheed 10 in (254 mm) drum brakes were fitted to front and rear wheels.
The car had leather trimmed individual front seats and rear bench seat. The dashboard and door cappings were in polished wood. Although the heater was standard, the radio was still an optional extra. Standard body colours were black, maroon, green, and grey.
The similar Wolseley 4/44
, first sold one year earlier, used the 1250 cc engine from the MG TF. Although visually similar, the MG has lower suspension and only the front doors, boot lid and roof panels are shared. The 4/44 was replaced in 1956 by the 15/50.
In 1955 The Motor
magazine tested a Magnette and recorded a top speed of 79.7 mph (128.3 km/h) acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 23.1 seconds and a fuel consumption of 24.9 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £914 including taxes.
from 7.5 to 8.3, and modifying the manifold. A semi-automatic transmission
was an option.
The interior was improved and there was also a Varitone model with a larger rear window and optional two tone paintwork.
The extra power increased the top speed to 86 mi/h and reduced the 0-60 mph time to 18.5 seconds.
The similar Wolseley 15/50
now shared the ZB's B-Series engine.
". It was nearly identical to the Riley
version (the 4/68
) of the new Pinin Farina-designed midsize BMC saloon line.
All versions (including the Austin A55 Cambridge Mark II, Morris Oxford series V and Wolseley 15/60
) were produced by the British Motor Corporation
(BMC).
The car featured BMC's 1489 cc B type engine but, in the MG Magnette III (and its Riley sibling), performance was enhanced by fitting twin S.U. H.D.4 carburetters.
The experience from the driver's seat was enhanced by the walnut veneer facia panel and door cappings as well as by the leather upholstery, and presumably by the safety glass windows.
A Mark III was tested by The Motor magazine in 1959. They recorded a top speed of 85.5 mph (137.6 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 19.7 seconds and a fuel consumption of 31.4 mpgimp. The test car cost £1012 including taxes.
s were fitted front and rear. From the outside, the Mark IV was almost identical to the Mark III, apart from the remodelled and slightly less sharply pointed tailfins, a modification shared with its Riley
sibling.
Automatic transmission
was offered as an option.
The model continued to be listed through till May 1968 when the manufacturers announced that production had ceased with "no immediate replacement ... contemplated".
will carry the Magnette name for the UK and Europe.
At the media launch held at the historic Goodwood Circuit
, MG Motor displayed the new 2011 MG 6 Magnette alongside examples of the earlier ZA and ZB Magnettes to reinforce the continuity of the brand.
MG (car)
The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés....
used the Magnette name on the K-type
MG K-Type
The MG K-type Magnette was produced by the MG Car company from October 1932 to 1934.Launched at the 1932 London Motor Show, the K-Type replaced the F-Type Magna but having at first a slightly smaller capacity engine it took the name Magnette...
and N-type
MG N-Type
The MG N-type Magnette was produced by the MG Car company from October 1934 to 1936. The car was developed from the K-Type and L-Type but had a new chassis that broke away in design from the simple ladder type used on the earlier cars of the 1930s being wider at the rear than the front and with the...
cars in the 1930s, but the Magnette models of the 1950s and 1960s are probably best-remembered. Although loved today, the use of the Magnette name on an MG saloon car with a lowered Wolseley body and an Austin engine brought protest from motor magazine letter writers.
There were two distinct series of these Magnettes: The ZA and ZB of 1953 through to 1958 and the Mark III and Mark IV of 1959 through to 1968.
Magnette ZA
The Magnette ZA was launched in 1953 at the London Motor Show and deliveries started in March 1954. Production continued until 1956. It was the first monocoqueMonocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
car to bear the MG badge.
The Magnette was designed by Gerald Palmer who made his name with the Jowett Javelin
Jowett Javelin
The Jowett Javelin is an award-winning British car that was produced from 1947 to 1953 by Jowett Cars Ltd of Idle, near Bradford. The model went through five variants labelled PA to PE, each having a standard and "de luxe" option. The car was designed by Gerald Palmer during World War II and was...
, and featured modern Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
inspired styling. Power came from the then new four cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
1.5 L (1489 cc) B-Series
BMC B-Series engine
The BMC B-series was a straight-4 internal combustion engine family, mostly used in motor cars, created by British company Austin Motor Company. The pre-cursor of the "B" series engine was a 1200 cc OHV engine which was used in the 1947 Austin A40 Devon. This A40 Devon engine was based on a...
I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine with twin 1¼ inch SU carburettors delivering 60 bhp, driving the rear wheels through a four speed manual
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios.
Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs and had a live axle with half elliptic leaf springs at the rear. The steering was by rack and pinion. Hydraulically operated Lockheed 10 in (254 mm) drum brakes were fitted to front and rear wheels.
The car had leather trimmed individual front seats and rear bench seat. The dashboard and door cappings were in polished wood. Although the heater was standard, the radio was still an optional extra. Standard body colours were black, maroon, green, and grey.
The similar Wolseley 4/44
Wolseley 4/44
The Wolseley 4/44 was originally designed under the Nuffield Organisation but by the time it was released in 1953 Wolseley was part of BMC. Much of the design was shared with the MG Magnette ZA which came out later in the same year....
, first sold one year earlier, used the 1250 cc engine from the MG TF. Although visually similar, the MG has lower suspension and only the front doors, boot lid and roof panels are shared. The 4/44 was replaced in 1956 by the 15/50.
In 1955 The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine tested a Magnette and recorded a top speed of 79.7 mph (128.3 km/h) acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 23.1 seconds and a fuel consumption of 24.9 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £914 including taxes.
Magnette ZB
The ZA was replaced by the Magnette ZB in 1956. Power was increased to 64 hp (48 kW) by fitting 1½ inch carburettors, increasing the compression ratioCompression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
from 7.5 to 8.3, and modifying the manifold. A semi-automatic transmission
Semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
was an option.
The interior was improved and there was also a Varitone model with a larger rear window and optional two tone paintwork.
The extra power increased the top speed to 86 mi/h and reduced the 0-60 mph time to 18.5 seconds.
The similar Wolseley 15/50
Wolseley 15/50
The Wolseley 15/50 was an updated version of the Wolseley 4/44. The main change was the engine; the 4/44 used a Morris unit and after the MG TF stopped production it was the only car still fitted with it. To rationalise production the 15/50 was launched with the BMC B-series engined...
now shared the ZB's B-Series engine.
Magnette Mark III
The Mark III of 1959 drew mixed reviews. US based publications heralded the Magnette's arrival, while the UK publications tended towards "damning with faint praiseDamn with faint praise
Damn with faint praise is an English idiom for words that effectively condemn by seeming to offer praise which is too moderate or marginal to be considered praise at all...
". It was nearly identical to the Riley
Riley (automobile)
Riley was a British motorcar and bicycle manufacturer from 1890. The company became part of the Nuffield Organisation in 1938 and was later merged into British Leyland: late in 1969 British Leyland announced their discontinuance of Riley production, although 1969 was a difficult year for the UK...
version (the 4/68
Riley 4
The Riley 4/68 and 4/72 are cars produced by BMC from 1959 through the 1960s. They are related to the Pinin Farina-designed Austin A55 Cambridge, MG Magnette Mk...
) of the new Pinin Farina-designed midsize BMC saloon line.
All versions (including the Austin A55 Cambridge Mark II, Morris Oxford series V and Wolseley 15/60
Wolseley 15/60
The Wolseley 15/60 was the first of the mid-sized Pinin Farina-styled automobiles from the British Motor Corporation . Launched in December 1958, the design would eventually be shared with seven other marques. All of the cars were updated in 1961 with a larger engine and new model designations...
) were produced by the British Motor Corporation
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
(BMC).
The car featured BMC's 1489 cc B type engine but, in the MG Magnette III (and its Riley sibling), performance was enhanced by fitting twin S.U. H.D.4 carburetters.
The experience from the driver's seat was enhanced by the walnut veneer facia panel and door cappings as well as by the leather upholstery, and presumably by the safety glass windows.
A Mark III was tested by The Motor magazine in 1959. They recorded a top speed of 85.5 mph (137.6 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 19.7 seconds and a fuel consumption of 31.4 mpgimp. The test car cost £1012 including taxes.
Magnette Mark IV
The Mark III was updated in 1961 as the Mark IV. A larger 1.6 L (1622 cc) B-Series engine, with capacity increased by increasing the bore to 76.2 mm, was fitted, and the car had a longer wheelbase and wider track. To improve handling anti-roll barSway bar
A sway bar or anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar is a part of an automobile suspension that helps reduce the roll of a vehicle that is induced by cornering or road irregularities. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring...
s were fitted front and rear. From the outside, the Mark IV was almost identical to the Mark III, apart from the remodelled and slightly less sharply pointed tailfins, a modification shared with its Riley
Riley 4
The Riley 4/68 and 4/72 are cars produced by BMC from 1959 through the 1960s. They are related to the Pinin Farina-designed Austin A55 Cambridge, MG Magnette Mk...
sibling.
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
was offered as an option.
The model continued to be listed through till May 1968 when the manufacturers announced that production had ceased with "no immediate replacement ... contemplated".
6 Magnette
On June 20, 2011, MG Motor confirmed that the saloon version of the MG 6MG 6
The MG6 is a mid-size car built by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, derived from the Roewe 550 and hence distantly related to the Rover 75, sharing its front subframe...
will carry the Magnette name for the UK and Europe.
At the media launch held at the historic Goodwood Circuit
Goodwood Circuit
Goodwood Circuit is an historic venue for both two- and four-wheeled motorsport in the United Kingdom. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester, West Sussex, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport...
, MG Motor displayed the new 2011 MG 6 Magnette alongside examples of the earlier ZA and ZB Magnettes to reinforce the continuity of the brand.