The MGF 

Words: Tim Morris

The first all new MG for 32 years, the MGF was launched to critical acclaim at the 1995 Geneva Motorshow. Initial attention naturally focused upon the mouth-watering technical specifications of this landmark car for MG: the Hydragas suspension, exotic electric assisted power steering, mid-engine configuration and the award winning K-series engine that had been extended to 1.8 litres for this application (in which the VVC version had also acquired an ingenious variable valve timing mechanism). The styling of the car was judged a successful blend of old and new- with design cues harking back to the last of the MGBs, but with a stance that was uncompromisingly modern and forward looking.

As we look back now, we see what a superb piece of design the MGF represents: the initial design endured with new minor interior changes for six years- before the vehicle’s first comprehensive face lift in 2002 – the MGTF. However, whilst the car was left essentially cosmetically unchanged over the first six-year period, there were a number of special editions, new models and detail alterations- and these are summarised below:

Production 1.8i & VVC

It could not be said that the MGF was under-developed, and the first production cars were ready for customer distribution by September 1995. The first production car, was actually built on 24th July 1995 and, following an MG tradition after the Abingdon Works phone number of Oxford 251, it was given the VIN  000251. That car was on display at the British Motor Museum for several years but is now back in the private MG Motor UK collection.

The MGF was released in two variations – the standard 1.8i and the VVC (released in March 1996) giving differing power levels but largely the same trim. They all came with remote central locking and dead locking, volumetric and perimetric alarm system, heated door mirrors and electric windows, The VVC had additional high level rear brake light, EPAS, anti-lock braking and half or full leather seats. 

Several options and accessories were also made available to order such as fog lamps, air-conditioning, hard tops, passenger air bags and even mechanical hoods.

The MGF had an overfull order book by September thanks to the long lead time between the launch and the customer models being ready. Such was the excitement for a new MG that dealers pre-order books were overflowing. 

The car was initially launched in just six colours – flame red, white diamond, British racing green, charcoal, amaranth and volcano with volcano being the “halo” colour as it was the most unusual (and regrettably the one least ordered!). In 1997 they would be joined by Tahiti blue, nightfire red and platinum silver.

The First Production MGF sits proudly on display at the British Motor Museum 

Picture Credit - Tom Bailey

The standard models were updated towards the end of 1999 for the 2000 Model Year, but these were largely cosmetic changes. The black windscreen surround and wing mirrors were now colour coded and the instruments changed to silver-faced plus a new design of centre console. Electrically adjusted wing mirrors, some new trim, newly designed seats and an adjustable steering column, clear indicators and square-spoke 16” alloys were also part of the update. The in-car entertainment was also improved with a CD player and six-speaker stereo.  These cars are sometimes referred to as a “Mark 2” MGF. There was no mechanical change however a new variant was introduced – the steptronic which featured a continuously variable gearbox (or CVT) transmission using either the central gear stick of two “paddle shift” buttons on the steering wheel which could be selected in automatic or a semi-automatic “manual” mode.

By 2000, however, BMW were looking to offload the Rover Group and more changes would come in 2001 as a result of BMW pulling out of the business. The new owners would soon make capital of the freedom from the constraints of BMW with the introduction of two new MGF models including the MGF Trophy 160, which, technically, was a special edition but effectively was the ultimate range-topping production MGF.

Picture Credit - Lewis Mackland

Abingdon LE

Legend has it this car is based upon the tweaks developed by Gerry McGovern for his own Tahiti Blue car...

The Rover Group marketing department were pleased with the initial sales of the MGF but three years down the line they needed a boost. That came in the form of the first of numerous special and limited editions.

The MGF did take design cues from the MGB including the headlights and grilles and this first limited edition, as the name suggests, delved further into that tradition. 

The car came in one colour only – Brooklands Green with door handles, front grille and side air intakes in chrome trim and a beige soft-top. The interior featured a walnut steering wheel and beige leather interior with wood trim. 

The wheels were 16 inch alloys with 215/40ZR low profile tyres and both versions came with EPAS although ABS could also be optioned for the 1.8i.

350 1.8i and 150 VVCs were intended for the UK however 514 Abingdon’s were delivered to home shores, built between 20/10/1997 and 19/06/1998, of these 500 came to Great Britain with 3 delivered to Guernsey, 5 to Ireland, 1 to the Isle of Man, and 5 to Jersey. 158 were 118bhp mpi’s and 356 143bhp vvc’s. There is no external identification or badging.

All other cars are in fact Brooklands SE models. 1637 were delivered between 22/10/1997 and 03/09/1998 around the world but, interestingly the 501 that went to Japan and the 75 that went to Australia all had 15” vvc 5 spoke alloys although they were all mpi’s. ALL Brooklands are 118 bhp mpi’s.

75 to Australia, 15 to Austria, 120 to Belgium, 5 to Denmark, 352 to France, 403 to Germany, 501 to Japan, 46 to the Netherlands and 120 to Switzerland

Paint code is HYF – Trim code is unique AAA Walnut leather

Picture Credit - Nigel May

MGF 75th Anniversary Limited Edition

The Anniversary models were built to mark the anniversary of MG. There were three editions in the range from each of the eras – the 75th, 80th and 85th. By the time of the 90th anniversary the F/TF was no longer in production and so the anniversary models transferred to the MG3 and MG6. For the 100th Anniversary a special launch edition of the MG Cyberster will be produced.

The Jubilee MGBGT marked the 50th anniversary of MG and was the first anniversary model however this was produced in 1975 making 1925 the launch date of MG. However subsequent anniversary models have used 1924 as the start point and in the centenary year the MG clubs hedged their bets by running over two years 2023 and 2024. The actual origin date of the first MG has always been a matter of conjecture.

A limited number the 75th Anniversary MGF with 2000 intended to be built with a quarter being ear-marked for UK sales. They came in two colours – black and mulberry red with contrasting hoods, grenadine red for the black cars and black for the mulberry ones. Both featured grenadine red leather seats and wood effect trim on the console and air vents. They also featured 16 inch alloys, chrome trim, CD player and air-conditioning (on request). They can be easily identified by badges on the wings and numbered badge between the seats.

382 were made in black and 373 in mulberry with a further 1245 in a platinum silver finish for overseas sales only.

The 75th anniversary is a limited numbered edition. It came with a Certificate of Authenticity showing its unique badge number, signed by Gerry Mc Govern.

16” Multispoke alloys and 16” Abingdon alloys were used – see country list.

Paint codes : Black PAK (including the rare Paul Smith Black U852)– CDM Mulberry pearlescent and Platinum Silver MNX metallic. Trim code is unique CVC Grenadine red leather

CDM 373 cars, PAK 382 and MNX 1245 (all but one exported, but that is number 1 and it’s LHD but with a British registration).

1678 were 118bhp mpi’s, 322 were 143bhp vvc’s.

Built between 16/02/1999 and 12/07/1999 rather surprising the dates as you would have thought they would be 1998 builds to be part of the 75th year.

Australia 100 cars, 90 mpi’s, 10 vvc’s all with Multispoke alloys, 20 in PAK, 30 in CDM and 50 in MNX

Austria 55 cars all MNX mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

Belgium 100 cars all MNX mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

Denmark 8 cars all CDM mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

France 204 cars all MNX mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

Germany 618 cars all MNX mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

Great Britain 492 cars, 295 mpi’s and 197 vvc’s all Multispoke alloys – 217 cars in CDM, PAK 237 (including 37 of the rare Paul Smith Black U852) and 1 in MNX (LHD car number 1).

Guernsey 3 cars – 1 CDM mpi and 2 PAK (1 mpi and 1 vvc) Multispoke alloys

Italy 148 cars – 101 mpi and 47 vvc – 72 in CDM and 76 in MNX all with Abingdon alloys

Jersey 6 cars 4 mpi and 2 vvc – 2 in PAK and 4 in CDM all with Multispoke alloys

Malta 10 cars all CDM mpi’s with Multispoke alloys

Netherlands 75 cars all mpi’s, 33 in PAK and 42 in MNX all with Abingdon alloys

Portugal 35 cars all mpi’s with Abingdon alloys

Sweden 16 cars all vvc’s in MNX and Abingdon alloys

Switzerland 130 cars 81 mpi’s and 49 vvc’s – 51 in PAK, 31 in CDM and 48 in MNX all Abingdon alloys

MY2000 1.8i - AWAITING REVISION

Mk2 / MY2000 MGF (1999-2002). Autumn of 1999 saw the launch of the improved 'Model Year (MY) 2000' MGF models, that are also known amongst MG enthusiasts as the 'Mk2'. The cars incorporated a number of detail improvements aimed at eliminating some of the earlier car's weaknesses, including re-specified EPAS, double skinned petrol tank and detail changes to the cylinder head location and gasket design. Cosmetic and specification changes were few- what there were was aimed at improving the ambience of the cabin- with the only external changes being the painting of the windscreen surround in body colour where previously it was painted black, and the change of colour of the front indicator units from orange to smoked-clear lenses. Thus the cars received new seats designed to improve comfort and lateral support; the door trims now included an alloy insert (or wood as an option), the centre console was redesigned with an alloy theme incorporated (such as the gear lever surround) and improved switch gear. The heater controls were now silver painted. Controversially, the instrument dials lost their 'MG' logos, and the cream faces changed for silver items with a new italic type face. Compensation arrived in the form of an improved six-speaker stereo, with a pair of speakers behind the occupants' heads.

VVC models retained their improved specification over 1.8i models. Where the 1.8i received new 8-spoke 'Minilite-style' wheels, the VVC received a new 16" 6-square spoke design. The interior is half leather, and the VVC, unlike the MPi, has ABS fitted as standard.

Picture Credit - Tim Morris

Steptronic 1.8i

MGF Steptronic (2000-2002). Introduced a little after the MY2000 models, the Steptronic cars received a technically advanced continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). This autobox includes a 'F1 paddle-shift' gear selection mode, that makes the gearbox operate as a six-speed sequential gear box. The gears can be selected either by the gear lever (push or pull) or the selector buttons on the steering wheel (pictured opposite). Unfortunately, this gearbox is only available with the 1.8i engine, as the gearbox has an input speed limit that is inadequate for the engine speeds that the VVC engine is capable of.

Performance figures are broadly lower than the standard manual 1.8i (although it is argued that this car is at least as fast in the real world), whilst trim specs are close to VVC levels.

Picture Credit - Ian Wright

2000 MGF “Millennium” Special Edition 

To mark the new Millennium this edition was produced in a nice Wedgewood Blue and an ash grey and black leather interior, chrome tailpipes, CD player with 16 inch multispoke wheels, rear spoiler and a windstop. It was also known as the “Wedgewood” edition.

It was a pretty looking car and consequently quite popular, with an intended 500 to be made. However, as it was a popular option in the end 650 were finally produced, in UK specification only.

Wedgwood SE but in JBH Wedgewood Blue (note different spelling) all with PUU Black leather built between 22/06/2000 and 06/11/2000, there is no external identification or badging.

Types:-

470mpi, 80 cvt steptronic’s and 100 vvc’s

Distribution:-

Great Britain 638 cars

Guernsey 2 cars

Jersey 8 cars

Isle of Man 2 cars

Trophy 160

The sale to the Phoenix Consortium was an opportunity to develop the MGF further and after the Wedgwood Millennium edition came the new range-topper – the Trophy 160.

MG Rover were quick to bring out two more MGF models – an entry-level 1.6i lower spec variant and a top of the range 160bhp version.  The Trophy 160 SE was a powerful car with its uprated VVC engine but there were other changes too. Two new bold colours were introduced – Trophy Yellow and Trophy Blue with body colour trim inside the cockpit and front and rear spoilers. Mechanically the brakes were uprated to 4 pot 304mm front discs and AP brake Callipers and the suspension lowered by 20mm which gave a much firmer ride befitting of the track car it emulated. The ride was described by the motoring press at the time as “on the firm side of hard”.

The Trophy 160 SEwas the most powerful production MGF. It is a sought-after model today but that extra power was also carried on into the top models of the new range of TFs to emerge soon.

“The Ultimate MGF” as it became known were all built between 14/12/2000 and 04/10/2001 with 1430 cars in total, they all had one interior trim WRA Black Silverstone.

All had the new and coveted Trophy 11 spoke alloy, primarily to go over the larger front brakes. All cars from the BeNeLux allocation had ash trays engraved with the serial number, Belgium had ../ 24, Luxembourg (although not receiving any cars directly had ./7 from the Belgium allocation) and the Netherlands had ../ 55.

A Trophy 160 badge sits on the rear panel under the near-side light cluster.

Colour Distribution:-

LQW Anthracite metallic 199 cars

CMU Solar Red 112 cars

JFV Trophy Blue pearlescent 425 cars

FAR Trophy Yellow 694 cars

Country Distribution:–

Australia 80 cars all four colours

Austria 21 cars FAR & JFV

Belgium 31 cars all four colours (-7 that went to Luxembourg)

France 39 cars all four colours

Germany 251 cars FAR & JFV

Great Britain 797 cars all four colours

Greece 35 cars all four colours

Guernsey 2 cars JFV

Isle of Man 1 car FAR

Italy 30 cars all four colours

Jersey 4 cars all four colours (one of each)

Netherlands 55 cars all four colours

Portugal 21 cars all four colours

Spain 2 cars FAR & JFV

Switzerland 61 cars all four colours

Picture Credit - Nigel May

1.6i

The MGF 1.6i (May, 2001) was launched somewhat quietly at the same time as its bigger, louder brother, the Trophy 160. Designed to compete at the other, cheaper end of the roadster market, the 1.6i competes head on with the similarly sized Mazda MX-5 (Miata). Compared to the 1.8i, the car is de-spec'ed: no central locking, no volumetric alarm, no radio, no power adjustable mirrors, no fancy trim inlays for the doors. The car is meant to be cheap fun. Despite the capacity deficit, the 1.6 K-series is a ballsy rev- happy engine. Such is its effervescent character, one doesn't notice the performance deficit! In other words it succeeds in its aim- it's fun!

2001 MGF Freestyle SE 

The Freestyle was essentially a “watered-down” MGF Trophy and came in all formats including the stepspeed. What it lacked was the Trophy 160 engine. It came in five colours – Tahiti Blue, Platinum Silver, Solar Red, British Racing Green and Anthracite. 

It featured 16 inch multispoke alloys and Trophy front and rear spoilers, chrome tailpipes, black leather trim and a CD player. There were options of ABS on the 1.8i, passenger airbag, a body colour hardtop and metallic/pearlescent paint finishes.

A handful of Platinum silver models were sold in France with an Ebony Oxford Leather interior.

A total of 680 Freestyles were produced.

Details:-

The Freestyle SE was built between 08/10/2001 and 04/12/2001 the last day of MGF production. No external badging or identification but they do have the same body as the late Trophy 160s

Types:-

444 were 118bhp MPIs; 93 118bhp cvt steptronics; and 143 VVCs

650 were produced with PUU Black leather but 30 French cars had different interiors, unusual for an SE model. 15 in MNX had PVB Ebony Black Oxford leather and 15 more had SMS Alpaca Beige and Black Oxford leather, surprisingly all were mpi versions, often a higher trim level would be found on the vvc versions.

Colour Distribution:-

LQW Anthracite pearlescent 129 cars – 80mpi’s, 18 steptronics and 31 vvc’s

HFF British Racing Green pearlescent 106 cars – 73 mpi’s, 14 steptronics and 19 vvc’s

MNX Platinum Silver metallic 237 cars – 162 mpi’s, 29 steptronics and 46 vvc’s

CMU Solar Red 83 cars – 53 mpi’s, 12 steptronics and 18 vvc’s

JRJ Tahiti Blue 125 cars – 76 mpi’s, 20 steptronics and 29 vvc’s

Country Distribution:-

France 30 cars HFF & MNX

Germany 7 cars no MNX

Great Britain 635 all five colours

Guernsey 1 MNX

South Africa 7 cars HFF JRJ and MNX

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MGF Register of the MG Car Club

MG Car Club Ltd

Registered Office: Kimber House, Cemetery Road, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 1AS.

Registered by guarantee in England - Reg. Number 00962227.

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