After the MGB was put out to pasture in 1980, the famous octagonal badge had been kept alive with a series of hot hatches and saloons for most of the decade and fans of the breed had almost written off any chance of a corporate-owned MG ever building another sports car with a folding roof.
The seeds for a new sports car had been sewn when British Motor Heritage started to remanufacture MGB bodyshells. A bold idea by Heritage’s managing director, David Bishop, to look into the possibility of producing an updated version of the MGB was thought too complex for the company’s limited resources and the project was eventually handed over to the Rover Group, BMH’s then parent.
Rover’s Special Products division had been created in 1990 to look at projects like this and the team modified a Heritage bodyshell to accommodate a fuel-injected 3.9-litre V8.
Although the RV8’s basic body style was the same as the MGB, the shell featured redesigned front and rear wings, a restyled bonnet and moulded plastic bumpers.
Extended wheel arches could now accommodate 15-inch wheels shod with 205/65 profile tyres, while modern telescopic dampers replaced the standard B’s antiquated lever arm shock absorbers. A discreet bonnet bulge provided extra headroom to accommodate the Lucas injection on the 3946cc V8, which when provoked could muster 190bhp at 4750rpm and go on to 136mph.
Although the reprofiled wings and bonnet line gave the RV8 a far more purposeful stance than the standard MGB V8, the suspension set up, steering and braking system hadn’t been that drastically altered, so the layout would be very familiar to anyone who’d previously worked on a MGB. Power was delivered to the rear wheels though a five-speed gearbox mated to a live rear axle fitted with a limited-slip differential.
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Classic Car Mart.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Classic Car Mart.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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3D Technology To Preserve Classics?
Traditionally, the unavailability of a critical component has had major repercussions for owners of historic vehicles, putting the brakes on a restoration project or even forcing a historic vehicle off the road.
UPCYCLING
Two British-made modern classics which made credible sporting saloons despite their unlikely origins.
NICHE WORK
A crossover model before the term had even been invented, the original Range Rover could well be the perfect multi-purpose classic.
CLASSIC REVIVAL
Fancy an MGB without the welding and SUs? The much modernised RV8 should fit the bill.
1980s FLEET FAVOURITES
We profile a line-up of popular mid-sized '80s company cars ranging from the ubiquitous Sierra and Cavalier repmobiles through to the king of the company car park, the BMW 3-Series.
Solid State
Although a well-preserved Volvo 120 Series ‘Amazon’ makes a good choice as an occasional everyday classic driver, the range can be confusing. We play the numbers game and reveal some of the Amazon’s main foibles.
Round-Up - 1990s Jaguars
Following Ford’s acquisition of an independent Jaguar in 1989, the Coventry-based luxury car maker underwent a transformation that led to the introduction of a range of capable models that today are reasonably affordable as well as being fun to own and drive.
Myth And Rumour
The Stag may have suffered a poor reputation when new, but in the 21st century it’s one of Britain’s most popular classics – and justifiably so. We take a look at the pros and cons of investing in Triumph’s sporting flagship.
The Full English
An English-built Citroën meets English wine as we enter a slightly bizarre parallel universe.
Tailgate Revolving Doors
Paul Guinness looks back at his experiences from 35 years ago, when he helped to arrange a club stand at the first-ever Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC