With diesel cars being this year’s automotive whipping boys and internal combustion engines in general being supposedly on borrowed time, it seems we are unlikely to see another MG getting its power from the black pump. In this special feature, Richard Colby looks behind diesel engine development at BL and its successor companies, and takes us right up to the diesel powered MG6, launched in 2012 and now likely to be the last car in MG’s relatively short dalliance with DERV.
The whole idea of a diesel MG is still anathema for many MG fans and it is likely that this, more than anything, is why a diesel engine did not appear in an MG until 2001. There were, however, several opportunities prior to this when a diesel MG may have been considered because, in addition to taxis, diesel powered cars have been part of the BMC/British Leyland/BL/Austin Rover car family on several occasions since the early 1960s.
The first of these was the Austin A60 Diesel, launched in the summer of 1962. This used a dieselised version of the 1.5-litre B-series engine and had performance that was unlikely to scare the competition of the day, with a quoted 0-60mph time of 39.4 seconds and a 66mph top speed. The A60 was withdrawn from the catalogue in 1969 with no plans to fit the engine into any other current models at the time.
During the 1970s the B-series diesel found its way into the Sherpa range of light commercial vehicles, and also became a popular marine engine. Consideration was given to installing it in the Marina and Princess, but this idea was not developed and so the petrol B-series remained the mainstay power unit for BMC/BL mid-range cars, including of course the MGB.
Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av MG Enthusiast.
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Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av MG Enthusiast.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Love and devotion
Bob Nason waited eight years to get the car of his dreams and, 19 years later, he’s still smitten with it...
Tidy-up time
Craig continues his quest to save the modified ZS 120 he told us about in December’s issue of MGE and takes advantage of a break in the weather to focus on its bodywork.
XPress power
MGs on Track regular, Dave Pearce, has a range of MGs at his disposal including this rather special XPower SV-R.
Sparking memories
MGE reader Peter Morrey recalls his very first MG, his family’s experiences of the then-new MGA and advice from a chap with a bit of MG insider knowledge.
Gerry McGovern
When the MGF appeared, in 1995, it marked a return to the market for MG sports cars. MG Enthusiast caught up with the man responsible for the car’s styling.
MG's Twin-Cam engine
The Twin-Cam engine arrived in 1958 but was it a success?
Eyes peeled
This month Roger looks at other drivers’ habits and ponders whether autonomous vehicle lighting helps or hinders road users?
Dear Sir...
Paul Moran’s beautifully restored 1933 Midget J2 comes with some interesting documentation which illustrates just how the privileged new car owners of the 1930s dealt with the absence of a warranty.
CHEQUERED FLAG
THE ROADS LESS TRAVELLED... AND WHY THEY ARE WORTH SEEKING OUT
2019 HSRCA SPRING FESTIVAL
The 2019 Historic Sports and Racing Car Association Spring Festival was run during a brilliant spring weekend, between 28-29 September, in Goulburn (regional New South Wales).