Introduced in 1962 and still in production almost twenty years later, the MGB is probably the definitive classic British sports car. It started life as a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, back-to-basics sportscar – and ended its life in much the same way.

Yes, it gained a little weight over the years but then don’t we all? And yes, the latter rubber bumpers - fitted to meet impact legislation – might lack the clean, elegant purity of the chrome originals but at its core, the MGB remained true to the original concept of providing maximum fun for minimum investment.

Its 1800cc engine might not be the last word in power and economy, but it is as strong as hell and a good one reminds you of just how civilized and sweet a well-fettled four-cylinder engine can be.

The three-litre straight-six in the MGC is silky smooth, and the Rover 3.5-litre V8 gives the MGB GT all the urge you could ever want, all to the accompaniment of that gorgeous multi-cylinder whuffle.

The MGB is a more versatile car than you might imagine, too. If you have the soft-top rather that the hatchback GT, then all you need to do is to fit the optional hardtop - along with a set of steel wheels with winter tyres - and you’ll be the proud owner of a viable all-year-round daily driver.

Then, in the Spring, simply switch to alloys or wire wheels with decent rubber, remove the hardtop, and give it a wipe over with an oily rag and you are all set to enjoy the classic car show circuit, track days, and runs to the beach in the very same car you’ve just slogged through all that snow and ice in.

Pop in an overdrive gearbox and it makes a fine long-distance cruiser - and everyone loves a classic British sportscar, so city and motorway driving is a doddle as other drivers will be falling over themselves to let you out of junctions, and into another lane.

With more than half-a-million having rolled off the production line, few cars offer the same ease of ownership as the MGB either thanks to a huge network of suppliers, marque specialists and a plethora of owners’ clubs that exist to help you keep yours running sweetly and looking wonderful at little cost.

But please don’t mistake familiarity with contempt; the MGB is also the definitive front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sportscar. No, it is not especially fast, but a well-sorted example handles so beautifully that they serve as a constant reminder that you don’t need a lot of power in order to have an awful lot of fun.

The move from chrome bumpers to legislation-friendly rubber ones in 1975 was something many purists decry but changing them is fairly straightforward and something of a well-trodden path now, as you can see here…

PATINA PICKS: https://picks.getpatina.com/2016/02/mgb-the-practical-classic/

1975 MG B GT V8

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