The MG Midget was a small sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 through to 1979. It re-used a famous pre-war name used on MG M, MG D, MG J and so on.
MG Midget MkI (1961-1964)
The first version was essentially a badge engineered version of the Austin-Healey Sprite MKII and retained the quarter elliptic sprung rear axle from the original Sprite. The engine was a 948 cc A-Series with twin SU carburettors producing 46 hp (34 kW) at 5500 rpm and 53 lbf•ft (72 Nm) at 3000 rpm. Brakes were drum all round. In 1963 the engine was increased to 1098 cc raising the output to 56 hp (42 kW) at 5500 rpm and 62 lbf•ft (84 Nm) at 3250 rpm and disc brakes replaced the drums at the front.
The doors had no external handles or locks and the windows were sliding Perspex side screens. A heater was an optional extra.
Production was 16,080 of the small engined version and 9601 of the 1098.
MG Midget MkII (1964-1966)
Externally the main changes were to the doors, which gained wind up windows, quarter lights and external handles, and the windscreen which got a new frame. The hood (US – top) though modified, continued to have a removable frame that had to be erected before the cover was put on. The rear springs were replaced by more conventional half elliptical types. The engine got better bearings allowing the power to be increased to 59 hp (44 kW) at 5750 rpm and torque to 65 lbf•ft (88 Nm) at 3500 rpm.
26,601 were made.
MG Midget MkIII (1966-1974)
The engine now grew to 1275 cc using the development seen on the Mini Cooper S. Output was 65 hp (48 kW) at 6000 rpm and 72 lbf•ft (98 Nm) at 3000 rpm. However, this was a de-tuned version of the engine that was given to the Cooper S. The Midget retained the standard 12G940 cylinder head casting that was common to other BMC 1300 cars, whereas the Cooper S had a special head with an extra two bolts to fasten it to the cylinder block. The hood was now permanently attached to the car. There were minor changes to the body in 1969 with the sills painted black and a revised black grille. "Rostyle" wheels were standardised but wire spoked ones remained an option. The square shaped rear wheel arches became rounded in January 1972. Also in this year, a Triumph steering rack was fitted, giving a gearing that was somewhat lower than earlier Midgets. A second exhaust silencer was also added in 1972.
22,415 were made between 1966 and the 1969 face lift and a further 77,831 up to 1974.
MG Midget 1500 (1974-1980)
In order to meet US federal regulations, large black plastic bumpers (usually called rubber bumpers, despite not actually being rubber) were added to the front and rear and the ride height was increased. The A-Series engine was dropped to be replaced by the 1493 cc unit from the Triumph Spitfire and a modified Morris Marina gearbox with synchromesh on all four gears. The round rear wheel arches were now square again to increase the body strength. The last car was made on December 7th 1979 after 73,899 of the last version had been made. There was no Austin-Healey Sprite equivalent.However there was a limited number of cars produced in 1980 of the MG Midget.
ADO34
ADO34 was the name of a project active between 1960 and 1964 that aimed to develop a Mini based roadster to replace the MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite.
Today
A Midget at a car show held at the Northampton & Lamport Railway on the 3rd June 2007.
The car developed by Donald Healey that started as an Austin-Healey Sprite, and which spawned the late-model MG Midget has more recently been given the generic name Spridget. It really was a Healey, not an MG, but the generic name does not reflect this.
From the late 1980s on, Spridgets became popular cars for inclusion in club racing in the UK, because they were readily available and the lack of development by the original manufacturer made them easy targets for performance tuning.
The UK still has a a race series dedicated to the MG Midget which is run by the MG Car Club. The MG Midget Challenge is a national race series for MG Midgets and Austin Healey Sprites (built 1956-1979). The championship is run at all major UK circuits, with the occasional visit to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. It is a serious, professional but very friendly championship and has been running since 1977.
Frontline Spridget (later Frontline Costello) of Batheaston have developed the car to a huge extent, so that a modern Spridget can have an engine that develops 100 PS (99 hp/74 kW) more than the original, yet weighs less. A Frontline car can achieve 0-100 km/h in around 5 seconds. The Frontline suspension developments make the car a delight to drive. This company can also support this performance with suspension and brake enhancements that make a 21st century Spridget a real competitor with a Lotus Elise.
UK 50th Anniversary Celebration
On 24 May 2008, the Official UK Golden Anniversary of the introduction of the "Spridget" will be held at the British Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire. Up to 1000 Sprites, Midgets and derivatives will be in attendance. The event is jointly organised by the UK's Midget and Sprite Club, Healey Drivers Club, MG Owners Club, Austin Healey Club and MG Car Club.
Future Midget
A brand new Midget was announced in January 2003, to be based on the Tata Aria concept car (Rover used another Tata as the basis of their CityRover). The concept never made it into production and Tata Motors made it clear that they did not wish to share platforms if the MG Rover Group was bought up by another company.
A Small business in cheshire also had similar ideas on the MG Midget in 2007 but were withdrawn from bidding for the rights after lack of fiancial aid.