Mid-engine Millennials
To celebrate the 25th birthday of the MGF we pitch the MG TF against its mid-engine mates…
As the MGF turns 25, our James Walshe pits the TF against its rivals.
If the human ear has evolved to capture and amplify sound from the direction in which we are facing, why is it that we love the sound of an engine behind us so much? The answer to the appeal of horsepower astern probably lies in half a century of supercars and, of course, motorsport. The Formula One car has been mid-engined since the Sixties and remains at the pinnacle of automotive engineering today, the tech inevitably finding its way into our daily drivers.
Mainstream manufacturers have been fuelling our supercar fantasies for decades, too. In particular, there are now plenty of mid-engine 20-somethings available for not very much dosh at all.
Most popular in Britain was the MGF, this year celebrating its quarter century. By 2002, it had evolved into the TF, so our hunt for the ultimate bargain mid-engine sports car begins with this ultimate incarnation of the Longbridge superstar, appropriately at Thruxton – the very place MG Rover first unleashed it onto the track.
MG TF
Our gaggle of mid-engine motors have assembled in the pit lane at Thruxton, where a small crowd has gathered around the still visually sharp-looking TF. Arriving 18 years ago, it was enthusiastically welcomed by the circuit’s racing school instructors who enjoyed the extra sporting edge over its predecessor. No slouch itself, the MGF was getting on a bit by the millennium and, despite a mild makeover in ’99, the TF was a popular move with buyers, with sales of 40,000. Having ditched the Hydragas, MG Rover added 20 percent more stiffness in the body and a svelte new look that lasted until the car was canned in April 2005 after the collapse of the company.
Granted, some aspects of the MG’S cabin have aged – notably some of the clacky switches – but fire it up and that sweet, revvy engine yowls into life behind you. Initially, I can see why Moulton fans mourned the deletion of Hydragas, as while the ’F delivered a unique combination of handling composure and ride quality, the TF’S ride is notably firmer. Things start to make sense after the first few bends though – the multi-link rear-axle with those conventional springs and dampers give it a beefier, more traditional sports car feel.
Darting through Campbell, Cobb and Seagrave, I have a wide grin by the time I reach Club and cross the line. The TF is a genuine surprise, offering the keen driver so much more than you might expect. The gearchange is sweet too, and there’s loads of grip with minimal twitch on the limit. You wouldn’t necessarily mind if you did go backwards into a hedge, though. There are plenty left out there, most at low prices. This MG is one serious bargain.
Whether it’s a 1.6-litre 115 like the car we have here today or a 1.8-litre VVC 160, K-series head gasket failures issues can still occur – although they’re generally less likely on a TF thanks partly to better airflow into the cooling system. Find yourself a post-2007 model and it’ll be a product of Nanjing’s relaunch of the TF. Tweaked on the drawing board at Longbridge, parts were made in China and sent to Brum for assembly. Not much changed and the pricing was daft for something so clearly out of date in the late Noughties, but these days, the LE500 is an affordable hoot of a thing. The rewards go beyond a great steer, however. We’ve noticed owners of all ages talking favourably about club support, parts availability and maintenance expertise.
‘The sharp looking TF is a cracking drive and a massive bargain…’
‘The Porsche is a class above and feels it. Yet it is still a bargain’
Porsche Boxster
Where the MG TF scores in value for money, it’s unlikely you’ll stumble over any sub-£1000 bargains if you fancy either of the next two mid-engine superstars on our list. However, everything is relative and, despite their very premium nature, the Lotus Elise and Porsche Boxster are both still extremely good value for what you get in return.
With the Porsche, you’re getting a £7000 mid-engine performance car with an exotic badge that’ll reward with supercar thrills and the kind of quality you should expect from a car that cost four times that price new. Not everyone got the fabled Porsche quality at first though, so it’s important to make your Boxster selection carefully. Some early ‘986’ models were blighted by porous blocks and bore liner problems, so spend time looking through the paperwork of any potential purchase. Bonus points for itemised specialist Porsche receipts.
From the moment you open the door of the Boxster, it’s clear the Porsche is in a league above the others in this group. From the perfect shutlines and deep, rich paintwork to the moment you drop down into seats that envelop with firm and fine stitched leather. You behind a chunky wheel, in a cabin that feels like it would last 50 years without a single item falling off. Fire up the flat six and there’s a very unique magic that even the most Porsche cynic can’t ignore. The Porsche Boxster was designed to a very exact brief and it doesn’t disappoint in any way, dynamically. This post-2001 facelift model takes off, corners and stops with such refinement, I find it impossible not to be captivated. The Boxster delivers such a gratifying blend of attributes – it’s as happy doing a supermarket run as it is crossing Europe for a blast on the Stelvio Pass. Buy a cheap example with no paperwork and you’ll be rewarded with potential engine and gearbox issues, oil and coolant leaks, faulty air con and a roof that doesn’t fit. Whether or not you can do the work yourself, it will impact your wallet regardless, thanks to high parts prices. I’d suggest spending a little extra for the best. If you really want a Porsche Boxster, do it properly.
Lotus Elise
On the face of it, the Lotus is a truly no-frills sports car experience and by far the least usable vehicle here. It is basic, cramped and you’d want to live in the Peak District or own a racetrack, ideally. However, spend a few hours in one and you soon realise it is far beyond any of that rational twaddle because the Lotus Elise is probably the greatest B-road sports car ever made. We stand trackside trying to think of another… and can’t. Some might attempt to convince you that a Caterham Seven is even better on a B-road but having spent a week in a Superlight R500, I can confidently inform you it was like being stuck in a phone box with an angry pine martin.
The Elise offers track car thrills and breathtaking dynamic ability but with added road manners and a roof. A departure from the chunkier chest-wig offerings of the previous two decades, Lotus went back to its roots when Elise sales began 1996. Engineers had discovered an ingenious way to glue composite panels to a lightweight aluminium tub – into which was slotted a 1.8-litre K-series.
More powerful models followed and the survival rate for all is good, which means that whichever
one you choose, you will never be anything less than completely delighted by the driving experience.
I grin as I take the keys, knowing what to expect as I take the wheel and relish the thought of enjoying the greatest sports car experience of them all at one of the best tracks in the country. Unfortunately, I’ve clapped on a few pounds since my last encounter with an Elise ten years ago, so I am rightly mocked as I squeeze myself into the car, ashamed at my decade of cake consumption. Mid-life obesity concerns swiftly disappear, however. There’s little I can say that you won’t already know but what’s clear is the Lotus makes every other car here feel as composed as a one-legged millipede. If you have access to a family wagon and if finances permit, buy an Elise before prices
go truly mad.
Toyota MR2
The visual similarities between the Boxster and
Toyota’s sweet looking MR2
Roadster didn’t go unnoticed when the firm whipped off the covers back in 2000.
With its Legoland shape, tiny dimensions and dinky wheels, every inch of this 975kg featherweight is beautifully proportioned – in an almost-honda S800 kind of way. Like all the best small cars to come out of Japan, Toyota went for high quality lightweight engineering, designing the MR2 to be no more than it needed to be. It’s the same inside, with a pleasant, well bolted together and sporty looking cabin. The MR2 is also blessed with Toyota’s famed reliability record, so owning one is unlikely to be a chore. Just check the paperwork before buying, as there are areas underneath hidden by plastic covers, such the rear crossmember, which can rot ferociously.
Having hit rock bottom a couple of years ago, MR2 values have risen noticeably in recent times with decent examples fetching up £4000. Some might view this as odd, especially when you consider how much milder the Mk3 MR2 seems in comparison to the drama and chest-wig nature of its ballsy Mk2 predecessor, but a drive in the dainty third-generation car reveals all.
Unlike its ancestors, the MR2 Roadster’s full drop-top configuration meant extra kicks in a car that was intended by its maker to deliver truly stupendous handling characteristics.
Confident Toyota execs invited the world’s press and professional racing drivers to try out the car and all, without question, heaped praise upon it. After just a few minutes behind the wheel, it doesn’t take long to find yourself completely agreeing with them.
Twist the key and say hello to a revvy 1.8-litre VVT-I behind your ears. It’s only got 140bhp but by the time I’m through the first few corners, the MR2 feels like an altogether more serious bit of kit. The steering is precise with bags of delicious feedback and it corners with a tightness not unlike the Elise. While the Toyota might look like a fun-size sports car, it is one that means business. When I last tried an MR2 in 2005, I almost bought one. It was that good, but for one thing… the Smart.
Smart Roadster
I was just a signature away from owning a Toyota MR2 of my own when my ears were mugged by the tinny turbocharged warble of a three-cylinder Smart Roadster. The very next day, I wandered into my local Mercedes dealership and, a week after that, I was driving home in the car I still own today. Such an irrational act sums up the Smart. It’s a car you buy with your heart – and more than fivethousand days later, the Smart Roadster Coupé still has mine.
For our test, I borrowed a standard 80bhp ‘notchback’ Roadster with 100,000 fewer miles than my own car. The cabin is always a fun place to be – with dials sprouting out of the dash and there’s plenty of space for a six-footer. That semi-auto gearbox puts a lot of people off, but learn how to use it, lifting off the gas and changing a second or so earlier than you would normally do, and you can exploit the 790kg Roadster’s little gushes of power. It’s not that quick but crucially, it feels it – and the ‘half-a-911’ wailing sound, followed by a chirp from the turbo as you change gear, is hilarious. After the Lotus, the Smart’s electric steering lacks a little feel, but the car corners flat and grips tenaciously.
Roadsters are seriously cheap these days, so beware overpriced garage queens and absurd dealer prices. Rainwater leaks can be a pain to fix and some parts are very hard to find, as it was only built for a few years, but the oily bits are almost all pure Smart City Coupé/ Fortwo. Brabus models command higher prices, but all you get is body kit, harder suspension, 17in wheels that are known for falling apart and an exhaust system that’ll cost you a fortune to replace. Stick with a standard model for £2000 from an enthusiast owner and ask for evidence of regular oil changes.
While it very obviously lacks the performance and refinement of the others here, the plucky little Smart punches above its weight despite its parts bin origins. It’d be easy to dismiss it but then you clap eyes on it and laugh as it howls past. As an antidote to the serious business of precision automotive engineering, clearly Gordon Murray and Lewis Hamilton were in need of a laugh.
Both bought Smart Roadsters.
‘The MR2 and Smart are fun, but in an entirely different way’
‘Cake or Lotus? I like Victoria sponge just too much to choose the Elise’
Conclusion
The list prices for each of these models may well have been poles apart, with each having been bought new by quite different customers. However, values for all our assembled sports cars have fallen to an appealingly low level in 2020. Quite clearly, a Boxster is still valued considerably more than the MG TF, but having driven all of the cars, each delivers a grin completely equal to the next. In turn, each of them presents their own unique drawback; The cost of running the Porsche, the hardcore nature of the Lotus, the Smart’s iffy roof and parts availability concerns, the MG TF’S less than exotic image and the Toyota’s luggage issues. Do you really care about any of that? No, neither do we.
So, cake or Lotus? The Elise is the best steer by far but I think the chance has passed me by, personally. I like a nice Victoria sponge just too much. The Porsche is brilliant value and, while running one can cost you, it is a without doubt a level above the others for refinement, while the budget Smart is at the opposite end. Delightful to look at and to drive, nowadays you’ll need to be a committed enthusiast
to put up with its imperfections – especially the leaks. Meanwhile, Toyota’s poor efforts in the luggage department will be its undoing for many. When holidays for two involve just one pair of spare underpants and a toothbrush, it’s a shame as the MR2 is a true pint-sized supercar. It outshines the others here in so many ways, combining brilliant quality and design with supreme driving dynamics. It’s even more appealing than it was 20 years ago.
As for the MG, it just keeps getting better with age. Whether you go original and bag yourself a cute looking MGF or choose the edgier, tuned and restyled TF, there’ll never be a time when you don’t hop into your MG and laugh at how little you paid for something that’s just so much fun.