JANUARY 1996 MGB GT V8

‘Right car, wrong time’ summarises the failure of MG’s V8-engined B GT to capture a market which seemed to be begging for a car of its kind. The hatchback MG wasn’t a powerhouse (102kW from the 3.5-litre Rover V8) but it would do 190km/h and had less weight up front than the ‘four’ so handling was undisturbed. Most of the 2591 V8s made were sold in the UK and none came officially to Australia. None went to the USA either, for reasons of internal British Leyland jealousy or so the speculation goes. Prices stayed for years at $25-30,000 before recently heading for $50,000.