Wind back the clock half a century, and you’d find yourself amid the heyday of British engineering and design. The likes of Jaguar, MG, Triumph, Aston Martin and countless others were coming up with new and daring sports cars by the dozen – some which go for record fees at auction today. Given the fondness for the era, it’s no surprise that when Auto Express ran a poll asking our readers which legendary car they’d most want to see resurrected, the MGB emerged as the clear favourite. • Most wanted car - MGB roadster The original MGB remains one of the great icons of early British sports cars and a pillar of the nation’s automotive history. The roadster first saw daylight in 1962, powered by a raspy 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, good for 94bhp and 145Nm of torque. 15 As with its Midget, MG chose to build the MGB around a monocoque structure, instead of the more traditional body-on-frame design, making the car lighter and more rigid – this resulted in excellent steering and handling. As sales began to grow, more models appeared. A fixed-roof MGB GT penned by Pininfarina joined the ranks in 1965 with a sloping roof structure, while the MGC saw a straight-six cylinder engine replacing the in-line four in the late sixties. A MGB GT V8, with an eight-cylinder engine from Rover, hit the roads during the early seventies, too.

The front-engined sports car was also ideal for motorsport. MGBs have graced the special stages, competed at the Targa Florio in Sicily and survived endurance stints at Germany’s fearsome Nurburgring. For 18 years, the MGB came off the line at the Abingdon plant in Oxfordshire, with over half a million models finding new homes. The MGB remains MG’s best selling car to date. It’s now over 30 years since the last MGB rolled off the line and with the brand now making a comeback in the UK with the MG3 and MG6, we wondered what an MGB might look like if it was reimagined for the modern era. To find out, Auto Express joined the UK MG Car Club and laid down the challenge to the next crop of design talent at Staffordshire University’s Transport Design course. 15 The club was quite clear on what it wanted to see, advising the students that any new MGB must be “the definition of what a British sports car should be”. • Best sports cars on sale right now It added: “The success of the MGA, MGB and MGF was down to the balanced mix of modern design and connection with heritage. The new look shouldn’t be retro, but needs to combine the two aforementioned details to create the classic MG look and inviting feel. The modern MGB would ideally have the open headlights that everyone recognises, along with an open top.”

So what did our students come up with and how did the Car Club rate their efforts? Read on as we reveal all... MG GE (George Eyston) by Phillip Haynes 15 Although designer Phillip Haynes sees the modern MGB as an electric roadster, he hasn’t forgotten the car’s roots. The single bulging headrest-fairing is classic British sports car, while the silver zip-line running across the side, rear and interior is a modern take on the chrome overhangs found on the original MGB. Other details include the use of materials found in cars preceding the original MGB. Haynes told Auto Express: “The bonnet fastening holds a leather belt; it’s a nod to the MG K3 driven by George Eyston which won the Mille Miglia in 1933, as is the circular decal on the side of the vehicle.” The sport-inspired two-tone paint job is made all the more attractive with the metallic British flag engraved on top, too. New MGB by Sam Such 15 “I wanted my car to be a traditional roadster,” designer Sam Such explained. “The front-engine rear-wheel-drive layout allows space for a long bonnet, and means the driver would sit almost over the rear wheels – just how a roadster should be.” He also added a subtle design touch with the styling of the A-pillars. Such explained: “By having the paintwork stop halfway up, it gives the impression that the windscreen has been chopped down, bringing with it a heightened sense of speed.” MG 6R2 by Jack Carter 15 Designer Jack Carter describes his idea as a “track focused car for the road”. He told us: “The 6R2 has a very short rear overhang with large bulging arches to exaggerate its low, wide stance.