1938 MG SA

Model History: MG SA

By 1935, MG's sales of their Midgets, Magnas and Magnettes were doing well. The cars had established themselves both as small, practical road cars as well as very competent racing cars. There was only one problem: price margins had to be kept low to make them attractive to buyers, especially with Austin still snapping at MGs heels in this area of the market.

MG boss Cecil Kimber decided that they should supplement their range with a large, luxurious six-cylinder car focused on a different owner, one who would be willing to pay more. This car, would retain MG's trademark performance and handling but combine them with an elegance and class that would put it up against Derby Bentleys and Jaguar's SS100.

Development work had already taken place at the MG factory of 'EX150', an experimental 3.5-litre saloon with a 10' 3" wheelbase and a body developed by Mulliners but when MG was merged with Morris in 1935, the 'S Type' project (as it was to be called) fell by the wayside. Nevertheless, the work was not wasted: the design team used the body and chassis, mating it with the Morris QPHG engine enlarged to 2288cc, placing it just within the '18hp' tax bracket.

The MG SA was launched at the London Motor Show in October 1935, offering a saloon, a four-door drophead tourer by Charlesworth and a three-position Tickford drophead built by Salmons and Sons. Others were provided as bare chassis to various coachbuilders. Deliveries commenced in 1936.

Today, the MG SA is a rare car. Germany proved to be the biggest export market for the car, and few survived. Coachbuilt examples are exceptionally rare and their values probably sit beyond the range of our Guide, but of the standard models the Tickford drophead tends to be the most collectable followed by the Charlesworth tourer and then the saloon.