Faux-retro styling on modern cars may be passé, but genuine revival motoring is currently in ultra-cool ascendance – the Frontline MG LE50 is another perfect example.
Frontline Developments – notable tuners of all things MGB, Sprite, Midget and Triumph – has gotten together with British Motor Heritage to create an extra special Limited Edition run of 50 MGBs in celebration of that car’s 50th anniversary.
Except these aren’t quite your average resurrection classic. At all. Rather, Frontline has set-out to bring ‘the charm, style and elegance of 1962’ right up to date, completely re-engineering the B with high performance, lightweight components.
Starting with the chassis, this is a brand new, monocoque design, highly developed, and kitted out with Frontline’s own suspension and braking systems to deliver both comfort and handling.
Then there’s the engine. Forget the original – the MG LE50 is powered by an all-new aluminium twin cam that produces 215hp and weighs just 85kg, bolted to a six-speed manual gearbox that’s also made from aluminium.
Sounds extraordinary – and it is, since it’s actually a 2012 Mazda engine, complete with billet crank, Teflon coated forged pistons, solid lifters and variable valve timing.
Like much of the rest of the car this is engineering ecstasy, endowing the MG LE50 with 175lb ft of torque and, according to its makers, 45mpg cruising capability. Plus the car’s overalled reduced weight ultimately means 240hp per tonne.
That’s enough to see off 60mph in just five seconds dead, not to mention knock on the door of 160mph. Imagine the fun you’ll have giving today’s performance cars a proper old school fright.
You’ll be doing it in some luxury, too, as Frontline has also completely overhauled the interior. The idea is to keep much of the original ambience, but upgrade the quality to a level ‘more familiar with Aston Martin and Bentley owners’.
This includes Alcantara or Connolly leather upholstery, Wilton carpets, billet alloy switchgear and a Harmon Kardon sound system. You can even option heated seats and air conditioning.
Meanwhile, the original Smiths gauges have been recommissioned from Smiths itself, but updated to match the action of the new running gear – including higher 7,800 rev range, and a speedometer that reads to 170mph.
Just the two seats are standard, as the MG LE50 is intended as a GT car, but you can have a 2+2 option, as you wish. Frontline describes the finished article as a ‘well mannered road car’, and ‘something the original MG designers would be very proud of’.
A commemorative British Motor Heritage plaque will record the chassis production number, original ordering customer and full build specification details. These are set to be truly special cars.
As a result, don’t be too surprised at the price tag. The final bill will be dependent on each car’s exact specification, but the ballpark figure we’ve been given is £49,400, before tax.
Initial production is already underway – although the car you see in the picture above is a test track development model; the final versions will have bumpers and won’t have a rollcage. Or so many stickers.
Each MG LE50 will be hand assembled at Frontline’s ‘Special Works Division’ located in Abingdon-on-Thames. The first customer car, chassis number 001, will go into build in January 2012, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary year.
What a way to be different. The order books are open now – go on, you know you want one.
