Atonement

The MkIII (ADO9) and MkIV (ADO38) Magnettes were not exactly to stalwart MG fans’ tastes when launched in 1959. Even with in-vogue continental styling, courtesy of Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina, the mechanical specification and awkward handling did not appeal to all. They were clearly a huge departure from popular predecessors, the ‘pure-blood’ ZA and ZB Magnette models, and the MkIII was the first MG-badged car to be produced outside Abingdon in three decades.

It was built at the Nuffield factory, in Cowley, primarily to make space in Abingdon for the expanding MGA production line which needed to ramp up with the MGA growing in popularity.

ADO9 heralded Leonard Lord’s resurrection of badge engineering for BMC brands Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley and MG. Dick Burzi and Sid Goble were tasked with giving ADO9 a distinctive look for each of BMC’s marques by using different grilles, bonnet shapes and brightwork. Some parts were shared across marques. The MkIV was an updated version, released in 1961, with improved handling.

Once the MkIII and MkIV had been superseded, some found a fan base in the arena of gladiators: the banger races. I can’t be the only one who, on occasion, watched from the