ROUND 7: MGB vs TR4

Rarely do competing cars from different manufacturers fall into closely defined brackets as neatly as we would like. With the possible exception of the Midget and Spitfire, all of the cars we have compared so far have overlapping characteristics, but also their own distinct identities. These two, the MGB and the TR4, are closer than most, especially if we restrict ourselves to the 1960s – both have four-cylinder engines, capacities of 1798cc in the one and either 1991cc or 2138cc in the other, both with overdrive options, both two-seat roadsters… the list goes on.

There is very little to separate them on paper either. Taking 1962 as an example, the MGB is just 6cm longer and 6cm wider than the TR4 (funny, but I would have guessed it was the other way round,) but some