COTW: 1972 MG Midget
Weight: 1500-1600 lbs (2007 Hummer H2: 6400 lbs)
Horsepower: 54.5 @ 5500 RPM
Torque: 67 lb/ft @ 3250 RPM
¼ Mile: 14.5 seconds @ 97 MPH
Length: 141 inches (2007 Hummer H2: 189.8 inches)
Width: 60.3 inches (2007 Hummer H2: 81.2 inches)
Gas Tank: 8.4 US Gallons (2007 Hummer H2: 32 US Gallons)
To continue with the rather unconventional (yet historically significant) tangent of my Car of the Week I present the 1972 MG Midget.
OK fine…this is NOT a powerhouse. The ’72 Midget (known as the Mk III) was given a rocking 1275 cc engine (that’s 1.3L for you folks). Sure Honda is able to develop 160 from a 1.6L…sadly the British weren’t quite as successful. We are talking about 65 hp here. Yawn.
But what sets this little beauty apart from the herd is that it was a fantastically fun little car. For the era it handled well, accelerated decently, was so freaking tiny you could park it anywhere and an absolute hoot to drive.
And…amazingly enough…it was a highly successful race machine. These days you can find all kinds of people restoring and racing the little buggers. It is the British 70’s version of the Miata. Better yet…it was one of the blueprints for the Miata. It’s small, nimble, attractive, and best of all inexpensive.
I had one back in High School. Sure I didn’t know much about cars back then but I loved that little car. I barely fit into it, it was frightening as hell on the freeway and required constant attention. It also created conversations like no other car I’ve ever owned.
Is it a highly desirable collectible? No, not at all. But if you are looking for something with a little (yes, that’s a pun) spunk and a hell of a lot of potential…pick one up.
Just remember…it’s a 70’s British car. It doesn’t leak oil…it oozes charm.
