MG MGB
The sports car half a million people could actually afford.
The story
The MGB swapped the separate chassis of earlier MGs for a stiff one-piece body shell, which made it roomier and more comfortable than its rivals. It was simple, tough and easy to mend, and most of them went to America. The closed MGB GT followed in 1965.
Inside
A black crackle-finish metal dash carries Smiths dials and a big sprung steering wheel. Seats are leather with contrasting piping, and the hood packs away behind them.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
Cars from late 1974 sit higher and wear black rubber bumpers to meet American safety rules.
Meanwhile, in 1962
The Beatles released Love Me Do, and the first James Bond film, Dr No, reached cinemas.
Best-selling single of 1962: I Remember You by Frank Ifield
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.