Last month I went to the Chicago Auto Show with some friends. I wanted to check out the new Jaguar F-Type SVR. The hardtop can reach 200MPH powered by a 5 liter supercharged V8, making it the fastest Jag since the XJ220. The open version ‘only’ gets up to 194MPH. Either may be a bit fast for an MG enthusiast. Well, maybe not too fast but certainly a tad bit over my budget. OK, let’s go see the new Fiat 124 Spider. Back in the day I had a brand new one, 100% Italian. Now they are a joint effort with Mazda. Based on the Miata, it has a little power, but it is a little heavier. And either comes with a proper 6-speed trans. Bit of a toss-up, I’d take either. Of course neither is an MG.

Speaking of which, I couldn’t find any MG stuff. There was an artist doing caricatures of owners standing next to their cars, but he didn’t have a picture of an MG to use as a model. Another vender was selling signs, but no ‘MG parking only.’ At least he had one for Austin Healeys. I asked one of the security guards (always a wealth of information) about old MGs and he replied there were no Oldsmobiles anymore. Now I felt old.

Ford Press Release
Ford Motor Company announces that due to the popularity of the Mazda Miata and Fiat 124 Spider the company will be buying the rights from the Chinese to all things MG. Hoping to relive the Mustang success, they plan to start production by 2020 on a new open 2 seater. Oh, sorry. That was just an early April Fool’s Day Joke. But we do have a Ford press release kit. From 1986. Last month Doug Clark donated material from Ford of England’s 75th anniversary, and some other late 80s English Ford literature. Also donated was a nice souvenir photo book (2005)from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and a booklet (2012) on the speedway’s history.

-- ~~ Bill Mennell