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‘All New, all powerful’, exclaimed the adverts, and on paper, a new C appeared to be the perfect sports car for the go-ahead motorist. As early as 1964, Abingdon gave serious thought to a more powerful version of the B, while the Austin-Healey 3000 was not far from the end of its distinguished career. And so the British Motor Corporation embarked upon project ADO 51/ADO 52 – the latter as a six-cylinder version of the B, and the former its badge-engineered “Austin-Healey Mk. IV” stablemate.

Donald Healey proved markedly unkeen on ADO51 and instead devised a 3000 Mk. III with a widened chassis and the 4-litre motor from the Vanden Plas Princess R. Alas, BMC did not support his ambitious plans. Meanwhile, work continued on the ADO52, with Abingdon evaluating choices of engine. One option was the 2.4-litre unit from the Australian-built Wolseley 24/80, but management eventually decided on a seven-bearing version of the familiar 2,912 cc unit.

This proved a controversial choice, not least because of the six-cylinder engine’s weight and dimensions; the C’s bonnet required “bulges” to accommodate the valve cover and carburettors. MG replaced the B’s front suspension with torsions, and there was also a substantial anti-roll bar, telescopic shock absorbers, and vacuum-assisted Girling brakes. A lack of funds precluded significant bodywork alterations.

 The launch took place in October 1967 -

Although the press cars suffered from incorrect tyre pressures. Keith Adams noted in The Independent that ‘polite road-testers were left to find new and inventive ways of slating the handling without resorting to barefaced insult’. Some owners grumbled that the C was not as fast as the 3000 Mk. III and that it was outrageous to pay an extra £15 1s 2d for a heater when the Roadster cost £1,102 and the GT £1,249.  

Above all, there seemed to be many concerns about road manners, understeer and the power plant. Michael Scarlett wrote in Autocar that ‘it appears to have been drawn up by an ex-marine engineer who was transferred against his will to the tractor engine department. However, when Motor tested a Roadster fitted with the optional wire wheels, hard-top and overdrove, they concluded ‘there are few cars that can outpace the MGC at anything near its £1,163 price tag’.  

By contrast, Autocar thought, ‘somewhere in the large BMC complex it has lost the Abingdon touch’, but when they evaluated a GT with automatic transmission in 1968, their conclusions were more positive. In this form, the C ‘more nearly succeeded in what it sets out to achieve than does the open sports car’ – i.e. an MG with great potential as a grand tourer.

Similarly, Motor Sport felt that although the MGC was ‘an enjoyable and tireless as a touring car, suitable for those unending continental roads’, it was ‘not a sports car in the Austin-Healey and MGB sense’. Across the Atlantic, Road & Track thought ‘it scores as a personal long-distance cruiser’. However, the most critical response was, almost inevitably, from Car magazine - ‘Abingdon, home of the British sporting tradition, did you have to do this?’.

Production ended in September 1969 after just 9,002 units, and not even HRH Prince Charles favouring a “Mineral Blue” MGC GT enhanced sales. Today, many C enthusiasts argue that it is one of the most misunderstood cars to wear the Octagon badge, and as Mr. Adams wisely observed: was this car the winner it should have been? Not really – but even if the press garage had got the tyre pressures right, the MGC wouldn’t have hit the spot. It wasn’t the new Austin-Healey 3000 the world wanted, and that meant that its faults were doubly unforgiven.

That was the C’s central problem - it was not a “Big Healey”, nor was it intended to be. But it is a fascinating and very collectable MG.

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Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
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Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your MG today.