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MGB GT - at maximum with rubber drum

Name: MG B GT 1977
Brand: MG

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Created on November 3, 2023

Text:

Bruno von Rotz, translated by DeepL

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

MGB GT (1976) - the bumpers required by US regulations made the car around 13 cm longer

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MGB GT (1976) - would body-colored bumpers really have been better?

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MGB GT (1976) - with rubber bumpers much cheaper than the chrome alternative

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MGB GT (1976) - fits on every country road

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MGB GT (1976) - was built for 18 years, mainly thanks to the Americans

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MGB GT (1976) - an attractive car even with dark plastic bumpers

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MGB GT (1976) - sits slightly higher than its predecessor so that the bumpers are at the correct level

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MGB GT (1976) - the bumpers in contrasting color already stand out

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MGB GT (1976) - with practical tailgate, as before

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MGB GT (1976) - a less attractive four-spoke steering wheel was not introduced until 1977

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MGB GT (1976) - hardly anything had changed inside by 1976

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MGB GT (1976) - all the information you need and reproduced in classic Smiths instruments

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MGB GT (1976) - Additional instruments in the center console

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MGB GT (1976) - the bone of contention - the new bumpers from 1974

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MGB GT (1976) - the classic Rostyle rims

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MGB GT (1976) - also labeled at the rear

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MGB GT (1976) - compared to an earlier model

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MGB GT (1976) - the change in length is clearly visible

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MGB GT (1976) - the differences are obvious

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MG B GT (1973) - the Coupé was discontinued before the Cabriolet

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MG B GT (1965) - sports car with compact dimensions

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MG B GT (1965) - a two-seater for the best moments

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MG B GT (1965) - the practical hatchback with hatch was often placed in the center

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MG B GT (1967) - disassembled into two halves for an in-depth look - 43rd IAA in Frankfurt

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MG B GT (1967) - Advertising shot from Switzerland

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MG B GT (1967) - often shown with CH license plates

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MG B GT (1967) - was often presented with ladies

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MG B GT (1972) - was often shown with young couples

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MG B GT (1968) - the passenger door is gallantly opened here

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MG B GT (1974) - enough space for a golf bag here too

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MG B GT (1973) - the coupé had more space and was therefore more practical

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MG B GT (1973) - a trend was created with the opening tailgate - practical not only for dog owners

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MG B GT (1975) - the pretty coupé came with high legs and was disfigured from 1974 onwards

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MG B GT (1975) - the American rubber bumpers were not an ornamental feature of the coupé

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MG B GT (1976) - year of construction 1977 introduces itself, the adaptation can hardly be seen from the outside

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MG B GT (1977) - the car was around 2.5 mm higher after the adoption of US safety regulations

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MG B GT (1978) - still a pleasure to drive even after one and a half decades of construction

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MG B (1977) - with the robust bumpers demanded by America

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MG B (1977) - together with the smaller MG Midget

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MG G GT (1978) - model-maintained variant

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MG B (1978) - extensively customized interior with four-spoke steering wheel

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MG B GT V8 (1976) - the V8 version was also available with the new rubber boat look

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Summary

When the term "rubber boat" is used in connection with cars, it usually refers to the MGB from 1974 onwards, which was not necessarily made more attractive by bumpers aimed at the US market. To this day, it sells worse than the version with the chrome radiator grille. But is it really the worse car? This driving report focuses on the third-generation MGB GT and shows it in many current and historical pictures as well as in the sales literature from back then.

This article contains the following chapters

Coupé by Pininfarina
The thing with the height
Classic bonus
Premature end in this country
Disruptive rubber?
Classically British

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In 1974, when the biggest change in the history of the MGB was announced, this car was actually already a classic, or at least a car of yesterday. The new competitors of the closed GT variant were now called Fiat X1/9, Matra-Simca Bagheera, Renault 15/17, Triumph TR7 or VW Scirocco and they were conceptually much more modern than the MGB introduced in 1962. And British Leyland would probably have been happy to forego extensive modifications if the Americans had not demanded higher bumpers that could withstand impacts of up to 8 km/h without damage. So the MG designers had to find a solution to integrate these "impact bumpers" into the face of the filigree MGB. They accomplished this task with flying colors, at least according to Automobil Revue on the occasion of the presentation at the London Motor Show in October 1974: "The MG facelift after all. The stylists have skillfully solved the difficult task of integrating safety bumpers into the existing body lines, even if the black front now gives the MG B a somewhat grim appearance ."

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