MGB Frontline LE50

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:04 pm

I've just watched the new Fifth Gear, and they featured the Frontline LE50 MGB, which was in the motor news about a year or so ago;

http://www.frontlinedevelopments.com/content/le50.shtml

It was originally supposed to be £50k .... Tiff Needell said it is now £62k!!!

No doubt a quality build but that's a lot of money for a 4-banger MGB with a rear live axel! For that amount of money I'd expect IRS and at least a V8, although I suppose the MX5 engines are brilliant, this one has 240bhp and revs to 7,800rpm.

What are peoples thoughts on it?

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:23 am

Interesting, not one picture of an actual car . . . just like alot of stuff these days, selling an idea not a product. I supose they will build a prototype when they have enough in peoples deposits to make the first one. If it were my £62K I would be just avoid the whole thing, it looks well dodgy.
Best regards
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:24 pm

kiwicar wrote:Interesting, not one picture of an actual car . . . just like alot of stuff these days, selling an idea not a product. I supose they will build a prototype when they have enough in peoples deposits to make the first one. If it were my £62K I would be just avoid the whole thing, it looks well dodgy.
Best regards
Mike

Well the one that Tiff drove on Fifth Gear looked pretty real to me mate!

They had the prototype done at least a year ago I believe.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:45 pm

Hi
OK didn't see Tiff drive anything. . . I believe if ever there was a man in love with himself. . . so I tend not to watch anything he is in. I still would avoid this sort of project like the plague, apart from anythine else how do they get type aproval on a 50 year old chassis design, who actually has the copyright on the design, it just has de-Lorian after sales service written all over it!
Best regards
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:06 pm

They use a Heritage shell who have all the rights to produce anything MGB related.

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:54 pm

Personally, I can't see any point in making an MGB that isn't an MGB. Different for those who modify them for their own reasons. But this is surely aimed at the sort of punter who just buys a car ready made?

I've driven most of the MGB factory variants - MGC, V8 and the later RV8, and IMHO the original B was the best of the lot. Felt 'just right' which none of the others did.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:24 pm

The MGC was certainly a pig, I've only ever seen one genuine one that looked good, and it had triple webbers.

And I agree Dave, this appears to be for people who have little imagination and far too much money!

Post by **Rossco** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:04 pm

chodjinn wrote:The MGC was certainly a pig, I've only ever seen one genuine one that looked good, and it had triple webbers.

And I agree Dave, this appears to be for people who have little imagination and far too much money!

ged · Post by **ged** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:05 pm

For 62k I would build myself a 68 mustang lookalike from the film Bullitt or an Eleanor. Dreams are free!

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:58 pm

ged wrote:For 62k I would build myself a 68 mustang lookalike from the film Bullitt or an Eleanor. Dreams are free!

I'd get a Dodge Charger R/T.

Chris.

ged · Post by **ged** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:04 am

[quote"ChrisJC"quote]

I'd get a Dodge Charger R/T.

My drive is too narrow.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:24 am

For £62k I would have a 6 month old XKR, I could afford to drive it everyday and have heaps of fun doing so . . . I can dream of things like proper dodge chargers and camaros, and 454 'vetts but most of them you can't afford to put the petrol in or have them serviced, the jag however you can!
Best regards
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:54 am

For £62k I would build my MGB the way I want it with an LS1/T56 and still have enough change for a second hand Bentley Continental GT for sundays!

volospian · Post by **volospian** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:19 pm

I don't really get this.

I mean I can see the appeal of having classic car looks with modern underpinnings and reliability, sure. That's why I'm building a Cobra with an LS engine, I suppose.

I got the "new" E-Type thing that was on Top Gear that time. It looks the part, but has today's performance and comfort, etc. I almost understood the Interceptor they had on once as well. If you're restoring an Interceptor it makes sense to fit a nice modern V8, unless you want concourse, and all that modern stuff like keyless entry, central locking, easy to start, economical (within reason

), DAB radio, heated seats, yadda yadda... It makes a classic car a real option as a daily driver and I'd love something like that. All the looks, none of the spraying WD40 in the dizzy on a damp morning.

What I don't get is the price.... For that sort of money you can get your hands on all sorts of exotica. OK, so if all your rich chums are already driving Ferrari's, Maserati's and Zonda's, then maybe driving a trick "classic" may be one thing to differentiate yourself from the chaps at the golf club, I suppose. A modernised Bristol 411, perhaps, a modernised Iso Griffo, yes please, a modernised Alfa Montreal? Sure... why not... but... an MGB? for £62k?

No offence to those who like the MG, but seriously... I can't wait for the £100k Allegro

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:43 pm

Haha £100k for an Allegro that could probably buy the whole company lol!