Motoring
Don Booker discovers the MG6 GT... Readers may remember that last year I discovered I was driving a sports car outside the
European Union, in a car made in the UK with money provided by a Chinese maker.
It was the MG TF being sold on the island of Guernsey, and when I returned earlier this year I was at the wheel of another MG, MG6 GT. For most people, the MG badge was their first association with sports cars. One could say it became a household name and it was sad when at one period it disappeared from the motoring scene.
The M6 was a big car to be driving around the country roads of this lovely island and comes as a fastback or saloon. With a Morgan, 4/4 means four wheels and four cylinders and with this MG “6” does not mean six cylinders. Power comes from a 1.8-litre
turbocharged four-cylinder engine based on the MG Rover K Series engine which has been in use since the last century. Helped by twin cams, it
develops 155bhp and is matched to a five-speed gearbox. Top speed is 120mph. 0-60mph comes in 8.4 seconds and average consumption is over 35mpg. Apart from the well-tuned suspension system, the car has an aerodynamic shape not unlike the Rover 75, and alloy wheels which give a true sporting appeal. That famous octagonal badge sits proudly on the grille and halogen lights add to the sporting appeal. Body coloured mirrors
help to give a streamlined look. There are three levels of trim, with the S getting electronic control, air conditioning and 17- inch alloys, while the SE gets a navigation system, rear parking sensors and cruise control. The TSE gets bigger alloys, reverse parking help with rear view camera, leather seats, electric dual zone, air conditioning and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The fascia appeared to be one of the biggest I have encountered. Yes, lots of uncluttered space and style. It is luxurious, but not as much as I would expect from a MG.
There is maximum head and leg
room and the boot is one of the biggest in its class, 472 litres with seats up and stretching to 1,268 with seats folded.
A one-press engine button adds that sporting touch and the car is ideal for those who want to be a bit different on the road.
There were MG saloons in the early days, but many, like myself, were first associated with the marque through the MG 1100 and 1300 models with hydrolastic suspension. They were like the Austin and Morris 1100s, but with sporty and classy touches. In the Channel Islands prices start at £13,495, but on the mainland it is £15,995.
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