A reader question for the community:
Hi Muffy,
May I ask a question please.
Having had lunch today at one of our favourite country inns, we came upon an MG vintage car rally. Everything from a "T" type onwards, all in beautiful condition. It prompted me to wonder what the readers favourite two seater sports car (MG or otherwise) would be, either previously owned, currently owned or coveted. I have owned MGB's in the past but always loved the look of the MGA's sleek lines (one of which was taking part today).
Kind regards
I am very fond of both the MGA and the MGB, but my current drop-top is an Red Audi TT Roadster, which I found on the side of the road in “basket case” condition, and lovingly, (and expensively), restored. I am also a huge fan of German autos
ReplyDeleteMy dad had a 1969 E-Type. Not the best car in terms of quality, but certainly looked amazing. I owned a Miata in the 1990s. Certainly not on par with the Jag in terms of power, but absolutely fun nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteEnzo Ferrari described the E Type as "the most beautiful car ever made"
Delete1971 Jaguar XKE. It was a gorgeous car, but when I bought it I was under the age of 30 and single and I had difficulty with the speed limit, so after less than two years, the cost of insuring it became prohibitive. My wife, who I met when I still owned it, later confessed she went out with me despite my car.
ReplyDeleteMy 2008 Mini S convertible is fun, but a 356 speedster would be over the moon.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never owned a two-seater, and it’s impractical for me now. But if I had the space for one in my life and the money, I’d get a Morgan Plus Four.
ReplyDeleteI'm a lifelong ragtop man: I've had my 1978 MG Midget for over forty years, as well as a 1995 Jaguar XJS, both still running well.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed my Alfa Romeo Spider. It was a 1974, if I recall correctly. Alas, not the boat-tail '67-68 model. Tough to find a mechanic who knew the car. It started making less sense when our first child came along and I sold it shortly thereafter. I don't really miss it. At times, I think about buying a used MX5 (fka Miata), but the urge passes. Perhaps if I lived in an area with twisty mountain roads, rather than flat, straight streets...
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm going outside the box here. My favorite two-seater was/is the North American P-51 Mustang fighter of WW II, fitted out with a second seat, stick, rudder pedals and throttle. I managed to get several hops in this airplane and the owners let me take control and fly the plane.
ReplyDeleteTom Cruise purchased one after the original TOP GUN film and later learned to fly it. His airplane is featured in the sequel with several great shots in flight during the end credits.
Well if you can go outside the box so can I ! Supermarine Spitfire converted to a two seater and flying out of Duxford a WW II Battle of Britain base from where Douglas Bader flew (I actually met him once) and now part of the Imperial War Museum. I was also allowed to take control and fly the plane, but I do have both a glider pilots licence (which I qualified for at Duxford) and a private pilots license.
Delete'57 Thunderbird convertible with 'porthole' hardtop option! A summer girlfriend from Palm Beach had one at her Cape Cod summer home. Great drive-in movie ride.
ReplyDeleteMy father had this car as his train station car. It was stolen from the White Plains train station on the reg - lol.
DeleteLove my 2002 Thunderbird - so much fun in the summertime. It always draws attention and I always comment that every old lady should have a convertible.
DeleteI have a 1979 MB 450sl. It is the opposite of the E type. Its looks are something more utilitarian. It does start every time I turn the key and only requires an oil change and tire rotation every spring.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is in beautiful condition and is fun to drive, it will never be worth much. Almost a quarter of a million R107s were built and the 100,000 or so that ended up in So Cal or Arizona are probably still on the road.
My wife has asked me to keep the hardtop on this summer, so it will be more of a GT than Roadster. It is a true 2 seater, there is empty space behind the front seats.
SL
ReplyDeleteOur dad had a series of fun two-seaters: MGB, Austin Healey, Alfa Romeo. They all had a penchant for breaking down, which tapped his engine repair expertise. Modern two-seater, I vote for the Mazda MX-5 Miata. for a little, noisy roadster, It's reasonably priced, reliable, and tremendously fun to drive.
ReplyDeleteLotus Elan S4, the car Emma Peel drove in the Avengers series, and a bug eye Austin Healey Sprite. Always wanted but never had..
ReplyDeleteMiata MX5. They are simple, economical, reliable, inexpensive and most importantly an absolute blast to drive.
ReplyDeleteMy first soft top at age seventeen (which is a long long time ago now) was a Triumph Spitfire Mk 3. It was a badly built car and prone to rust but easy to maintain and at that age I absolutely loved it. I made many happy memories driving it.
ReplyDeleteCunningham C2R.
ReplyDeleteMercedes W113 burgundy with tobacco leather.
ReplyDeleteAustin Healey 3000. Look up the video on Walter Cronkite at Lime Rock Park.
ReplyDeleteJaguar XKR. I have a 2008 coupe dark blue that I acquired from a neighbor last year. It's great fun to drive and to look at, and he did only routine maintenance since he bought it new and drove it 116K mi, keeping it in mint condition before he passed it on to me. It joined my 2020 Land Rover Defender which is about to have the roof and sides solid color PPFd in British racing green.
ReplyDeleteMercedes 300 SL.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a canary yellow 1970 Triumph TR-6. It was my mechanical mistress as it demanded attention and money. I kept it until Sally and I married and realized this expensive toy had to go and I sold it. I still miss it.
ReplyDelete1968 E Type Jaguar. Dark blue, Red leather interior with beige top. Beautiful and had no issues with anything.
ReplyDeleteMy only 2-seater was a 1980 Triumph Spitfire- red with camel houndstooth interior and real wood dashboard! Ultimately done in by its Lucas electronics. But the 2-seater of my dreams would be a 1970 M-B 280 SL.
ReplyDeleteGiven the love of Volvos on this site, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Volvo Sport P1900. Or, for that matter, the Volvo P1800. Granted, the P1800 is a coupe, not a convertible, but it is a two-seater and has great lines.
ReplyDeleteNo mention of, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin or Maserati. That's encouraging!
ReplyDeleteMiata Is Always The Answer (MIATA!) for having wholesome, cheap, reliable summer fun in New England. Just disconnect the trickle charger in Spring, back it out of the barn you stored it in, and GO.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Plus 4. The vintage looks of the MG T series but with the Triumph TR 3/4 still able to keep up with modern traffic. In production since 1936,made in a series of small buildings in Malvern (no assembly line), and makes you feel Iike you are going 100 mph when you are actually doing 60, what’s not to like.
ReplyDeleteAMEN to the TR6
ReplyDeleteAny SL mercedes
ReplyDeleteI had a Honda CRX when they first came out, it was such a fun car to drive. My husband had a Mazda RX7 when we first met. Needless to say, we didn't double date! Although we did cram two friends in the hatch of the RX7 one time. I've always wanted a BMW Z3 after seeing one a German couple who were staying at the same B & B had when we were in the UK. We had a Mini Cooper at one point, which might as well be a 2 seater because no adult human of normal size can fit in that back seat!
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