Purists hated the TD on arrival, calling it 'not a sports car,' just an Americanized cash grab. Nearly 30,000 sold anyway, with 23,488 of them shipped to the US alone.
Lead trim: TD 1.25 XPAG four · up to 57 hp
MG T-Type Midget1950–1953
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a MG T-Type Midget yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactPurists hated the TD on arrival, calling it 'not a sports car,' just an Americanized cash grab. Nearly 30,000 sold anyway, with 23,488 of them shipped to the US alone.
The MG TD Midget, announced in January 1950 (the first TDs were built in late 1949), combined the TC's drivetrain, a modified hypoid-geared rear axle, the MG Y-type chassis, a familiar T-type style body and independent front suspension by coil springs from the Y-type saloon, which a 1950 road test called a "most striking" transformation in ride comfort. A completely different (also four-speed) gearbox, the Y-type's rack-and-pinion steering, smaller 15-inch disc wheels, a left-hand-drive option and standard bumpers with over-riders were also new, and the car was 5 inches wider with a 50 in track. Enthusiasts saw it as a disappointment, mild and "not a sports car", instead "largely designed to consolidate and expand the car's sale in North America". There was still no fuel gauge, only a green warning light at about 2.5 imp gal left of the 12 imp gal tank (a range of about 300 miles). The TD MkII Competition Model, introduced in 1950 alongside the standard car, had a more highly tuned engine with an 8.1:1 compression ratio giving 57 bhp at 5,500 rpm, twin fuel pumps, additional Andrex dampers and a higher-ratio rear axle, offered for export markets because UK wartime rules limited fuel to 72-octane "pool petrol". Nearly 30,000 TDs were produced, including about 1,700 Mk IIs, with all but 1,656 exported, 23,488 of them to the US alone; the main US complaint was the British 12-volt electrical system. An example tested by The Motor in 1952 had a top speed of 77 mph and reached 0–60 mph in 18.2 seconds (26.7 mpg), while Popular Mechanics recorded 22.7 seconds. In 1998 the rights to reproduce the TD were acquired by TD Cars Sdn Bhd in Malaysia as the TD2000.
Collectors Spotted in the MG T-Type Midget Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the MG T-Type Midget yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD 1.25 XPAG four | 1950–1953 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 54 hp | — | 18.2 s | RWD | — | — |
| TD Mk II Competition 1.25 XPAG four (57 bhp) | 1950–1953 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 57 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
A single bore increase from 63.5mm to 72mm gave the TF 1500 a 17% bigger engine — no stroke change needed, just a wider bore and a new engine code.
Purists hated the TD on arrival, calling it 'not a sports car,' just an Americanized cash grab. Nearly 30,000 sold anyway, with 23,488 of them shipped to the US alone.
The MG TC never came in left-hand drive — Americans bought it anyway, right-hand steering and all, kickstarting the postwar US sports-car craze.
The TB Midget's production run ended almost as soon as it began — just 379 were built before MG cleared its factory floor to build aircraft parts and modify tanks for the war.
A humble MG TA Midget won the 1939 Australian Grand Prix handicap in Allan Tomlinson's hands, a modest roadster beating out purpose-built racers.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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