The ZA Magnette broke with MG tradition completely: it was the first unibody car the marque ever built, abandoning the separate chassis of every MG before it.
Lead trim: 1.5 B-Series (60 bhp)
MG Magnette ZA1953–1956
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a MG Magnette ZA 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.
FactThe ZA Magnette broke with MG tradition completely: it was the first unibody car the marque ever built, abandoning the separate chassis of every MG before it.
The MG Magnette ZA was announced on 15 October 1953 and debuted at the 1953 London Motor Show, with deliveries starting in March 1954 and production continuing until 1956, when 18,076 had been built. It was the first unibody car to bear the MG badge, designed by Gerald Palmer, designer of the Jowett Javelin, and the first appearance of the new four-cylinder 1,489 cc B-Series engine with a pair of 1¼ in-bore twin-choke SU carburettors, delivering 60 bhp, driving the rear wheels through BMC's new four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios. Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs with a live axle on half-elliptic leaf springs at the rear, the steering was rack and pinion, and Lockheed 10 in drum brakes were fitted front and rear.
Collectors Spotted in the MG Magnette Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the MG Magnette yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 B-Series (60 bhp) | 1953–1956 | 1.5 L Inline-4 | 60 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
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
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The Mark III wasn't just an MG - it was nearly the same Pininfarina-designed BMC saloon sold five ways at once, badged as an MG, Riley, Austin, Morris and Wolseley.
Buyers of this Magnette could order a semi-automatic 'Manumatic' gearbox — but barely anyone did. Only 496 of the 1957 cars ever got one.
The ZA Magnette broke with MG tradition completely: it was the first unibody car the marque ever built, abandoning the separate chassis of every MG before it.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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