The MG Midget Story

The Baby Sports Car

The MG Midget is one of the great democratic sports cars — a machine built to prove that the thrill of open-top motoring could be accessible to anyone, not just the wealthy. Lighter than 750 kg, shorter than a modern hatchback, and powered by engines that would be considered modest in a lawnmower, the Midget delivered driving joy far out of proportion to its specifications. Between 1961 and 1979, over 225,000 were produced, making it one of the most popular British sports cars ever made.

The Midget’s story is inseparable from its twin — the Austin-Healey Sprite. The two cars shared the same body, chassis, engines, and running gear from 1961 onwards, differing only in badges, grilles, and trim details. To understand the Midget, you must first understand the Sprite that preceded it.

The Frogeye Sprite (1958—1961)

The Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1, universally known as the “Frogeye” (or “Bugeye” in America) for its distinctive headlamp pods, was launched in 1958. It was the brainchild of Donald Healey, who convinced BMC to build a small, cheap sports car using existing BMC components. The Frogeye used the A-series 948cc engine from the Austin A35, a simple front suspension from the Morris Minor, and a live rear axle on quarter-elliptic leaf springs.

The Frogeye was brilliantly conceived — cheap to build, fun to drive, and possessed of a character that was impossibly charming. It weighed just 685 kg and produced only 43 horsepower, but it felt like twice as much because everything was so light and direct. The Frogeye had no external boot lid (luggage went in behind the seats, accessed by tilting the entire front body forward) and no wind-up windows (side curtains only), but none of that mattered. It was the most fun you could have in a car for under 700 pounds.

The Frogeye was a massive sales success, proving the market for an affordable sports car existed. BMC decided to develop a second generation with a more conventional body design — and to sell it under two badges.

Birth of the Midget (1961)

In 1961, BMC launched the redesigned Sprite Mk2 alongside a badge-engineered twin: the MG Midget Mk1. The MG name carried more prestige in export markets (particularly America), and having two versions in different dealer networks doubled the sales potential.

The new body was designed by BMC’s in-house team and was a significant step forward from the Frogeye. It had a conventional front-hinged bonnet, a proper boot with an external lid, wind-up windows, and semi-elliptic leaf springs replacing the Frogeye’s quarter-elliptic setup. The body was more practical and more refined, though some enthusiasts mourned the loss of the Frogeye’s quirky charm.

The Midget Mk1 used the same 948cc A-series engine as the Frogeye, producing 46 horsepower. It was cheap, cheerful, and sold in enormous numbers from day one. The Midget name was itself a revival — MG had used the Midget designation before the war, on the M-type (1929), J-type, and T-series cars that established MG’s sporting reputation.

The Mk2 and Growing Up (1962—1966)

The Midget Mk2 arrived in late 1962 with a bored-out 1,098cc A-series engine producing 59 horsepower. The extra displacement made a noticeable difference — the car felt more relaxed at cruising speed and had better mid-range pull. The Mk2 also received front disc brakes, a significant safety improvement over the all-drum setup of the Mk1.

The Midget found its market niche quickly. It was cheaper than the MGB, lighter, more nimble, and arguably more fun on a twisty road. Where the MGB was a proper sports car for grown-ups, the Midget was a toy — and it was all the better for it. Students, young professionals, and anyone who wanted open-top motoring without spending MGB money flocked to the Midget. In America, it became one of the most popular imported sports cars, competing directly with the Triumph Spitfire and the Fiat 850 Spider.

In Australia, the Midget sold through the BMC dealer network alongside the MGB, Austin-Healey Sprite, and the full range of BMC sedans. It was the entry-level sports car — the car you bought before you could afford an MGB, or the car you kept because nothing else felt as alive.

The Mk3 — The Golden Age (1966—1974)

The Midget Mk3, introduced in 1966, is widely considered the definitive version. The engine grew to 1,275cc — the same displacement as the legendary Mini Cooper S — and produced 65 horsepower. This doesn’t sound like much, but in a car weighing 750 kg, it was enough. The 1275 A-series is one of the all-time great small engines: smooth, willing, happy to rev to 6,000 rpm, and remarkably tough.

The Mk3 also brought a folding soft top that was a genuine improvement over the earlier cars’ arrangements, improved interior trim, and a more comfortable ride. The chassis was unchanged — still a simple steel monocoque with coil-spring independent front suspension and a live rear axle on leaf springs — but it was proven and effective. The Midget was not a sophisticated car, but it was a satisfying one.

Production peaked during this period, with the Midget selling consistently across all major markets. The combination of affordable pricing, engaging driving dynamics, and the cachet of the MG badge made it irresistible. In period road tests, journalists consistently praised the car’s handling, steering feel, and sheer entertainment value, while noting the cramped cockpit, modest performance, and industrial-strength road noise.

The Mk3 era also saw the end of the Austin-Healey badge. Donald Healey’s licensing agreement with BMC expired in 1971, and the Austin-Healey Sprite was discontinued. From then on, the Midget stood alone as BMC’s (by then British Leyland’s) small sports car.

The 1500 — Controversy and Compromise (1974—1979)

In 1974, British Leyland made a decision that remains controversial among Midget enthusiasts: they replaced the beloved A-series engine with a 1,493cc Triumph engine shared with the Spitfire 1500. The reasoning was that the A-series could not be made to meet upcoming US emissions regulations without a complete redesign, while the Triumph unit was already emissions-certified.

The 1500 Midget also received the rubber bumpers that plagued the MGB — large polyurethane-covered impact absorbers to meet US crash regulations. The ride height was raised, the appearance was altered, and the car’s character changed noticeably.

The Triumph engine was not bad in itself — it produced 66 horsepower and had more low-end torque than the 1275 A-series. But it was heavier, rougher, and less willing to rev. More significantly, it had a reputation (partially deserved) for crankshaft failure. The big-end bearing journals were marginal for the loads, and the engine could suffer catastrophic bottom-end failure under sustained high-RPM driving.

The rubber bumper 1500 Midget divided the enthusiast community. Defenders argued that the extra torque made it better in traffic and that the rubber bumpers were a small price for continued production. Critics argued that the soul of the car had been lost — the rev-happy character of the A-series was replaced by a heavier, coarser engine, and the raised ride height ruined the handling.

Both sides had valid points. The 1500 is fundamentally still a Midget — light, nimble, and fun — but it lacks the fizzy, rev-happy character that made the 1275 cars so special.

The End (1979)

The last MG Midget rolled off the production line at Abingdon in December 1979, just months before the last MGB. British Leyland had no replacement planned, no budget to develop one, and no apparent interest in continuing the small sports car market it had once dominated.

The Midget’s demise was part of the broader collapse of the British sports car industry. The Triumph Spitfire had already ended production. The Austin-Healey was a memory. Only Lotus survived as a small British sports car manufacturer, and even they were struggling. The market that BMC had built with the Frogeye Sprite in 1958 was abandoned by its successor companies in just over twenty years.

Racing Heritage

The Midget’s racing history is extensive, if not quite as glamorous as the MGB’s.

Club racing: The Midget was one of the most popular club racing cars in the world throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Its light weight, responsive handling, and cheap running costs made it the ideal car for amateur competitors. The A-series engine responds well to tuning — in race trim, the 1275cc unit can produce 100+ horsepower with a modified head, race camshaft, twin Weber carburettors, and free-flowing exhaust.

Production car racing: The Midget competed in production car classes in the UK, Australia, and America. It was typically the lightest car in its class, which compensated for its modest power output. The Midget’s handling — light steering, progressive breakaway, and excellent weight transfer — made it a favourite among drivers who valued finesse over brute force.

Rallying: The Midget saw limited use in rallying, constrained by its modest ground clearance and limited suspension travel. However, privateers competed in club rallies and tarmac events with success.

Hillclimb and sprint: The Midget’s light weight and compact dimensions made it a natural for hillclimb and sprint events, where absolute speed matters less than power-to-weight ratio and agility.

The Sprite Connection

The Midget’s relationship with the Austin-Healey Sprite deserves emphasis. From 1961 to 1971, the two cars were built side by side on the same production line, using the same body panels, engines, gearboxes, and running gear. The only differences were the grille design, badging, and minor trim variations.

Today, the parts are fully interchangeable between Midget and Sprite. This is good news for owners — the combined production of both cars means a larger pool of parts, a larger pool of knowledge, and a more robust specialist network.

The Sprite name disappeared in 1971, but the Frogeye Sprite remains the spiritual ancestor of every Midget that followed. The basic formula — minimal weight, minimal complication, maximum fun — was established by the Frogeye and never deviated from.

Production Numbers

Variant	Years	Engine	Units (approx.)
Mk1	1961—1962	948cc A-series	~16,000
Mk2	1962—1966	1,098cc A-series	~26,000
Mk3	1966—1974	1,275cc A-series	~100,000
1500	1974—1979	1,493cc Triumph	~73,000
Total	1961—1979		~225,000

Note: Austin-Healey Sprite production adds approximately 130,000 units to the total platform production.

Cultural Impact

The Midget’s cultural impact is subtle but significant. It was never the car that appeared in films or advertisements — that was the MGB or the E-Type. The Midget was the car parked in the university car park, the car driven by the junior architect, the car that introduced a generation to the idea that driving could be an experience, not just transportation.

In Australia, the Midget occupied the most affordable rung of the sports car ladder. It was the car you could buy on a graduate’s salary, the car you maintained on a shoestring, and the car that taught you how to drive properly — because at 750 kg with 65 horsepower, you had to drive it well to make progress.

Legacy

The MG Midget proved that the smallest, cheapest, least powerful sports car could be the most enjoyable. It is a car that rewards skill over speed, involvement over isolation, and driving pleasure over everything else. In a world of increasingly powerful, increasingly heavy, increasingly isolated modern sports cars, the Midget’s lesson — that less can be more — has never been more relevant.