MG (MG Car Co., Ltd., Abingdon, U.K.)
Competitive years: 1931-1936
Horsepower Range: 52-120
Long before the MG became famous in the United States, the cars from the Morris Garage were winning international events with a series of outstanding small displacement sports cars and record breakers. In the late 1920s, MGs used the Morris Minor SOHC engine with a sporting body and lightened chassis and found a ready market. The M Type and C type were 750cc versions and were quite successful in the 750 and 800cc classes, and soon a 6 cylinder 1271cc engine was available it became the basis of the F type Magna and the 1087cc K-Type Magnet, or K3. Supercharged, the K3 was an immediate international class winner as a sport car.
In 1934, converted to single seaters and driven by the likes of Hugh Hamilton and Dick Seaman, the MG K3 was capable of competing with the T51A Bugatti and 4CM Maserati. In 1935 the factory backed out of racing and the MG K3 quickly became an also-ran, despite the attempts of others like Reg Parnell to keep the car competitive with a DOHC head.