Question Time at MGF 10

[Rob Bell]

Hi folks,

as you probably all know already, there is a question and answer session whereby we all get the opportunity to ask the original MGF design team about our favourite roadster.

We're incredibly fortunate to have got Rob Oldaker, Brian Griffin and Adrian Guyll on board for this - and Rob will be opening the session with a 10 minute potted history of how the MGF came about.

The format for this session is somewhat like the BBC's "Question Time" - so some of the questions will be pre-prepared so the team can research the answers in more depth, followed by open questions from the floor.

I reckon that we'll have time for about half a dozen pre-prepared questions - so I am looking for some questions from you lot to pose to the people who really know the answers.

BTW, don't expect anyone to answer anything about the current situation between GBSC and Nanjing. I've already spoken to Rob, and he doesn't know anything anyway! ROFL

[kasper]

Rob.
Reading your writing above I hope you are looking for questions to be raised in this topic. So let me be the first to contribute.

MG has always been a fairly convetional producer of sports cars. Only on special occasions MG came up with new inventions. Key factor in the MG succes has always been the fine tuning and optimalisation of existing materials. Making existing technology to work better opened the way for succes in races and performance.

The MGF design is more than somewhat different you would expect form the MG company. this is the first mid-mounted engine MG. And by then MG- must have learned through the Pizza Metro's that it would not be a piece of cake to reuse MG-Rover parts, and simply swap engine bay and drivers compartment.

By that time MG was a re-starting company but what convinced the MG-management to continue the PR3 project with rear-middle mounted engine and lots of barriers to overcome with this total different design rather than building a much more simple and probably cheaper MX-5 copy?
(To be honest: I feel this design of the car is the only propper design for a car like our MG(T)F.)

[Rob Bell]

Kasper, that's exactly the kind of questions that we're looking for. It should raise an interesting discussion, because I am sure that the format of the car must have been agonised over for quite some time.

It's definitely on the list for the panel!

Cheers

[kasper]

Rob,

I'm sorry to learn input of questions is fairly low up until now.

More or less at the same car another great Brittish car manufacturer came up with a quite indential car lay out (Elise) it has basically the same engine, placed at the same location. But it is a totally different kind of car. Compared to the Elise MGF is a much more practical car, Less hard core sports car, more focused on every day use. What made the design team decide this was the right amout of sportyness in the MGF combined with practical every day usability?
Looking back now, whould they have done it in a different way?

[Rob Bell]

Thanks very much Kasper. I now have about a dozen questions that I have just emailed to Rob Oldaker - will be interesting to see what he makes of it all! LOL ;D

Kasper, I hope you can make the session? I've sent you an email...

For everyone's interest ahead of the event, I shall be posting the question list shortly

[kasper]

We'll be there. You'll find me in the continental section. Ask Adrian. He'll know how to find me