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Just a small review on a car that most people would look past..
I recently had the privilege of driving a flame-red 4 speed manual 1966 convertible MG in real life. It was fun cruising around the side streets in my local area at night time with little traffic in my path. It sounds, looks and performs as you would imagine a British, 2 door sports car from the 60s would.
Changing gears gave my arm a real workout, the harshness of the rough, stiff suspension caused loss of feeling in my spine and the limited, squashy interior made me feel somewhat claustrophobic. Not to mention the brakes were very scary, not stopping the car in any great hurry. Ok but was it fun? YES! Turning through a corner, down-shifting to second gear and stepping on the gas pedal was a blast, as the cars rear end got loose and resulted in some mild sideways action. Exiting the corner and powering through the gears, the cars exhaust system let off a loud and bubbly rumble that was sure to wake up some of the sleepy neighbours. Sitting very low to the floor, gripping the Saas sports steering wheel, darting through empty streets and feeling the hearty engine spew out carbon into the atmosphere was a real treat.
Unfortunately this car never made it to GT4, in fact there are only a couple of available MG's to choose from in the game. So, with the excitement of the real MG I drove still racing in my veins and the lack of feeling still in my spine, I thought I would put its newer, virtual sibling, the TF 160 to the test.
I acquired this car fairly early on in the game and it was sitting in my garage for a long time before I decided to put it through its paces. I used this car to compete in the British MG Festival race and first impressions told me this would be a good racer. Why you may ask? Ill tell you. Its red, so naturally its fast and it must be good, yes? Sure its not as nimble or as quick as the spirited Mazda MX5, but being a pretentious British car it really doesnt care about what other cars think. So, why all the fuss? How about the fact that its midship, 1.8 litre turbo charged, modified engine puts out a neat 330HP? Did I mention that its equipped with a 6 speed gearbox, it is rear wheel drive and it only weighs a respectable 1012Kg? No? Well, now I have and with all these goodies combined it makes for a good racing package.
Its styling is sweet and simple, nothing too extravagant but still neat, clean and modern. I chose red for this one, not because it makes the car faster or even because I like that colour, it just happens to look good with this paint. Comparing it to the older MGF 97, this newer model looks sportier in the front, with angry-eyed headlights, fog lamps and a wider air intake. Its also been equipped with a set of OZ 013 wheels wrapped in R3 Medium racing rubber. Flaunting a twin exhaust system, lowered racing suspension and cool side air vents its design is subtle but flavorsome.
Being light, maneuverable and tame, its easy to confidently throw this car about without much panic. It maintains good traction through the corners but still allows for some loose rear end slip when feeling cocky. The cars balance feels neutral when cornering and it is very predictable and easy to read. It does have a little lift-off-oversteer, but it just adds to the fun. The 330HP it puts-out is adequate, but the cars stable handling suggests it could cope with something more beefy. The power is delivered evenly across the rev range, with decent acceleration and engine response. Pushing it hard around corners with an itchy NOS finger, it still maintains a calm, well mannered attitude.
So, the overall verdict is a positive one, with nice looks, a great spooling turbo sound and fun, relaxed power and handling. Comparing it to the 66 MG I drove with breaks weaker than light beer, this newer MG feels a whole lot more civilized. You might not catch James Bond driving around in this little 2 door, but if it could be equipped with side-winder missiles, rocket launchers, ejector seats, adaptive camouflage and a babe radar, he just might reconsider.
Please share your thoughts on this ride.
Cheers:tup:
Hot4
I recently had the privilege of driving a flame-red 4 speed manual 1966 convertible MG in real life. It was fun cruising around the side streets in my local area at night time with little traffic in my path. It sounds, looks and performs as you would imagine a British, 2 door sports car from the 60s would.
Changing gears gave my arm a real workout, the harshness of the rough, stiff suspension caused loss of feeling in my spine and the limited, squashy interior made me feel somewhat claustrophobic. Not to mention the brakes were very scary, not stopping the car in any great hurry. Ok but was it fun? YES! Turning through a corner, down-shifting to second gear and stepping on the gas pedal was a blast, as the cars rear end got loose and resulted in some mild sideways action. Exiting the corner and powering through the gears, the cars exhaust system let off a loud and bubbly rumble that was sure to wake up some of the sleepy neighbours. Sitting very low to the floor, gripping the Saas sports steering wheel, darting through empty streets and feeling the hearty engine spew out carbon into the atmosphere was a real treat.
Unfortunately this car never made it to GT4, in fact there are only a couple of available MG's to choose from in the game. So, with the excitement of the real MG I drove still racing in my veins and the lack of feeling still in my spine, I thought I would put its newer, virtual sibling, the TF 160 to the test.
I acquired this car fairly early on in the game and it was sitting in my garage for a long time before I decided to put it through its paces. I used this car to compete in the British MG Festival race and first impressions told me this would be a good racer. Why you may ask? Ill tell you. Its red, so naturally its fast and it must be good, yes? Sure its not as nimble or as quick as the spirited Mazda MX5, but being a pretentious British car it really doesnt care about what other cars think. So, why all the fuss? How about the fact that its midship, 1.8 litre turbo charged, modified engine puts out a neat 330HP? Did I mention that its equipped with a 6 speed gearbox, it is rear wheel drive and it only weighs a respectable 1012Kg? No? Well, now I have and with all these goodies combined it makes for a good racing package.
Its styling is sweet and simple, nothing too extravagant but still neat, clean and modern. I chose red for this one, not because it makes the car faster or even because I like that colour, it just happens to look good with this paint. Comparing it to the older MGF 97, this newer model looks sportier in the front, with angry-eyed headlights, fog lamps and a wider air intake. Its also been equipped with a set of OZ 013 wheels wrapped in R3 Medium racing rubber. Flaunting a twin exhaust system, lowered racing suspension and cool side air vents its design is subtle but flavorsome.
Being light, maneuverable and tame, its easy to confidently throw this car about without much panic. It maintains good traction through the corners but still allows for some loose rear end slip when feeling cocky. The cars balance feels neutral when cornering and it is very predictable and easy to read. It does have a little lift-off-oversteer, but it just adds to the fun. The 330HP it puts-out is adequate, but the cars stable handling suggests it could cope with something more beefy. The power is delivered evenly across the rev range, with decent acceleration and engine response. Pushing it hard around corners with an itchy NOS finger, it still maintains a calm, well mannered attitude.
So, the overall verdict is a positive one, with nice looks, a great spooling turbo sound and fun, relaxed power and handling. Comparing it to the 66 MG I drove with breaks weaker than light beer, this newer MG feels a whole lot more civilized. You might not catch James Bond driving around in this little 2 door, but if it could be equipped with side-winder missiles, rocket launchers, ejector seats, adaptive camouflage and a babe radar, he just might reconsider.
Please share your thoughts on this ride.
Cheers:tup:
Hot4
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