100-661: The MG XPower SV is a sports car that was produced by British automobile manufacturer MG Rover . Manufactured in Modena , Italy and finished at Longbridge , United Kingdom, it was based on the platform of the Qvale Mangusta , formerly the De Tomaso Biguà, itself using parts from the Ford Mustang . After acquiring Italian automobile manufacturer Qvale , MG Rover allocated the project code X80 , and set up
200-508: A 2.5-litre 16 hp unit (The hp figures are RAC Rating, and bear no relationship to bhp or kW). Only a few bodies were made before the Second World War began in 1939, and some components were shared with Morris for economies of scale. They incorporated a number of mechanical improvements – notably a Nuffield synchromesh gearbox – but were essentially interim models, and had less of a Riley character. The new management responded to
300-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
400-641: A descendant of the dynasty of Riley Motor , although this has been disputed, bought XPower SV related assets from the administrators of MG Rover , PricewaterhouseCoopers . Riley formed MG Sports and Racing Europe Ltd to continue production of the model. MG Sports and Racing Europe, based in Eardiston , near Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire , announced the relaunch of the XPower SV in April 2008, under
500-528: A dinner hosted by the Association of Riley Clubs celebrating the centenary of Riley, BMW Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder , who was an enthusiast for many historical British marques, announced that the Riley name was to return. He stated that development of a new model was to begin immediately, with Rover engineering director Nick Stephenson in charge of the project. It was later revealed that BMW had developed
600-845: A distinctive character. Three owners' clubs cater for enthusiasts: the Riley Motor Club, which was founded in 1925 and caters for all Rileys; the Riley Register, which is exclusively for Rileys built up until 1940; and the Riley RM Club, which is exclusively for the RM series, built between 1946 and 1957. Many original racing Rileys compete regularly in VSCC ( Vintage Sports Car Club ) events, and pre-war racing 'specials' continue to be created from tired or derelict saloons. After buying Rover Group in 1994, BMW planned to revive Riley. At
700-505: A fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture a definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to
800-519: A high-volume supplier of engines and components. The rest of the Riley companies later became part of Nuffield and then BMC , but PR Motors remained independent. After the death of Percy Riley in 1941, his business began producing transmission components. It still exists today, producing marine and off-highway vehicle applications, as PRM Newage Limited based in Aldermans Green, Coventry. Percy's widow Norah ran his business for many years, and
900-415: A platform for the success of motorsports' first women racing drivers such as Kay Petre , Dorothy Champney and Joan Richmond . Another engineer and driver, Freddie Dixon , was responsible for extensive improvements to engine and chassis tuning, creating a number of 'specials' that exploited the basic Riley design still further, and contributed greatly to its success on the track. For series production,
1000-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
1100-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
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#17327942648321200-508: A programme of rationalisation, in which the Riley marque was an early casualty. The badge began to be discontinued in many export markets almost immediately. A BLMC press release was reported in The Times of 9 July 1969: "British Leyland will stop making Riley cars from today. "With less than 1 per cent of the home market, they are not viable" the company said last night. The decision will end 60 years of motoring history. No other marques in
1300-470: A projected 1.5-litre version, was rejected as underpowered). The Pathfinder body was later reworked and, with a different engine and rear suspension, sold as the Wolseley 6/90 . The Riley lost its distinct (though externally subtle) differences in 1958, and the 6/90 of that year was available badge engineered as a Riley Two-Point-Six . Although this was the only postwar 6-cylinder Riley, its C-Series engine
1400-726: A three-door concept car based on the Rover 75 , named the Riley Coupe. The project was later cancelled after Pischetsrieder's removal in 1999, and BMW's subsequent divestment of the MG Rover Group in 2000. The rights to the Triumph and Riley marques , along with Mini , were retained by BMW. In 2007 William Riley, who claims to be a descendant of the Riley family (although this has been disputed), formed MG Sports and Racing Europe Ltd. This new business acquired assets relating to
1500-501: A top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) and a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 5.3 seconds. Club Sport options, for customers who wished to use their SV on the track, were planned but never produced. The XPower SV-R, released the following year, features a Roush tuned, "cammer" 5.0 L 32 valve Modular V8. MG claimed the SV-R's engine was rated at 385 hp (287 kW; 390 PS), however some sources claim this figure
1600-491: Is actually closer to 410 hp (306 kW; 416 PS). The top speed was estimated to be around 175 mph (282 km/h), and its 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time to be close to 4.9 seconds. Unlike the base model SV, the SV-R was offered with a choice of either manual or automatic transmissions. Performance data, for the range of the MG XPower SV: In July 2008, William Riley, who claims to be
1700-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
1800-463: Is known about Percy Riley's first motor car. It is, however, well attested that the engine featured mechanically operated cylinder valves at a time when other engines depended on the vacuum effect of the descending piston to suck the inlet valve(s) open. That was demonstrated some years later when Benz developed and patented a mechanically operated inlet valve process of their own but were unable to collect royalties on their system from British companies;
1900-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
2000-418: Is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise the "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and
2100-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
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#17327942648322200-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
2300-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
2400-674: The British Motor Corporation . Now, Riley was positioned between MG and Wolseley and most Riley models became, like those, little more than badge-engineered versions of Austin / Morris designs. However, the first all-new Riley under BMC was designated the RMH, and because of its distinctive engine and suspension design, it has been called 'the last real Riley'. This was the Pathfinder , with Riley's familiar 2.5-litre four developed to produce 110 bhp. (The RMG 'Wayfarer',
2500-573: The Citroën Traction Avant provided precise handling. Their flowing lines were particularly well-balanced, combining pre-war coachbuilt elegance with more modern features, such as headlamps faired into the front wings. The RMC, a 3-seater roadster, was an unsuccessful attempt to break into the US market. The RMD was an elegant 4/5-seater two-door drophead, of which few were made. The 1.5-litre RME and 2.5-litre RMF were later developments of
2600-554: The ERA , a voiturette (Formula 2) racing car based on the supercharged 6-cylinder 'White Riley', developed by ERA founder Raymond Mays in the mid-thirties. BMW of Munich , Germany was interested in expanding its range into England. The Riley brothers were more interested in a larger British concern, and looked to Triumph Motor Company , also of Coventry, as a natural fit. However, in February 1938 negotiations were suspended. On 24 February
2700-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
2800-523: The MG XPower SV sports car from PricewaterhouseCoopers , the administrators of the defunct MG Rover Group, and intended to continue production of the model as the MG XPower WR. Production never began. In September 2010, Autocar magazine reported that BMW was considering reviving the Riley brand as a variant of the redesigned MINI. This would most likely be a luxury version, inspired by
2900-668: The 'Ulster' Imp, MPH, and Sprite, proved some of the most successful works and privateer racing cars of the late 1920s and early 1930s. At Le Mans in 1934, Rileys finished 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 12th, winning the Rudge-Whitworth Cup, the Team Prize, two class awards, and the Ladies' Prize. Rileys also distinguished themselves at the Ulster TT, at Brooklands itself, and at smaller events like hill climbs, while providing
3000-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
3100-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
MG XPower SV - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
3300-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
3400-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
3500-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
3600-561: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Riley Motor Riley was a British motorcar and bicycle manufacturer from 1890. Riley became part of the Nuffield Organization in 1938 and was merged into the British Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968. In July 1969 British Leyland announced the immediate end of Riley production, although 1969
3700-756: The BMC era was the Kestrel 1100/1300, based on the Austin/Morris 1100/1300 saloon ( BMC ADO16 ). This also had siblings in Wolseley and MG versions. After objections from Riley enthusiasts, the Kestrel name was dropped for the last facelift in 1968, the Riley 1300. Between 1966 and 1968, a series of mergers took place in the British motor industry, ultimately creating the British Leyland Motor Corporation, whose management embarked on
3800-474: The British Leyland stable are likely to suffer the same fate "in the foreseeable future". The last Riley badged car was produced in 1969, and the marque became dormant. For many enthusiasts, the name of Riley still resonates in the 21st century. In spite of the decline of the marque under BMC and British Leyland, surviving Rileys of the period are now popular, with the Riley 'face' and badge lending
3900-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
4000-482: The Riley Cycle Company changed its name to Riley (Coventry) Limited as William Riley focused it on becoming a wire-spoked wheel supplier for the burgeoning motor industry, the detachable wheel having been invented (and patented) by Percy and distributed to over 180 motor manufacturers, and by 1912 the father's business had also dropped automobile manufacture in order to concentrate capacity and resources on
4100-525: The Riley was marketed as the more performance-oriented option, having an uprated engine, twin SU carburettors , and a close-ratio gearbox. With its good handling, compact, sports-saloon styling and well-appointed interior, the One-Point-Five quite successfully recaptured the character of the 1930s light saloons. At the top of the Riley range for April 1959 was the new Riley 4/Sixty-Eight saloon. Again, it
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4200-765: The beginning of 2008. Three vehicles, that had been produced, but not assembled, were acquired by classic car dealer Eclectic Cars Limited in March 2013, and later completed. Another partially completed chassis is in storage with a private owner in the UK. Most were sold in Europe and Asia, with only one model sold in America, the supercharged model, the XP. The decision to develop a niche sports car, rather than work on replacements for its core family cars, has been described as symptomatic of
4300-519: The business and in 1896 incorporated a company to own it named The Riley Cycle Company Limited. Later, cycle gear maker Sturmey Archer was added to the portfolio. Riley's middle son, Percy, left school in the same year and soon began to dabble in automobiles . He built his first car at 16, in 1898, secretly, because his father did not approve. It featured the first mechanically operated inlet valve. By 1899, Percy Riley moved from producing motorcycles to his first prototype four-wheeled quadricycle. Little
4400-487: The business, and formed a new company, Riley Motors Limited. However, in spite of the announced intention to be wound up, Riley (Coventry) Limited, perhaps for tax reasons, continued under the management of Victor Riley presumably with the necessary consents of debenture holders (part paid) creditors (nothing) and former shareholders (nothing). Nuffield passed ownership to his Morris Motors Limited for £100. Along with other Morris Motors subsidiaries Wolseley and MG , Riley
4500-743: The business. At first, the Riley Engine Company simply supplied engines for Riley motorcycles and also to Singer , a newly emerging motorcycle manufacturer in the area, but the Riley Engine Company soon began to focus on four-wheeled automobiles. Their Vee-Twin Tourer prototype, produced in 1905, can be considered the first proper Riley car. The Riley Engine Company expanded the next year. William Riley reversed his former opposition to his sons' preference for motorised vehicles and Riley Cycle halted motorcycle production in 1907 to focus on automobiles. Bicycle production also ceased in 1911. In 1912,
4600-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for
4700-405: The company, resulting in further consolidation of its financial position". Mr Victor Riley then said this did not mean that the company would cease its activities. On 30 September, Victor Riley announced that Riley (Coventry) Limited would be wound up but it would appear that the proceeds of liquidation would be insufficient to meet the amount due to debenture holders. Nuffield paid £ 143,000 for
4800-457: The company. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design
4900-498: The concerns of the marque's loyal customers by re-introducing the Kestrel 2.5 litre Sports Saloon in updated form, but as the factory was turned over to wartime production, this was a short-lived development. After the war, Riley installed the old engines in new models, based in concept on the 1936–38 'Continental', a fashionable 'notchback' design whose name had been changed prior to release to 'Close-Coupled Touring Saloon' owing to feared objections from Rolls-Royce. The 1.5-litre engine
5000-543: The courts were persuaded that the system used by British auto-makers was based on the one pioneered by Percy, which had comfortably anticipated equivalent developments in Germany. In 1900, Riley sold a single three-wheeled automobile. Meanwhile, the elder of the Riley brothers, Victor Riley, although supportive of his brother's embryonic motor-car enterprise, devoted his energies to the core bicycle business. Riley's founder William Riley remained resolutely opposed to diverting
5100-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
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#17327942648325200-456: The directors placed Riley (Coventry) Limited and Autovia in voluntary receivership. On 10 March the Triumph board announced merger negotiations had been dropped. It was announced on 9 September 1938 that Lord Nuffield had bought the assets and goodwill of Riley Motors (Coventry) Limited from the receiver, and that on completion he would transfer ownership to Morris Motors Limited "on terms which will show very considerable financial advantage to
5300-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
5400-407: The economy, mass-market brand, and Wolseley the luxury marque. Aside from their small saloons, MG largely offered performance cars, especially with their open sportsters, while Riley sought to be both sporty and luxurious. With Wolseley also competing for the top position, however, the range was crowded and confused. The confusion became more acute in 1952 with the merger of Nuffield and Austin as
5500-424: The emergence of SS Cars at Coventry was a direct challenge. Disagreements between the Riley brothers about the future direction of the enterprise grew. Victor Riley had set up a new ultra-luxury concern, Autovia , to produce a V8 saloon and limousine to compete with Rolls-Royce . By contrast, Percy, however, did not favour an entry into the luxury market, and the Riley Engine Company had been renamed PR Motors to be
5600-446: The engine configuration was extended into a larger 12 horsepower '4', six-cylinder and even V8 versions, powering an increasingly confusing range of touring and sports cars. The soundness and longevity of the engine design is illustrated by Mike Hawthorn 's early racing success after WW2 in pre-war Rileys, in particular his father's Sprite. By about 1936, however, the business had overextended, with too many models and few common parts, and
5700-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
5800-574: The factory of MG Rover, in Longbridge, to be trimmed and finished. Several of the cars’ exterior and interior parts, were sourced from current and past models of Fiat . The headlights, for example, were taken from the second generation Punto , and the rear lights from the Fiat Coupé . Exterior door handles from a MG TF, Mirrors, Window switches and interior door handles from the Rover 75. In total,
5900-472: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
6000-528: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
6100-586: The glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without
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#17327942648326200-472: The industry, as modern as the hour." Riley grew rapidly through the 1920s and 1930s. The Riley Engine Company produced 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder engines, while Midland built more than a dozen different bodies. Riley models at this time included: Introduced in 1926 in a modest but innovatively-designed fabric bodied saloon, Percy Riley's small capacity Riley 9 engine was a high revving unit; ground-breaking and ahead of its time in many respects. It has been called
6300-799: The inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally, the most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
6400-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
6500-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
6600-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
6700-418: The most significant engine development of the 1920s. It has hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined overhead valves, with twin camshafts set high in the cylinder block, and valves operated by short pushrods. This provided power and efficiency without the servicing complexity of an overhead camshaft layout. It soon attracted the attention of tuners and builders of 'specials' for sporting purposes. One such
6800-432: The name MG XPower WR . Priced at between £75,000 and £90,000, the new model had the supercharged engine rated at 540 bhp (403 kW; 547 PS), and seven cars were said to have already been sold. Riley's use of the "MG" trademark resulted in a legal dispute with Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation , which had also acquired assets of the defunct MG Rover Group. This case was won by Nanjing in February 2010. It
6900-754: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
7000-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
7100-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
7200-499: The production process required each vehicle to visit six different companies. According to the data at the MG XPower SV Club, approximately 82 cars were produced, excluding the four 'XP' pre production prototypes. This included the few pre production and show cars, which were later dismantled before production was stopped, due to lack of sales. Most were sold to private owners, with the final ones being sold to customers, at
7300-456: The resources of his bicycle business into motor cars, and in 1902 three of his sons, Victor, Percy and younger brother Allan Riley pooled resources, borrowed a necessary balancing amount from their mother and in 1903 established the separate Riley Engine Company, also in Coventry. A few years later the other two Riley brothers, Stanley and Cecil, having left school joined their elder brothers in
7400-402: The saloon versions, which continued in production into the mid-1950s. Nuffield removed Victor Riley in 1947. In early 1949 the Coventry works were made an extension of Morris Motors' engine branch. Riley production was consolidated with MG at Abingdon . Wolseley production was moved to Cowley. Nuffield's marques were then organised in a similar way to those of General Motors : Morris was
7500-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
7600-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
7700-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
7800-493: The strategic mistakes, that ultimately led to MG Rover's untimely demise. By the time the company entered administration in April 2005, only nine XPower SVs had been sold. Rowan Atkinson purchased an XPower SV in February 2005. The base MG XPower SV is powered by a 4.6 L Ford Modular V8 which is rated at 320 hp (239 kW; 324 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 410 N⋅m (302 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,750 rpm. The SV's advanced carbon fibre body helped it achieve
7900-579: The subsidiary company, MG X80 Ltd., to produce a new model based on the Qvale Mangusta. One attraction was the potential sales in the United States, as the Mangusta had already been homologated, for the market in the United States. The MG X80 was originally unveiled as the concept car , in June 2001. However, the styling was considered too sedate. When the production model, now renamed MG XPower SV ,
8000-428: The uprated model XPower SV-R, costing £83,000. The production process was complex, partly caused by the use of carbon fibre , to make the body panels. The basic body parts were made in the United Kingdom by SP Systems , and then shipped to Belco Avia, near Turin , for assembly into body panels. These were then assembled into a complete body shell, and fitted onto the box frame chassis and running gear, and shipped to
8100-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
8200-402: The war, the Riley companies were restructured. Nero joined Riley (Coventry) as the sole producer of automobiles. Riley Motor Manufacturing under the control of Allan Riley became Midland Motor Bodies, a coachbuilder for Riley. Riley Engine Company continued under Percy as the engine supplier. At this time, Riley's blue diamond badge, designed by Harry Rush, also appeared. The motto was "As old as
8300-460: The wheels. Exploitation of this new and rapidly expanding lucrative business sector made commercial sense for William Riley, but the abandonment of his motorcycle and then of his automobile business which had been the principal customer for his sons' Riley Engine Company enforced a rethink on the engine business. In early 1913, Percy was joined by three of his brothers (Victor, Stanley, and Allan) to focus on manufacturing entire automobiles. The works
8400-430: Was Britain's businesswoman of the year in 1960. By 1937 Riley began to look to other manufacturers for partnerships. A contract with Briggs Motor Bodies of Dagenham to provide all-steel bodies for a cheaper, more mass-market saloon had already turned sour, with dozens of unsold bodies littering the factory. It had withdrawn from works racing after its most successful year, 1934, although it continued to supply engines for
8500-507: Was a badge-engineered version of other BMC models. The steering was perhaps the worst feature of the car, being Austin-derived cam and peg rather than the rack and pinion of the One-Point-Five. Overall, it could not provide the sharp and positive drive associated with previous Rileys, being based on the modest Austin Cambridge and Morris Oxford . Sharing many features with the similarly upmarket MG Magnette Mark III and Wolseley 15/60 , it
8600-530: Was a difficult year for the UK automotive industry and many cars from Riley's inventory may have been first registered in 1970. Today, the Riley trademark is owned by BMW . The business began as the Bonnick Cycle Company of Coventry , England. In 1890 during the pedal cycle craze that swept Britain at the end of the 19th century William Riley Jr. who had interests in the textile industry purchased
8700-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
8800-670: Was actually less powerful than the Riley Big Four that it replaced. This was to be the last large Riley, with the model dropped in May 1959 and Riley refocusing on the under-2-litre market segment. Riley and Wolseley were linked in small cars as well. Launched in 1957, the Riley One-Point-Five and Wolseley 1500 were based on the unused but intended replacement for the Morris Minor . They shared their exteriors, but
8900-684: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
9000-560: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
9100-533: Was engineer and driver J.G. Parry-Thomas , who conceived the Riley 'Brooklands' (at first called the '9' Speed Model) in his workshops at the Brooklands racing circuit in Surrey. After Parry-Thomas was killed during a land speed record attempt in 1927, his close collaborator Reid Railton stepped in to finish the job. Officially backed by Riley, the Brooklands, along with later developments and variations such as
9200-528: Was eventually launched the following year, Peter Stevens , previously the exterior designer of the McLaren F1 , had made the car's styling more aggressive. The conversion from a clay model to a production car, including all requirements, was done in just three hundred days, by the Swedish company, Caran. The goal was to get a retail price of under £100,000. The car's base model eventually cost £65,000, with
9300-592: Was installed in the RMA , and the Big Four was installed in the RMB . Both engines, being derived from pre-war models, lent themselves as power units for specials and new specialist manufacturers, such as Donald Healey . The RM series, sold under the "Magnificent Motoring" slogan, became a re-affirmation of Riley values in both road behaviour and appearance. 'Torsionic' front independent suspension and steering design inspired by
9400-404: Was later promoted as a member of the Nuffield Organization . Riley Motors Limited seems to have begun trading at the end of the 1940s when Riley (Coventry) Limited disappeared. Nuffield quickly took measures to firm up the Riley business. Autovia was discontinued, having built only 35 cars. Riley refocused on the 4-cylinder market with two engines: A 1.5-litre 12 hp engine and the "Big Four",
9500-602: Was located near Percy's Riley Engine Company. The first new model, the 17/30, was introduced at the London Motor Show that year. Soon afterwards, Stanley Riley founded yet another business, the Nero Engine Company, to produce his own 4-cylinder 10 hp (7.5 kW) car. Riley also began manufacturing aeroplane engines and became a key supplier in Britain's buildup for World War I. In 1918, after
9600-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
9700-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
9800-471: Was reported in the press in December 2009, that no new cars had been manufactured by MG Sports and Racing Europe since its founding, and that employment tribunal proceedings had been initiated by two employees, for non payment of wages. Riley was also arrested by police in December 2009, on suspicion of theft of an XPower WR car, previously sold to one Canadian businessman, who had been working on behalf of
9900-594: Was the most luxurious of the versions, which were all comfortable and spacious, and (nominally) styled by Farina . In 1961 the car was refreshed, along with its siblings, and rebadged as the 4/Seventy-Two . 1961 saw the introduction of the Riley Elf based on the original Mini. Again, a Wolseley model, the Hornet, was introduced simultaneously. This time, the Riley and Wolseley versions differed visually by their grilles, but were mechanically identical. The final Riley of
10000-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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