I was never really enthused by the idea of electrifying classic cars but this video and the e-Defender one have definitely piqued my interest. Excellent content and presentation.
When the original cars were built, they were fitted with the best available motor at the time. This modern version does the same. Why spend hours at home coaxing an old engine into life when you could be just driving the car as it was always meant to be driven
@@watcher24601 it was meant yo be driven with a petrol engine . Taking a classic car and sticking an electric engine in it is just wrong . And nowhere near as environmentally friendly as the manufacturers would like you to think they are
Hi All - It's Peter from the RBW video, just to say thank you for all your comments. I would just like to point out on the 'bolt's' on the steering wheel, you are all absolutely correct, they are long, this is because we offer six different steering wheels, once chosen we 'double, bolt' and trim, this is our demo car, so we change the steering wheel all the time - we also have bespoke seats made to height for bigger guys, Johnny had the standard seat. Enjoying all your comments - thank you Peter RBW
Peter, when you said "Instead of saying This is what we are going to do, I want to say This is what we've done.", that is just awesome. In a world of broken promises, this is a great thing!
You have built a beautiful car Peter; your dedication to the project is so clear. I had an uncle with a BGT, he was devoted to that car so to see the type re-engineered with such care and passion is quite emotive for me.
Beautiful car Peter, well done and congratulations, you have built a car that committed petrolheads and fans of older cars can see taking us into an electric future. As a vehicle volunteer at the Shuttleworth Collection I am currently working on the rebuild of an alternatively fuelled vehicle-STEAM-I am rebuilding a 1900 Locomobile.......won’t have the drivability or speed of yours, but it’s 0-30 time should be pretty good.....
In the synthesizer world, people have wanted all the classic synths which have become rare and out of reach for the general public, but there are now clones and reissues of these synthesizers, but far more reliable and far more affordable.There's a part of me that feels we'll be alright.
I believe classics will be allowed in the future. After all, 50 year old cars that are around now will be around for 50 more years at least, because they are easy to maintain and parts are easy to find. But with the high amount of electronics in new cars, they won't last past their lifespan.
Love watching videos of old classics but like most I would never own one as I want reliability and dont want to spend my time tinkering around with a car at weekends. This reimagining of a classic I would buy if I could.
Ah, I loved my 1974 MG Midget. It was a true banger and I thought that a twenty year old driving an MG midget in the early 2000's was cool. Nobody else thought that, but I did and that's what cars are all about.
The lack of sound though.... I know it's a cliché comment towards an EV.. but the few times I drove a classic car, the sound IS half , if not more, of the experience. A modern car is silent as it is, making it EV just makes it another notch more silent. But a classic car, especially an 1960s-70s era open cruiser like this? I applaud the concept and the business, but I would hate the lack of the classic sound more than I would be happy to be able the hand feel the leather I want for my car.
I always watched top gear and 5th gear, and always liked jonny. But listening to the podcast, and watching this channel I never realised just how good he is. My favorite thing to watch and listen to have him in, I really hope this channel takes off in a massive way, and I will of been here from the start
When I was 12 I first rode in an MG. A friend of my parents, a cool guy who spoke to me as if I were an adult, taught me how to cast my own bullets, and told me stories of adventure and misadventure that would have scandalized my parents, took me for a fast ride through the countryside after I asked about his car. My small town American experience of cars to that point was bloated American station wagons (you call them estate cars). The MG was a huge eye opener to me. Suddenly I understood how a smaller car with a much smaller engine could be vastly more fun than a big powerful car. That ride corrupted me for life I'm afraid. That was nearly 50 years ago now. I've never owned an MG though I always said I would one day. I go to track days less often now. I love electric cars but don't own fast one. I have motorcycles to fill that need. Maybe I should look at ordering one of these. The price is a challenge but not nearly as challenging as getting the car documented here I suspect. I'll have to look into that. I hate the rotary shifter though. It should at least have the MG badge in the middle.
Great story Bill, but as a European I do love those old big American station wagons estate cars, as a kid I used to watch movies were the parents used to bring the whole family even the dog across America on a holiday oh I mean vacation,
It’s heartwarming to see folks on both sides of an ocean look across and be fans of each other’s motoring culture. I’ve seen a German friend go through the ordeal of bringing a ‘72 Ford Country Sedan (despite its name, it’s a big wagon) from the US the same way some Americans would import something like a Europe-only BMW. Keep your dreams alive everyone.
@@ofmanynicknames8196 Back when I was ogling Dodge Chargers like the one Jonny has I was riding around in the back of one of those big Fords. Some years ago I was able to pick one up at a charity auction. Though in good shape I was shocked at how terrible it was to drive. Today we are spoiled by how reliable, fast, and thrifty our cars have become. Still, we always want the things we couldn't have when we were young.
Another great video Jonny! Honestly, it is heart warming to see British companies like this bringing back a great classic as an EV!! If only I had the £'s!
I was 193cm tall when I owned my MG. I had absolutely no problems with the soft top or hard top that came with car. I loved it to bits and still miss it 45 years later. An electric version sounds like a very nice idea out here in Australia.
How am I supposed to get any work done when I get a notification that you've posted another vid? I had to ask my boss to take my tea break early so I could watch, luckily I said yes.
Just about the best half hour car documentary ever !! Jonny - that was so informative and interesting, i'm utterly amazed at the product and the content and how it was presented - this should be on the telly
I was a Triumph and Healey guy when I was young, but I didn't mind the MGB. I did have one MGCGT... hardtop 6 cylinder. Not my favorite car. I have one friend who electrified a rusty old MG Midget. It worked okay until the weight of lead/acid batteries broke the frame. Back then, he also didn't have the regenerative braking tech we do today, so it was a limited range thing. This is a great idea, for those of us who want a classic looking vehicle with electric drive. Imagine when the battery is slim, flat, and long, so sits below the cockpit. Losing the seams is a great idea for reducing rust potential, but losing the chrome fender bead on a TR3 or TR4 would be a shame, if that's what could be in store. Overall, well done.
Love this! That rear subframe, especially the one on the mule is a work of art. Guys like this really are bringing the old British methods of garden shed engineering into the modern age. Modern tech in a gorgeous (new) old body, if I had the cash I would definitely buy one 👍.
I still think the MGB is a gloriously beautiful car. I may sound old fashioned but I don't like the idea of an electric version. Part of the delight of the MGB was its lumbering old engine with that lovely throaty rumble. Making an MGB "perfect" in 2020 is like taking an Austin 7 and electrifying it - that, to me, has ripped the soul out of the car and "Californiized" it.
Don't worry ev conversion is not and will not catch on for the mass car collector market bio diesel saw to that and ev conversion will l Always be over priced.
I agree. I have never been a 0-60 kind of car guy. 0-60 does't mean anything to me. I am old enough to have owned several cars in my lifetime, and 3 of the best were a 1991MK1 MX-5 Miata 5-speed, a 1996 VW GOLF GLS 5-speed and a 1986 Peugeot 205 1.6 GTI. All not fast cars, but had wonderful driving characteristics. They made you smile every time you drove them. This car, in the video, is a statement. It has a soul if you will. I love tesla, but their cars are to minimalist and soulless for me. My next car will be electric. And this MGB has my interest.
I owned a 1977 limited edition that was a lot of fun to drive when it ran. Mine had three wipers, and they worked perfectly. It came with both a hard and soft top. Once the hardtop was removed, it was never put back on the car. Lowering the soft top wasn't an easy thing that could easily be done by unbuckling clips from inside the car. It required getting out to both sides of the car, and unsnapping the rear trianglular corner windows, then folding them towards the rear plastic window, then flipping everything on the top. Now the top was ready to be thoroughly lowered into its nesting area behind the driver. After all that work, I usually left the drop top cover off. It was nice because it also could be unraveled into a tonneau cover that snapped onto the top center of dashboard.
Such a tough decision to make . Drive this for 120 miles and then wait around 3 hours for it to charge up for the drive home . OR Drive an I.C.E MG for 120 miles and wait around 3 hours for the breakdown truck to get you home . Hope you have noticed i have a warped sense of humour , please don't hate me .
I'd buy a MK1 MX-5 and save myself at least £80,000 (not that I have that kind of money) so I could enjoy the drive and know I'd get home. I'm sure some with deep pockets will buy this faux MGB.
My old rusty MGBGT and my MGB never let me down over the years. My Merc was always letting ne down. In the 2 years i had it I drove a hire car usually a Vauxhaul most of the time. All my German cars have been a disaster. Golf rusted thru in thd first year, 911 took 2 years to correct all the faults on delivery, Polo never got the gear selector sorted.
My old rusty MGBGT and my MGB never let me down over the years. My Merc was always letting ne down. In the 2 years i had it I drove a hire car usually a Vauxhaul most of the time. All my German cars have been a disaster. Golf rusted thru in thd first year, 911 took 2 years to correct all the faults on delivery, Polo never got the gear selector sorted.
We’re all loving it. I too am not crazy about MGB’s, but what this guy is doing - bringing them back and making them electric with updated brakes, etc. - is priceless. Wish everyone did this with old cars. Also wish I could afford one. (Just needs to reduce the size of the batteries while providing at least 200 mile range and luggage space.)
I was loving it right up until it said “from £88K”. I’d rather have an old MGB for weekends and a Tesla Model 3 for a daily.... and a load of cash left over.
I’m with you. My heart sank when I heard the price. EVs have to get cheaper. I got all excited when I saw the new Honda EV. Cute and quirky. It looked like an ‘EV for the people’. Then Honda showed off with all the tech - who needs cameras for mirrors! Now they’re left with a car that no one can afford - and those that can want RANGE and SPEED. Of which the Honda has neither. I’ll be turning my SL electric eventually. I’ll just bide my time, enjoy it while I can, and wait for the tech to get cheaper. In the meantime I’ll keep looking at Tesla.
@@TheLateBrakeShow Don’t ‘would be classic owners’ want analogue classics. I see loads of young ones getting into classics (not EV classics - where would they even get the money from?). I think this a great idea for existing classic owners, but at the right price. Conversions of their own cars I think will be the thing. Good luck to this company though. It’s a great car that some of the top 1% will buy.
@@TheLateBrakeShow So are there any plans for these guys to sell the platform components to DIY enthusiasts for conversion of their own vehicles? Once we see some reasonably priced products like this with the option to reuse EV batteries from mainstream models, I think there will be plenty of demand.
Having just sold my 54 MGTF this brought back fond memories of the 1976 MGB roadster I restored in the 80s. Enjoyed it immensely for 12 years until selling it and buying the TF. If I had the bucks this is the only electric car I would buy👍
As a long-time MG fan and a Tesla owner, I love seeing this! I had the pleasure of borrowing my cousin's '78 MG Midget for a good spell when I was in college, and it was such a joy to drive. You felt like you were going fast even if you were just going around a corner at 15mph!
Overall, I LOVE the car.... but the dash is horrendous, looks totally wrong to me... I think a retro looking but digital dash would be MUCH better. The thing that really bothered me though was the too-long bolts on the steering wheel mounts.... lack of detailing there... but hats off to them... its a fantastic product at a very fair price.
Agree on both points, but I'm sure the steering wheel will be corrected asap the dash as you say to modern but great concept. I did laugh when Jonny mentioned heated seats, but at 88k those whom can afford it it could well be a summer only car.
Totally agree, the dash looks subpar, the center screen is a joke. I also don't really like this particular grill. All in all the finish does look a bit, well. 'British'.
Another great episode. Never wanted an MG before... until now (the GT version anyway). Peter seems like a really likeable guy too. If you spec one with the plastic bumper though - I judge you.
That is the one thing I will miss when everyone has to be forced to convert cars to electric power. They are even thinking about converting some of the steam locomotives at the Severn Valley Railway to have a battery system to pull the trains and only use the steam when they arrive at stations.
The production quality of these videos is truly outstanding. The fact that you’re a true car down to earth guy just makes it that bit more special too.
Clearly a big difference between these guys and some of the others offering similar conversions. Very professional and refreshing that they’ve put engineering integrity and safety ahead of 0 - 60 headlines.
I wish TVR had taken a leaf out of this Guys book..go to market with a finished product...rather than hype taking loads of deposits and letting people down yet again...
Whilst I love the idea of a retro electric classic, they are out of the price range of most ‘normal’ people. I love this mg e and I really loved the e landy but way way out of the the average budget. The price needs to come down enormously if your going to persuade the average motorist to swap. As always thought another excellent pervert video.
The Elgrand with the MPG of 3 normal cars combined somehow balances out the eco credentials of an EV :) Unless you have an Electric Elgrand conversion !
@@marktaylor-hankins9398 Agreed, a lot of MPV for the money. It's crazy that Japan manufacturers don't sell them and other cool models anywhere else! I was looking at Step Wgns, Serenas, Alphard, Elgrand the only thing that puts me off is sourcing a windscreen if it ever broke.. and the Elgrand I can't afford to fill with petrol :)
Wow! Johnny that was such an interesting video. I enjoy the time spent exploring what it means to those involved and how it is a precursor for maybe all restomods. Beautifully shot and edited. Thank you for drawing me in. I can't wait for the next video.
Thanks for reviewing this, Johnny. I'd heard/read about this car before hand, because I have a mate that's into MGB's (I'm not) who'd sent me a link to an article - and I'd then looked on the website as well. Having done that, I just didn't get it at all - thought it seemed too expensive, not fast enough, not offering anything special/different enough in the MGB or electric conversion market to be particularly worthwhile etc. But... After seeing this, gosh I know I was completely wrong and actually, this is absolutely brilliant!!! Beautifully built, tastefully updated, cleverly and properly engineered with oem quality reliability and warranty, well finished and made by a genuinely nice guy who wants to put out a quality product. No question imo, this is a great offering that's absolutely worth the money and I really wish them all the success they deserve, selling it. (PS yes I also think the dials are just absolutely perfect balance between modern/classic and I just couldn't stop looking at them whenever there was an interior shot lol!) Just a quick note also on the video itself, to say that I really enjoyed that too - great mix of driving the car, blended with info about the car and it was really superb hearing from the key people who are behind the engineering of it, plus seeing all the core components out of the car, the various development stages and test mules. Really interesting covering the development of the vehicle from start-finish.
The car looks beautifully done with clean body lines. I like the MGBs but if I had the option the Healey 3000 would be perfect. 120-160 is pretty good as it mimics what my motorcycle range typically is. If the 0-60 could be around 6.5-7.0 that would be even better. However, it's way out of my price range so it really doesn't matter what I think......lol
As a fellow biker and a former owner of a mgb I really can't see this thing selling very well. The MG was a sports car, with a top speed of just over 80 mph and a 0-60 time slower than my diesel passat a sports car is something this will never be. And the range? 160 miles, you can knock a third off that in the real world. Surely if you're looking at bringing a British classic into the 21st century it should be better than the original? This thing is a lot slower than the original with less than half the range and it costs more than 80 grand. Each to their own I suppose but honestly, if anyone does buy one of these ridiculous toys they should be sectioned.
This channel just goes from strength to strength! I love the way you let the cars and the owners do the talking with gentle prods from yourself to keep them interesting. A million times better than Fully Charged that just seems to be Kryton ranting about things and giving little information. Good Work Jonny.
I'd love to own a classic EV conversion, or indeed a 'new' classic EV. But I bet they're soooooo expensive. Rightly so. The hand work that goes into these is clearly intense.
“ If you don’t look back at your car after you parked it! Your driving the wrong car!” Nail on the head!!! I have an XJ8 jag! I always look back at my car! And smile when I return!!! Great Vid! Thanks for posting!!!
I'd just posted about the wheel bolts when I then saw your comment. When you see stuff like that it also makes you think 'What else is a bit wierd or even slightly bodgy on the build?' A perfectionist would get the right length ones and use dome nuts on the underside so that there are no ugly threads sticking out. Just done that with a Moto Lite leather/ stainless wheel on my classic Mini. Looks fantastic! Sweating the small stuff is what gives a car that extra edge.
60's and 70's cars always had the odd unfinished or poorly designed bits, it's what has endeared them as Classics. If constructing a "new" classic then a nod to this is needed. The original Mini would not be the same without it's quirks like the floor starter button and rope door lock release. Someone make a "new" electric one, please.
@@bobdobalina2931 With a generated exhaust sound, being very quiet is a problem with EV's as I found out by being hit by one that was unseen and unheard, luckily it was just a glancing blow, hitting the road hurt more than the collision.
These are absolutely beautiful. Truthfully I've always been the "more power, newer model" kind of guy but having seen a few of these modern throwbacks I think the style here might have won me over. Like practical rolling art pieces.
One of the best reviews/discreet infomercials ;) I've ever seen + no 'call or click now' info needed. Lol....& I used to be in that biz! Kudos to RBW. What a truly Great example of Great British Innovation. Well done guys.
I had a 1970 model MGB for 2 years when I was in high school back in the late seventies. That model had the split chrome rear bumper. It also had the original wire wheels, 1800cc engine with dual carburetors, and an eight track player for music! At my age, I didn’t think any electric car would be of interest to me. But, being able to have a vintage looking MGB is something else. One day, probably long after I am gone, they will be affordable. Then you could buy one just to have fun with. I would suspect that a company that can build reproduction British Sports Cars like the MG’s, Triumphs, Jaguar XKE, Austin Healey’s, or an Aston Martin with electric power might be very much in demand. Memories!!
04:50 Those steering wheel retaining bolts are too long for my OCD....that's 0.0005 seconds lost coming through Eau Rouge, flat of course, don't lift ;-) Also 09.35 that 'one-tyre-fire' from that open diff, with all that electro-torque, as you say needs LSD? Nice upload Jonny, you've worked an enthusiasts angle here, thank you...and as a convertible driver myself, at what speed did you loose your honorary base-ball cap?
Hi All - It's Peter from the RBW video, just to say thank you for all your comments. I would just like to point out on the 'bolt's' on the steering wheel, you are all absolutely correct, they are long, this is because we offer six different steering wheels, once chosen we 'double, bolt' and trim, this is our demo car, so we change the steering wheel all the time - we also have bespoke seats made to height for bigger guys, Johnny had the standard seat. Enjoying all your comments - thank you Peter RBW
@@TheLateBrakeShow "Who says they won't?" Hello, the UK's government says that petrol/diesel will be withdrawn by 2030. Were that not the case, why on earth would any serious motoring enthusiast invest in an automatic electric MGB. Jesus, the very thought of it makes me think of bringing back capital punishment for crimes against humanity!
@@virgin26 Well, Dave, what do you think will happen to the car manufacturers during the next five years? After all, no one would wish to buy a petrol/diesel car with long term ownership in mind and the vexed question of how long will the green brigade allow the sale of fuel beyond 2030? Aside from that important issue, when will the government be able to roll out the battery charging infrastructure for the mixed-use conventional driveway, commuter and street parker?
Dear Jonny, I am so delighted by your honesty. If I were an automotive engineer I would not hesitate to let you drive a prototype vehicle to get feedback from you. That's the only way changes can be considered while there's still time to evaluate before production. Think of all the flawed vehicles rushed into production due to "group thinking" cheerleaders.
I’m all for going green and not polluting the planet, but the one thing that strikes me about this amazing car, is the lack of that MGB burble out of the exhaust...but then you could say that about any electric conversion.
unfortunatley on teh roginal casr that didnt last too long anyway as they were in garage. no speakers noises though. its pretty lame that manufacturers do that now e.g BMW il accept exhaust tuning for noise etc but not piped in false noise
@notformebeaky well then keep it for years, it's more than comparable to a petrol/diesel car in manufacture and the environmental benefits are better air quality in our cities etc the fuel itself is running out so we have to find alternatives now . It's also dependent on how any specific country produces power, hydro, fossil or renewable isn't it :) as technology advances it gets better
@notformebeaky Scotland produces twice as much electric as it needs from renewables. The fuel is running out so better to be ready now eh. Instead of waiting till it is, your also not calculating hydrogen cell electric vehicles into your argument. I hate to break it to you but cars don't run without electricity now. I
Gotta be honest, for the money there are things I'd rather have...in fact you could get a B roadster with an engine and give it a lot of those mod-cons. But I like that these things exist, and obviously the old ICE isn't going to be around for ever....I'd still rather have a GR Yaris though :D
@@yrma_fletcher8953 that is why I said thinking well aware of the turd that is road tax. Nope its been reported as a poll tax to use roads. Toll might refer more to accessing roads.
@@TroyHR123 i get you, just checked story, its not poll tax on wheels its lazy journalisim but it makes more sense now ive seen it. thats what confused me i was like hang on poll tax was for houses :D
I delivered a car to these guys a while ago and messaged you and fully charged straight away as I knew you would love there vision, I love the fact that classic cars can be kept on the road and you don’t even have to produce new ones, This is what the scrappage scheme should have been. I know there are Porsche and MR2 kits out there. I can’t wait for the technology to improve and downsize even more, I have a RX7 that I will not be rebuilding again
General rule of thumb is if it's fitted it has to work. Believe it or not you don't even need lights, you can have a day time mot. Seat belts however are compulsory.
Jonny mentions IVA in the show. That's Individual Vehicle Approval, and it's basically a way of certifying one-off or low volume cars to be used on UK roads (it's the same process for kit-cars). This means that while the car has to pass many tests, and if it's fitted then it must work, there are no crash safety tests or airbag requirements. In theory, if you "substantially" modify the chassis (or monocoque) of an existing car, it should have to go through IVA to ensure it is still safe!
Really nice, the MGB was the medical student's supercar when I studied in the 1960s. I eventually got a Spitfire when my earnings as a GP allowed it, which drank oil - it needed its own well. Friday afternoon assembly? My wealthy uncle had an MGB and a Leica camera. Is the car worth £88,000? That's as out of my range now, as a retired person, as the original was in my student days. But there's a lot of money washing around the planet at the moment, and a lot of very wealthy people. I don't know how long that's going continue, so if you have the cash, get your new MGB now. But seeing the car as it was in its pristine, factory new state, you realise what a truly lovely looking little car it was. Perhaps the sheer commonness of the car made it a bit passé after a while.
Absolute magic to have a passionate car builder who builds emotion into the car. That car exudes emotion just by existing never mind once it's driven. Deserves every success.
If these are brand new cars rather than re shelling old chassis how is that allowed? Presumably they don't meet current crash test requirements and specs for the heights of bonnets for pedestrian safety etc etc. Clearly it is allowed so what am I missing?
You can actually re-shell classic cars like this using brand new parts. It's a legal process, but the car has to retain most of it's original running gear, and it also retains its original registration number. I'd be interested to see how the car in this video has been registered using a brand new registration.
@@Scrubworks it's not a reshell of a classic here it's a brand new car, new body, new drivetrain, low volume production doesn't need to comply with crash testing etc, means you can still build your own car and legally drive it once it's been inspected.
Really interesting,I like the engineering and the compay's enthusiasm, as Jonny says I can see a market in the USA- get Jay Leno's garage to drive it and a "celeb" to drive one. Hopefully all the old rust problems and closed panels that rusted from the inside have been sorted. I wish them success
Major nostalgia! My best buddy at the university had an MGB convertible. This was in the US so it had the terrible looking huge black bumpers. Before he found a small garage with an owner that had intricate knowledge of British car crappiness and how to fix them it was always running bad. After that it was great, but the top leaked, of course.
This. This is what MG should be today. A small British company keeping heritage alive, similar to Morgan. The fact SAIC were allowed to buy MG is disgraceful but what they've done to it is heartbreaking. Cecil Kimber and William Morris would be spinning in their graves if they saw that "MG" had become a way for China to sell subpar electric SUVs in the west.
@@ewadge I'm inclined to disagree. The F & TF were both fantastic little cars, the last TF "160s" in particular. Had BMW not limited its production in LHD and barred ot from being sold in the US it would've been a far great success than it was. It competently out performed and outsold the MX5. The ZR was a bit chav chariot but the other Rover based cars (ZS&ZT) were genuinely excellent. Hell Tiff Needel himself said the ZS was one of the best handling FWD cars ever made. The last ZTs with the big V8 were also a nice British muscle car. The SVR was a mistake but that's more down to Phoenix being incompetent wankers. That said it wasn't a bad car, just over priced and absolutely the wrong car to focus on. The key thing that stand for all of them is that they were still performance cars. Not poorly made cheap junk set to compete with bloody Dacia.
My wife and I live in Canada. We owned a one year old 1971 MGB for 5 months. Absolutely loved the Classic Looks, the Glorious Exhaust Note of those old British 4 cylinders, as well as the VERY Short Throw and Engaging 4 speed gearbox. This conversion unfortunately offers neither of those mechanical thrills but I will admit that it is beautiful to look at. Other than that, our old 1971 MGB was an absolutely embarrassing piece of junk, primarily the infamous Lucas electrics. That's why we ditched the thing after 5 months. We bought the car to drive, not to sit at the mechanics shop most of the time. Luckily we got what we paid for it upon resale Bottom Line: IF I want an electric car, I'll buy an electric car, WHEN/IF the EV Charging Infrastructure ramps up realistically and affordably in Canada.
Good luck to these guys. My wife said she would love a Morgan. Then she tried one. Making a classic design work in the modern world is a great thing to do. Modern cars are generally pretty dull unles you can afford a supercar. This is different, practical, and interesting. More power to them. See what I did there?
Define "modern"? My BMW i3 is certainly not dull, it handles like it's on rails until the grip disappears, then it's RWD fun all the (not very fast) way. My Mondeo ST220 dog-wagon is reasonably modern and still a brilliant drive. I drove an acquaintance's up! GTi recently, that certainly wasn't dull. Your posit that "modern cars are generally dull" is in doubt at Squirrel HQ.
Very nice, I wish the firm every success and hope to see a few of these on the road. I think a few more horses wouldn't go a miss. I drive a 150 bhp EV and that's about right without being a hot rod.
The British car industry was never the most powerful in the world. It did export a lot and it was a major player but was small fry compared to its US counterparts - who didn't really need to export that much, its domestic market was huge. Dreadful management, ineffective governments and thicko, short term thinking, politically driven trade unionists damned the industry - it's why we don't have a "British" car industry any more.
Go to China. They have several such models. And they'll bring them here (UK) by 2030 and clean up if Ford and all the rest of them don't pull their fingers out.
Peter's quote about looking back at your car is everything. I've owned my car (2013 Volvo C30 T5) for seven years, and do that every time I walk away from it.
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I was never really enthused by the idea of electrifying classic cars but this video and the e-Defender one have definitely piqued my interest. Excellent content and presentation.
👌🏼
An MGB is supposed to burn hydrocarbons
When the original cars were built, they were fitted with the best available motor at the time. This modern version does the same. Why spend hours at home coaxing an old engine into life when you could be just driving the car as it was always meant to be driven
@@watcher24601 it was meant yo be driven with a petrol engine . Taking a classic car and sticking an electric engine in it is just wrong . And nowhere near as environmentally friendly as the manufacturers would like you to think they are
*The eight steering wheel bolts not quite long enough.*
Hi All - It's Peter from the RBW video, just to say thank you for all your comments. I would just like to point out on the 'bolt's' on the steering wheel, you are all absolutely correct, they are long, this is because we offer six different steering wheels, once chosen we 'double, bolt' and trim, this is our demo car, so we change the steering wheel all the time - we also have bespoke seats made to height for bigger guys, Johnny had the standard seat. Enjoying all your comments - thank you Peter RBW
Peter, when you said "Instead of saying This is what we are going to do, I want to say This is what we've done.", that is just awesome. In a world of broken promises, this is a great thing!
Peter, great to hear you chip in with feedback and well done on what you've built - really great work, you should be really pleased and proud.
Peter you have made an amazing car, the passion you have shows in this film, well done proves again that electric cars can be the future.
You have built a beautiful car Peter; your dedication to the project is so clear. I had an uncle with a BGT, he was devoted to that car so to see the type re-engineered with such care and passion is quite emotive for me.
Beautiful car Peter, well done and congratulations, you have built a car that committed petrolheads and fans of older cars can see taking us into an electric future. As a vehicle volunteer at the Shuttleworth Collection I am currently working on the rebuild of an alternatively fuelled vehicle-STEAM-I am rebuilding a 1900 Locomobile.......won’t have the drivability or speed of yours, but it’s 0-30 time should be pretty good.....
I love that comment about looking back at your car after you parked it. Its SO true!
While an MGB might not be to everyone's taste, this engineering might have just future proofed the classic car world. Amazing stuff.
In the synthesizer world, people have wanted all the classic synths which have become rare and out of reach for the general public, but there are now clones and reissues of these synthesizers, but far more reliable and far more affordable.There's a part of me that feels we'll be alright.
I believe classics will be allowed in the future. After all, 50 year old cars that are around now will be around for 50 more years at least, because they are easy to maintain and parts are easy to find. But with the high amount of electronics in new cars, they won't last past their lifespan.
@@theothertonydutch True, but theres always the question of quality.
Love watching videos of old classics but like most I would never own one as I want reliability and dont want to spend my time tinkering around with a car at weekends. This reimagining of a classic I would buy if I could.
mg pioneered so much tech its what bmw bought them for all theor r&d
Ah, I loved my 1974 MG Midget. It was a true banger and I thought that a twenty year old driving an MG midget in the early 2000's was cool. Nobody else thought that, but I did and that's what cars are all about.
"There's room in the market for a little bit of emotion." Yes, quite right. Love this man's attitude to car ownership.
_,,Too much _*_emotion_*_ ... ?"_
(Ronny Watts, Frederick Police Department, Chris Watts interrogation)
@@matrixmirage2148 So, he must be hiding something. Where's my gun, call for back up and start shootin boys
The lack of sound though.... I know it's a cliché comment towards an EV.. but the few times I drove a classic car, the sound IS half , if not more, of the experience. A modern car is silent as it is, making it EV just makes it another notch more silent. But a classic car, especially an 1960s-70s era open cruiser like this? I applaud the concept and the business, but I would hate the lack of the classic sound more than I would be happy to be able the hand feel the leather I want for my car.
@@caleidoo .....Maybe you could put a playing card in the spokes.... :)
I always watched top gear and 5th gear, and always liked jonny. But listening to the podcast, and watching this channel I never realised just how good he is. My favorite thing to watch and listen to have him in, I really hope this channel takes off in a massive way, and I will of been here from the start
A genuine enthusiast that’s why they shine through over other presenters
Yes, I think he's very pleasant to have talking about this particular subject.
Carpervert and Rory Reid over at Autotrader has replaced Top gear for me. I hate new Top gear.
@@jondonnelly3 I like it, its got its place, its funny
He's the real deal. A car guy & knows his beans. Not just about new cars but just about cars.
When I was 12 I first rode in an MG. A friend of my parents, a cool guy who spoke to me as if I were an adult, taught me how to cast my own bullets, and told me stories of adventure and misadventure that would have scandalized my parents, took me for a fast ride through the countryside after I asked about his car. My small town American experience of cars to that point was bloated American station wagons (you call them estate cars). The MG was a huge eye opener to me. Suddenly I understood how a smaller car with a much smaller engine could be vastly more fun than a big powerful car. That ride corrupted me for life I'm afraid.
That was nearly 50 years ago now. I've never owned an MG though I always said I would one day. I go to track days less often now. I love electric cars but don't own fast one. I have motorcycles to fill that need. Maybe I should look at ordering one of these. The price is a challenge but not nearly as challenging as getting the car documented here I suspect. I'll have to look into that.
I hate the rotary shifter though. It should at least have the MG badge in the middle.
Nice story. As to MG badges, they are all owned by a Chinese company, so you'll have to get some paper, crayons and copydex to do your own one.
Great story Bill, but as a European I do love those old big American station wagons estate cars, as a kid I used to watch movies were the parents used to bring the whole family even the dog across America on a holiday oh I mean vacation,
It’s heartwarming to see folks on both sides of an ocean look across and be fans of each other’s motoring culture. I’ve seen a German friend go through the ordeal of bringing a ‘72 Ford Country Sedan (despite its name, it’s a big wagon) from the US the same way some Americans would import something like a Europe-only BMW. Keep your dreams alive everyone.
@@ofmanynicknames8196. Variety is the spice of life my friend..
@@ofmanynicknames8196 Back when I was ogling Dodge Chargers like the one Jonny has I was riding around in the back of one of those big Fords. Some years ago I was able to pick one up at a charity auction. Though in good shape I was shocked at how terrible it was to drive. Today we are spoiled by how reliable, fast, and thrifty our cars have become. Still, we always want the things we couldn't have when we were young.
Another great video Jonny! Honestly, it is heart warming to see British companies like this bringing back a great classic as an EV!! If only I had the £'s!
"if you dont look back at your car after you've parked it you are driving the wrong car" SOOOOooooo true
Yep! I've never owned a car that I didn't look back at while walking to the front door
True indeed. Either that or you’re simply not a car person and it’s an emotionless marriage of convenience.
I look back at my work van every time I walk away from it.
I always look back my van I love it 2001 batered Toyota hiace
I was 193cm tall when I owned my MG. I had absolutely no problems with the soft top or hard top that came with car. I loved it to bits and still miss it 45 years later. An electric version sounds like a very nice idea out here in Australia.
How am I supposed to get any work done when I get a notification that you've posted another vid?
I had to ask my boss to take my tea break early so I could watch, luckily I said yes.
Sometimes I say, David can I stay in bed today, yes you can. That’s me talking to myself , I’m not in bed with another bloke called David
Have a late break whilst you watch the late brake show
Just about the best half hour car documentary ever !!
Jonny - that was so informative and interesting, i'm utterly amazed at the product and the content and how it was presented - this should be on the telly
I can’t get over the quality of video going out on TH-cam these days. Brilliant video and thanks for uploading.
This is what I love about the concept of EV tech, the ability to restore and reinvent/improve old classics.
Definitely needs a Limited Slip Differential.
That awkward one wheel peel 😂
and proper 2020 windscreen wipers ffs
...criiiinnnnge...😭
100% While they are at it.
For almost £90000 it should be LSD..
What a lovely thing! I'd never be interested in a normal MGB, but this is pretty cool. I hope they sell loads.
I think everybody has a point in their life where they're just super on top of their game. Jonny is at that point.
Thanks for more great content.
Cheque's in the post. Seriously though, you are most kind.
Here here!! I'd watch 5th Gear for Jonny...
@@TheLateBrakeShow 😅 I'm serious. I know its uncomfortable taking praise but .. this is your time. Enjoy....or rather the audience will !
I was a Triumph and Healey guy when I was young, but I didn't mind the MGB. I did have one MGCGT... hardtop 6 cylinder. Not my favorite car. I have one friend who electrified a rusty old MG Midget. It worked okay until the weight of lead/acid batteries broke the frame. Back then, he also didn't have the regenerative braking tech we do today, so it was a limited range thing. This is a great idea, for those of us who want a classic looking vehicle with electric drive. Imagine when the battery is slim, flat, and long, so sits below the cockpit. Losing the seams is a great idea for reducing rust potential, but losing the chrome fender bead on a TR3 or TR4 would be a shame, if that's what could be in store. Overall, well done.
Love this! That rear subframe, especially the one on the mule is a work of art. Guys like this really are bringing the old British methods of garden shed engineering into the modern age. Modern tech in a gorgeous (new) old body, if I had the cash I would definitely buy one 👍.
I still think the MGB is a gloriously beautiful car. I may sound old fashioned but I don't like the idea of an electric version. Part of the delight of the MGB was its lumbering old engine with that lovely throaty rumble. Making an MGB "perfect" in 2020 is like taking an Austin 7 and electrifying it - that, to me, has ripped the soul out of the car and "Californiized" it.
Don't worry ev conversion is not and will not catch on for the mass car collector market bio diesel saw to that and ev conversion will l
Always be over priced.
Ps hi I am a Gen z and I agree 100% however I see these cars as hot rods they will never replace classic and vintage cars.
"You can't cherish 0-60"
I like this guy already.
Wonderful.
I agree. I have never been a 0-60 kind of car guy. 0-60 does't mean anything to me. I am old enough to have owned several cars in my lifetime, and 3 of the best were a 1991MK1 MX-5 Miata 5-speed, a 1996 VW GOLF GLS 5-speed and a 1986 Peugeot 205 1.6 GTI. All not fast cars, but had wonderful driving characteristics. They made you smile every time you drove them. This car, in the video, is a statement. It has a soul if you will. I love tesla, but their cars are to minimalist and soulless for me. My next car will be electric. And this MGB has my interest.
I owned a 1977 limited edition that was a lot of fun to drive when it ran. Mine had three wipers, and they worked perfectly. It came with both a hard and soft top. Once the hardtop was removed, it was never put back on the car. Lowering the soft top wasn't an easy thing that could easily be done by unbuckling clips from inside the car. It required getting out to both sides of the car, and unsnapping the rear trianglular corner windows, then folding them towards the rear plastic window, then flipping everything on the top. Now the top was ready to be thoroughly lowered into its nesting area behind the driver. After all that work, I usually left the drop top cover off. It was nice because it also could be unraveled into a tonneau cover that snapped onto the top center of dashboard.
Such a tough decision to make .
Drive this for 120 miles and then wait around 3 hours for it to charge up for the drive home .
OR
Drive an I.C.E MG for 120 miles and wait around 3 hours for the breakdown truck to get you home .
Hope you have noticed i have a warped sense of humour , please don't hate me .
Hate lol
That's funny.....I had a school friend who drove an old MG...he said it was a great car for guys who like to tinker on their cars....!
I'd buy a MK1 MX-5 and save myself at least £80,000 (not that I have that kind of money) so I could enjoy the drive and know I'd get home. I'm sure some with deep pockets will buy this faux MGB.
My old rusty MGBGT and my MGB never let me down over the years. My Merc was always letting ne down. In the 2 years i had it I drove a hire car usually a Vauxhaul most of the time. All my German cars have been a disaster. Golf rusted thru in thd first year, 911 took 2 years to correct all the faults on delivery, Polo never got the gear selector sorted.
My old rusty MGBGT and my MGB never let me down over the years. My Merc was always letting ne down. In the 2 years i had it I drove a hire car usually a Vauxhaul most of the time. All my German cars have been a disaster. Golf rusted thru in thd first year, 911 took 2 years to correct all the faults on delivery, Polo never got the gear selector sorted.
We’re all loving it. I too am not crazy about MGB’s, but what this guy is doing - bringing them back and making them electric with updated brakes, etc. - is priceless. Wish everyone did this with old cars. Also wish I could afford one. (Just needs to reduce the size of the batteries while providing at least 200 mile range and luggage space.)
I was loving it right up until it said “from £88K”. I’d rather have an old MGB for weekends and a Tesla Model 3 for a daily.... and a load of cash left over.
I can see that choice completely. But this can cater for would-be classic owners, or folks in restrictive cities.
You’d spend that cash constantly repairing an old mgb. This EV would be bulletproof.
I’m with you. My heart sank when I heard the price. EVs have to get cheaper. I got all excited when I saw the new Honda EV. Cute and quirky. It looked like an ‘EV for the people’. Then Honda showed off with all the tech - who needs cameras for mirrors! Now they’re left with a car that no one can afford - and those that can want RANGE and SPEED. Of which the Honda has neither. I’ll be turning my SL electric eventually. I’ll just bide my time, enjoy it while I can, and wait for the tech to get cheaper. In the meantime I’ll keep looking at Tesla.
@@TheLateBrakeShow Don’t ‘would be classic owners’ want analogue classics. I see loads of young ones getting into classics (not EV classics - where would they even get the money from?). I think this a great idea for existing classic owners, but at the right price. Conversions of their own cars I think will be the thing. Good luck to this company though. It’s a great car that some of the top 1% will buy.
@@TheLateBrakeShow So are there any plans for these guys to sell the platform components to DIY enthusiasts for conversion of their own vehicles?
Once we see some reasonably priced products like this with the option to reuse EV batteries from mainstream models, I think there will be plenty of demand.
Such a lovely video, this is exactly how I envisioned a restoration for a small classic British car. It got me excited. Whish I could like it twice!
This is what my Mrs. wants from a car, classic looks and modern, reliable under pinning. Thanks Jonny ;-)>
Having just sold my 54 MGTF this brought back fond memories of the 1976 MGB roadster I restored in the 80s. Enjoyed it immensely for 12 years until selling it and buying the TF. If I had the bucks this is the only electric car I would buy👍
the production value just goes up and up with each video. love it.
I can’t get over the quality of video going out on TH-cam these days. Brilliant video and thanks for uploading.
As a long-time MG fan and a Tesla owner, I love seeing this! I had the pleasure of borrowing my cousin's '78 MG Midget for a good spell when I was in college, and it was such a joy to drive. You felt like you were going fast even if you were just going around a corner at 15mph!
Overall, I LOVE the car.... but the dash is horrendous, looks totally wrong to me... I think a retro looking but digital dash would be MUCH better. The thing that really bothered me though was the too-long bolts on the steering wheel mounts.... lack of detailing there... but hats off to them... its a fantastic product at a very fair price.
Re - the steering wheel bolts, I would ask for them to finish level with the locking nut,or double nutted.
With it being digital I dont see a reason they cant offer various selectable "themes"
I agree with the bolts. Luckily, this is a R&D test mule, not the finished product. I expect that they will make it better for delivery cars.
Agree on both points, but I'm sure the steering wheel will be corrected asap the dash as you say to modern but great concept. I did laugh when Jonny mentioned heated seats, but at 88k those whom can afford it it could well be a summer only car.
Totally agree, the dash looks subpar, the center screen is a joke. I also don't really like this particular grill. All in all the finish does look a bit, well. 'British'.
The work gone into this car is stunning 😍
Another great episode. Never wanted an MG before... until now (the GT version anyway). Peter seems like a really likeable guy too. If you spec one with the plastic bumper though - I judge you.
One of the best things about a MGB is the sound of the exhaust.
That is the one thing I will miss when everyone has to be forced to convert cars to electric power. They are even thinking about converting some of the steam locomotives at the Severn Valley Railway to have a battery system to pull the trains and only use the steam when they arrive at stations.
The production quality of these videos is truly outstanding. The fact that you’re a true car down to earth guy just makes it that bit more special too.
Clearly a big difference between these guys and some of the others offering similar conversions. Very professional and refreshing that they’ve put engineering integrity and safety ahead of 0 - 60 headlines.
I wish TVR had taken a leaf out of this Guys book..go to market with a finished product...rather than hype taking loads of deposits and letting people down yet again...
I was going to comment that this guy has done a better job of getting a car to market than Les and TVR.
Very well said
Engine rebuilds at 3000 miles wtf!
yep thought exactly the same thing - but then again the tvr has been still born for a number of years. The ‘factory’ is just a convenient excuse
@@eliotmansfield TVR seems to have become the latest Welsh industrial lost cause
@@drundub73 I used to car share with someone who had a relation who worked at TVR. He said "all TVRs were different"
Absolutely brilliant I'd like all the 70s cars to come back like this.
Love it, always loved the MGB roadster and bringing it into a new era just makes sense.
Engineering excellence alive and kicking. A future for classic cars
Nissan Elgrand camera car? That's what I'm talking about. Fantastic video.
Whilst I love the idea of a retro electric classic, they are out of the price range of most ‘normal’ people. I love this mg e and I really loved the e landy but way way out of the the average budget. The price needs to come down enormously if your going to persuade the average motorist to swap. As always thought another excellent pervert video.
Yes Randy Cockshipes! Good spot. My Elgrand has been a cracking camera car. If you’re looking for tracking vehicle under £5 then you can’t beat it. 👌🏻
The Elgrand with the MPG of 3 normal cars combined somehow balances out the eco credentials of an EV :) Unless you have an Electric Elgrand conversion !
@@mikiex If only there was something that could do what the Elgrand does that is EV and the price of an Elgrand (under £5k)
@@marktaylor-hankins9398 Agreed, a lot of MPV for the money. It's crazy that Japan manufacturers don't sell them and other cool models anywhere else! I was looking at Step Wgns, Serenas, Alphard, Elgrand the only thing that puts me off is sourcing a windscreen if it ever broke.. and the Elgrand I can't afford to fill with petrol :)
Wow! Johnny that was such an interesting video. I enjoy the time spent exploring what it means to those involved and how it is a precursor for maybe all restomods. Beautifully shot and edited. Thank you for drawing me in. I can't wait for the next video.
Why use those (way too long) bolts on the steering wheel?! Those types of details are killing me...
I am glad i wasn't the only one
Time stamp? Edit, seen it. Its a nut and bolt set up though, the bolts only come what 4mm past the end if the bolt. Is that way too long?
Can’t stop looking at them... 😫
@@realMaverickBuckley I wouldn't like to see the nuts even. Why not use the black "back plate" to screw the bolts into?
I thought exactly the same
Thanks for reviewing this, Johnny.
I'd heard/read about this car before hand, because I have a mate that's into MGB's (I'm not) who'd sent me a link to an article - and I'd then looked on the website as well.
Having done that, I just didn't get it at all - thought it seemed too expensive, not fast enough, not offering anything special/different enough in the MGB or electric conversion market to be particularly worthwhile etc. But... After seeing this, gosh I know I was completely wrong and actually, this is absolutely brilliant!!!
Beautifully built, tastefully updated, cleverly and properly engineered with oem quality reliability and warranty, well finished and made by a genuinely nice guy who wants to put out a quality product.
No question imo, this is a great offering that's absolutely worth the money and I really wish them all the success they deserve, selling it. (PS yes I also think the dials are just absolutely perfect balance between modern/classic and I just couldn't stop looking at them whenever there was an interior shot lol!)
Just a quick note also on the video itself, to say that I really enjoyed that too - great mix of driving the car, blended with info about the car and it was really superb hearing from the key people who are behind the engineering of it, plus seeing all the core components out of the car, the various development stages and test mules. Really interesting covering the development of the vehicle from start-finish.
Porsche 914 or Lotus Europa would be another project nice to see done to that level!
Total production of that episode, EPIC! Very well done and thank you. Only improvement would be same Guy doing an E-Type!
The car looks beautifully done with clean body lines. I like the MGBs but if I had the option the Healey 3000 would be perfect. 120-160 is pretty good as it mimics what my motorcycle range typically is. If the 0-60 could be around 6.5-7.0 that would be even better. However, it's way out of my price range so it really doesn't matter what I think......lol
As a fellow biker and a former owner of a mgb I really can't see this thing selling very well. The MG was a sports car, with a top speed of just over 80 mph and a 0-60 time slower than my diesel passat a sports car is something this will never be. And the range? 160 miles, you can knock a third off that in the real world. Surely if you're looking at bringing a British classic into the 21st century it should be better than the original? This thing is a lot slower than the original with less than half the range and it costs more than 80 grand. Each to their own I suppose but honestly, if anyone does buy one of these ridiculous toys they should be sectioned.
This channel just goes from strength to strength! I love the way you let the cars and the owners do the talking with gentle prods from yourself to keep them interesting. A million times better than Fully Charged that just seems to be Kryton ranting about things and giving little information. Good Work Jonny.
I'd love to own a classic EV conversion, or indeed a 'new' classic EV. But I bet they're soooooo expensive. Rightly so. The hand work that goes into these is clearly intense.
“ If you don’t look back at your car after you parked it! Your driving the wrong car!” Nail on the head!!! I have an XJ8 jag! I always look back at my car! And smile when I return!!! Great Vid! Thanks for posting!!!
Good, but that steering wheel makes me wince. Can't they use shorter bolts and tap the boss? Or at least have them level with the nut?
I'm glad it's not just me that was triggered by that!
I'd just posted about the wheel bolts when I then saw your comment. When you see stuff like that it also makes you think 'What else is a bit wierd or even slightly bodgy on the build?' A perfectionist would get the right length ones and use dome nuts on the underside so that there are no ugly threads sticking out. Just done that with a Moto Lite leather/ stainless wheel on my classic Mini. Looks fantastic! Sweating the small stuff is what gives a car that extra edge.
60's and 70's cars always had the odd unfinished or poorly designed bits, it's what has endeared them as Classics. If constructing a "new" classic then a nod to this is needed. The original Mini would not be the same without it's quirks like the floor starter button and rope door lock release. Someone make a "new" electric one, please.
@@tonys1636 By your criteria you may as well have a dummy exhaust pipe. . . . . but thinking about it a twin pipe arrangement would look good.
@@bobdobalina2931 With a generated exhaust sound, being very quiet is a problem with EV's as I found out by being hit by one that was unseen and unheard, luckily it was just a glancing blow, hitting the road hurt more than the collision.
These are absolutely beautiful. Truthfully I've always been the "more power, newer model" kind of guy but having seen a few of these modern throwbacks I think the style here might have won me over.
Like practical rolling art pieces.
If money isn’t an object, I’d go for the coupe and the Land Rover.
One of the best reviews/discreet infomercials ;) I've ever seen + no 'call or click now' info needed. Lol....& I used to be in that biz! Kudos to RBW. What a truly Great example of Great British Innovation. Well done guys.
'If you don't look back at your car after you parked it, you're more confident than I that it's locked'
I had a 1970 model MGB for 2 years when I was in high school back in the late seventies. That model had the split chrome rear bumper. It also had the original wire wheels, 1800cc engine with dual carburetors, and an eight track player for music! At my age, I didn’t think any electric car would be of interest to me. But, being able to have a vintage looking MGB is something else. One day, probably long after I am gone, they will be affordable. Then you could buy one just to have fun with. I would suspect that a company that can build reproduction British Sports Cars like the MG’s, Triumphs, Jaguar XKE, Austin Healey’s, or an Aston Martin with electric power might be very much in demand. Memories!!
04:50 Those steering wheel retaining bolts are too long for my OCD....that's 0.0005 seconds lost coming through Eau Rouge, flat of course, don't lift ;-) Also 09.35 that 'one-tyre-fire' from that open diff, with all that electro-torque, as you say needs LSD? Nice upload Jonny, you've worked an enthusiasts angle here, thank you...and as a convertible driver myself, at what speed did you loose your honorary base-ball cap?
Hi All - It's Peter from the RBW video, just to say thank you for all your comments. I would just like to point out on the 'bolt's' on the steering wheel, you are all absolutely correct, they are long, this is because we offer six different steering wheels, once chosen we 'double, bolt' and trim, this is our demo car, so we change the steering wheel all the time - we also have bespoke seats made to height for bigger guys, Johnny had the standard seat. Enjoying all your comments - thank you Peter RBW
This is what car manufacturers should focus on! Bring back brand new classics !
Shed a tear for the future enthusiast who will never know the joys of driving a real classic; the sounds & smells of real power.
Who says they won't? But this type of 'classic' can be used daily if you wished. Most 50+ Yr old classics aren't viable for daily use.
@@TheLateBrakeShow "Who says they won't?" Hello, the UK's government says that petrol/diesel will be withdrawn by 2030. Were that not the case, why on earth would any serious motoring enthusiast invest in an automatic electric MGB. Jesus, the very thought of it makes me think of bringing back capital punishment for crimes against humanity!
@@voncoconut5293 No they said they will ban the sale of NEW petrol and diesel cars by 2030 not what’s already on the roads
@@virgin26 Well, Dave, what do you think will happen to the car manufacturers during the next five years? After all, no one would wish to buy a petrol/diesel car with long term ownership in mind and the vexed question of how long will the green brigade allow the sale of fuel beyond 2030? Aside from that important issue, when will the government be able to roll out the battery charging infrastructure for the mixed-use conventional driveway, commuter and street parker?
From my cold, dead hands.
Dear Jonny, I am so delighted by your honesty. If I were an automotive engineer I would not hesitate to let you drive a prototype vehicle to get feedback from you. That's the only way changes can be considered while there's still time to evaluate before production. Think of all the flawed vehicles rushed into production due to "group thinking" cheerleaders.
He said 3.5kW charging, if so the 4 hour wallbox figure in the caption is incorrect
The caption was based on 7kW charging
you get around mike
@9:40 He goes full Mr. Toad. Love this. "You cant cherish naught to sixty".
Our MGB leaked like a sieve in the rain so I would go for the Hard Top. Sounds like a great idea. Great video Thanks.
Aha mine leaks more with the hard top than the soft top!
Ours never did... nor did it suffer mythical electrical problems .. nor did it fail to start on Tuesdays
What are these mythical electrical problems you talk of?? No idea what you’re talking about
The trick is the keep it undercover!
My GT with its webasto roof is amazingly watertight. Not bad!
Beautiful old design + electric new technology = Awesome!!!
I’m all for going green and not polluting the planet, but the one thing that strikes me about this amazing car, is the lack of that MGB burble out of the exhaust...but then you could say that about any electric conversion.
I’m sure the speakers can give you that sound linked to the throttle. Gap in the market for some tech boy?
unfortunatley on teh roginal casr that didnt last too long anyway as they were in garage. no speakers noises though. its pretty lame that manufacturers do that now e.g BMW
il accept exhaust tuning for noise etc but not piped in false noise
@notformebeaky no
@notformebeaky well then keep it for years, it's more than comparable to a petrol/diesel car in manufacture and the environmental benefits are better air quality in our cities etc the fuel itself is running out so we have to find alternatives now . It's also dependent on how any specific country produces power, hydro, fossil or renewable isn't it :) as technology advances it gets better
@notformebeaky Scotland produces twice as much electric as it needs from renewables. The fuel is running out so better to be ready now eh. Instead of waiting till it is, your also not calculating hydrogen cell electric vehicles into your argument. I hate to break it to you but cars don't run without electricity now. I
Fantastic! I wish I could afford it. Brings back memories of my youth, only revised and updated.
The Land Rover and the MGB makes you want to buy electric car, classical styling with the modern future.
What a brilliant concept. This company will go a long way.
Gotta be honest, for the money there are things I'd rather have...in fact you could get a B roadster with an engine and give it a lot of those mod-cons. But I like that these things exist, and obviously the old ICE isn't going to be around for ever....I'd still rather have a GR Yaris though :D
@Doctor MENGELE no more brand new ICE cars. They're thinking about poll tax for using British roads that's a real worry. 😟
@Doctor MENGELE lol dont belivee boris :D
@@TroyHR123 they arent thinking about a poll tax, do you mean toll? our roads arent paid for by any speciic tax in uk.
@@yrma_fletcher8953 that is why I said thinking well aware of the turd that is road tax. Nope its been reported as a poll tax to use roads. Toll might refer more to accessing roads.
@@TroyHR123 i get you, just checked story, its not poll tax on wheels its lazy journalisim but it makes more sense now ive seen it. thats what confused me i was like hang on poll tax was for houses :D
I delivered a car to these guys a while ago and messaged you and fully charged straight away as I knew you would love there vision,
I love the fact that classic cars can be kept on the road and you don’t even have to produce new ones,
This is what the scrappage scheme should have been.
I know there are Porsche and MR2 kits out there.
I can’t wait for the technology to improve and downsize even more, I have a RX7 that I will not be rebuilding again
Oh and If you want restomods done right check out what MZR are doing with Datsuns and what David brown is doing with minis
Dumb question maybe but how is it “legal” to have a “new” old car with no airbag/abs etc? Is it because it’s low volume production?
General rule of thumb is if it's fitted it has to work. Believe it or not you don't even need lights, you can have a day time mot. Seat belts however are compulsory.
@@sambrooks7862 in the UK.... doesn't work anywhere else.
@@odl21 sorry, I assumed that he meant in the uk ( austin allegro).
@@sambrooks7862 I did cheers
Jonny mentions IVA in the show. That's Individual Vehicle Approval, and it's basically a way of certifying one-off or low volume cars to be used on UK roads (it's the same process for kit-cars). This means that while the car has to pass many tests, and if it's fitted then it must work, there are no crash safety tests or airbag requirements. In theory, if you "substantially" modify the chassis (or monocoque) of an existing car, it should have to go through IVA to ensure it is still safe!
Really nice, the MGB was the medical student's supercar when I studied in the 1960s. I eventually got a Spitfire when my earnings as a GP allowed it, which drank oil - it needed its own well. Friday afternoon assembly? My wealthy uncle had an MGB and a Leica camera. Is the car worth £88,000? That's as out of my range now, as a retired person, as the original was in my student days. But there's a lot of money washing around the planet at the moment, and a lot of very wealthy people. I don't know how long that's going continue, so if you have the cash, get your new MGB now. But seeing the car as it was in its pristine, factory new state, you realise what a truly lovely looking little car it was. Perhaps the sheer commonness of the car made it a bit passé after a while.
I would love to buy this if it’s available in Singapore
Absolute magic to have a passionate car builder who builds emotion into the car. That car exudes emotion just by existing never mind once it's driven. Deserves every success.
If these are brand new cars rather than re shelling old chassis how is that allowed? Presumably they don't meet current crash test requirements and specs for the heights of bonnets for pedestrian safety etc etc. Clearly it is allowed so what am I missing?
There is legislation that allows for low volume car production in the UK that negates these strict standards.
@@shaunontheinternet1452 thanks.
@@shaunontheinternet1452 THANK GOD!!
You can actually re-shell classic cars like this using brand new parts. It's a legal process, but the car has to retain most of it's original running gear, and it also retains its original registration number. I'd be interested to see how the car in this video has been registered using a brand new registration.
@@Scrubworks it's not a reshell of a classic here it's a brand new car, new body, new drivetrain, low volume production doesn't need to comply with crash testing etc, means you can still build your own car and legally drive it once it's been inspected.
Really interesting,I like the engineering and the compay's enthusiasm, as Jonny says I can see a market in the USA- get Jay Leno's garage to drive it and a "celeb" to drive one. Hopefully all the old rust problems and closed panels that rusted from the inside have been sorted. I wish them success
Major nostalgia! My best buddy at the university had an MGB convertible. This was in the US so it had the terrible looking huge black bumpers. Before he found a small garage with an owner that had intricate knowledge of British car crappiness and how to fix them it was always running bad. After that it was great, but the top leaked, of course.
LOL - it’s a British car from the 70’s, trust me leaks come at standard! :)
I've never been a fan of MG's either, but that enthusiasm i absolutely love from that guy.
you cant beat that, respect..
I really love these long-format (long for a TH-cam video).
Please continue to spare no details on your fantastic videos.
This. This is what MG should be today. A small British company keeping heritage alive, similar to Morgan.
The fact SAIC were allowed to buy MG is disgraceful but what they've done to it is heartbreaking. Cecil Kimber and William Morris would be spinning in their graves if they saw that "MG" had become a way for China to sell subpar electric SUVs in the west.
Modern MG is basically a Kia with an octagonal badge on the front.
Actually, I don’t think the electric MGs are that bad. They are not exciting sport cars but the last years of British MGs were pretty dismal.
@@ewadge I'm inclined to disagree. The F & TF were both fantastic little cars, the last TF "160s" in particular. Had BMW not limited its production in LHD and barred ot from being sold in the US it would've been a far great success than it was. It competently out performed and outsold the MX5.
The ZR was a bit chav chariot but the other Rover based cars (ZS&ZT) were genuinely excellent. Hell Tiff Needel himself said the ZS was one of the best handling FWD cars ever made. The last ZTs with the big V8 were also a nice British muscle car.
The SVR was a mistake but that's more down to Phoenix being incompetent wankers. That said it wasn't a bad car, just over priced and absolutely the wrong car to focus on.
The key thing that stand for all of them is that they were still performance cars. Not poorly made cheap junk set to compete with bloody Dacia.
Now that is a gorgeously well done car. Love their passion and enthusiasm for doing it right.
Subtitles Johnny? Even the auto generated ones would do.
@@TBATTIECYCLING yea deaf people can just learn to hear?
@@TBATTIECYCLING ups
I agree! Accessibility is key
@@a-aron2276 oof
Orrrroiight mayyyyte.
My wife and I live in Canada. We owned a one year old 1971 MGB for 5 months. Absolutely loved the Classic Looks, the Glorious Exhaust Note of those old British 4 cylinders, as well as the VERY Short Throw and Engaging 4 speed gearbox. This conversion unfortunately offers neither of those mechanical thrills but I will admit that it is beautiful to look at.
Other than that, our old 1971 MGB was an absolutely embarrassing piece of junk, primarily the infamous Lucas electrics. That's why we ditched the thing after 5 months. We bought the car to drive, not to sit at the mechanics shop most of the time. Luckily we got what we paid for it upon resale
Bottom Line: IF I want an electric car, I'll buy an electric car, WHEN/IF the EV Charging Infrastructure ramps up realistically and affordably in Canada.
Good luck to these guys. My wife said she would love a Morgan. Then she tried one. Making a classic design work in the modern world is a great thing to do. Modern cars are generally pretty dull unles you can afford a supercar. This is different, practical, and interesting. More power to them. See what I did there?
Define "modern"? My BMW i3 is certainly not dull, it handles like it's on rails until the grip disappears, then it's RWD fun all the (not very fast) way. My Mondeo ST220 dog-wagon is reasonably modern and still a brilliant drive. I drove an acquaintance's up! GTi recently, that certainly wasn't dull. Your posit that "modern cars are generally dull" is in doubt at Squirrel HQ.
Very nice, I wish the firm every success and hope to see a few of these on the road. I think a few more horses wouldn't go a miss. I drive a 150 bhp EV and that's about right without being a hot rod.
The British car industry was never the most powerful in the world. It did export a lot and it was a major player but was small fry compared to its US counterparts - who didn't really need to export that much, its domestic market was huge. Dreadful management, ineffective governments and thicko, short term thinking, politically driven trade unionists damned the industry - it's why we don't have a "British" car industry any more.
@Ross Bourne Exports don't equal power. The US motor industry was far more powerful than that of Europe combined. And no, I am not from the US.
I have a pristine 1978 MGB ROADSTER and deplore the idea of making it an EV!!! KEEP THEM AUTHENTIC !!!! CRUISE ON!!!
Never been a fan of MGB but what they've done with that car it looks great the silver one looks almost Aston Martinish for some reason?
I love the centre console dial for drive /reverse etc
Why..why..why...has nobody just given us an affordable “Corolla” type ev yet?????
Why Corolla. Any make and model would be a start.
Actually the modern MGs fit that description quite nicely, the MG 5 and the GS
Are you suffering from Corolla virus?
Go to China. They have several such models. And they'll bring them here (UK) by 2030 and clean up if Ford and all the rest of them don't pull their fingers out.
I think the MG5 comes really close to that, boring functional and a damn good value car. ( im considering one)
The gray is absolutely stunning!
40W incandescent lightbulb: illegal.
1M Watt Electric car: ecofriendly.
People: stupid.
very clever modular system, wish them every success and hope that costs scale with volumes
Peter's quote about looking back at your car is everything. I've owned my car (2013 Volvo C30 T5) for seven years, and do that every time I walk away from it.
120 miles. Then 8 hours waiting to go another 120 miles.
Actually 4 hours, and you can get a longer range, up to somewhere around 200 miles...
Gorgeous, I’d have the classic dash and gauges 👏
That motor/suspension unit is genius.
The EV market is going to get very exciting once it's clear that ICE cars are in decline.
Fantastic outlook by the business, properly developed product, no talk just action......... love it.
The pseudo spoke wheels let it down big time. They look like a poor 1970’s 1/43 plastic kit rendered to full scale!