Introduced in 1934, the N-Type MG Magnette utilized a newly designed chassis with side frame rails that widened at the rear. In addition, the body was mounted on Silentbloc rubber bushes on the side and rear of the chassis, resulting in greatly improved ride comfort. Under the hood, a familiar small-displacement, overhead-camshaft, inline, six-cylinder engine from the K-Type provided a respectable 56 horsepower after MG modified the cylinder block, head, and fitted twin SU carburetors.

A development of the model was introduced the following year and designated “NB.” These cars featured a closer-ratio gearbox and revised bodywork with front-hinged doors, a vertical slatted grille, and a revised lower scuttle. This was to be the last overhead-camshaft-powered MG before the introduction of the VA model, with a pushrod four-cylinder engine.

The example on offer, one of only 98 MG NB Two-Seaters produced, was originally registered in the spring of 1936 and lived in the southeast of England until its purchase by Gene Ponder in 2014. While the MG had been entirely restored in the 1980s, time and steady use over the years had necessitated a refurbishment by the time the car arrived in Texas.

In June of 2018, the body was disassembled, painted in its present attractive two-tone red, and repaired as needed to return the roadster back to show-worthy condition. The following May, the engine was rebuilt by Vilas Motor Works of Bryan, Texas; it has been fitted with a supercharger and single SU carburetor for additional performance. Sporting touches include a folding windscreen with Brooklands screens behind, as well as stone guards on its headlamps and driving light. Red Car Restorations of Rockwall, Texas recently completed a comprehensive mechanical tune-up.

The MG NB Magnette helped to define the pure essence of a sports car with its lively engine, responsive handling, and open coachwork. Now is the opportunity to get behind the wheel of this expertly refurbished example—which further benefits from a recent mechanical tune-up by Red Car Restorations in Rockwall, Texas—and enjoy one of the best pre-war driving experiences.