Redefining the golden age of British sports cars
Marking 70 years since the debut of MG’s most aerodynamically advanced model, the MGA Factory Edition is Frontline Cars’ lightest and most refined restomod yet. The company says it stays true to the spirit of the original while delivering a modern driving experience, and made its debut at the recent 82nd Goodwood Members’ Meeting.
Weighing just 815 kg, each MGA Factory Edition is powered by a choice of naturally aspirated Duratec engines: a 2.0-litre unit producing 225 bhp or an optional 2.5-litre variant delivering 290 bhp. Each MGA Factory Edition is equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox.
Extending its knowledge and expertise to the MGA, the new Factory Edition’s chassis has been developed entirely in-house. It comes with a limited-slip differential and the classic fly-off handbrake, a nod to the original, has been seamlessly integrated with modern braking technology. Adjustable electronic power steering adds everyday usability without compromising feel, too.
While the modern drivetrain and engineering features are at the heart, the MGA Factory Edition is faithful in appearance while featuring subtle, contemporary enhancements that distinguish it from its Fifties predecessor. Thoughtful exterior touches include crystal-clear LED headlights, which eliminate the traditional sidelights for a cleaner, more modern front fascia. Each lamp is etched with a bespoke Frontline logo, serving as a discreet signature of its bespoke, handcrafted origin. There’s also a Frontline badge on the bonnet, a first for the brand in its 30+-year history, to identify the MGA.
Available in both roadster and coupé form, every Frontline Cars MGA Factory Edition is built from a fully restored body, ensuring each car is finished to the highest standard. Using its customer configuration room, which is at the heart of Frontline’s Abingdon-based HQ (or remote meetings can be arranged), which sits alongside the in-house trim shop, customers are invited to customise every aspect of their dream MGA. The possibilities in paint hues, finish and interior materials are endless, creating an experience akin to selecting a hand-made suit in Savile Row, or reserved for the most premium of automotive ateliers.
Following its Goodwood Members’ Meeting debut the MGA Factory Edition will enter full production at Frontline’s Oxfordshire headquarters in the UK. Optimised for the company’s growing international audience, particularly in the USA and Australia – two regions where the original MGA was most celebrated – both right- and left-hand drive builds are now available to order, with global customers invited to already start commissioning their bespoke examples. First customer deliveries are expected from Summer 2026.
Frontline Cars was founded in 1991 with a remit to enhance the driving experience of classic MG cars and is based in Oxfordshire.
Words by Mark Slack
