MGB Roadster (Aston Martin prototype)

The 10th September 1979 became known as Black Monday among MG enthusasts around the
world! because t was the date that B" #nally went publc wth ther plans to shut the $bngdon #actory!
a#ter ##ty success#ul years o# sports car producton% Shockwa&es re&erberated around the ndustry!
and t dd not take long #or se&eral n#luental enthusasts to band together and #ormulate a plan! wth
whch to buy the #actory and 'they hoped( the MG badge #rom B"%
By )ctober 1979! the consortum! whch comprsed o# $lan *urts 'charman o# $ston Martn(! +a&d
,ckens 'B*$(! -eter *adbury! "ord George.Brown and the /orwest constructon group went publc
wth their plans to sa&e $bngdon% The consortum had at least 010 mllon at ther dsposal! wth whch
to buy $bngdon 2 but they made t clear that gong nto talks wth B"! they wanted to ac3ure the
rghts to the MG mar3ue name and the MGB% The reasonng was 3ute smple 2 wth the #actory! the
car and the name! they could contnue producton4 there would be no interregnum between B"5s
dsposal and ther takng o&er o# MG! ,th these plans &ery much n mnd! *urts went nto what can
only be descrbed as a battle wth B" n order to settle% 6owe&er! there was what can only be
descrbed as a huge stumblng block7 and that was the #act that B" wanted to keep the rghts to the
MG name! and n #act! were tentat&ely de&elopng ther own replacement #or the MGB! closely based
on the T87% 6owe&er! *urts was adamant that he would be able to gan the mar3ue name and the
car 'as well as the #actory( and had already started work on the company5s own re&sed MGB%
6owe&er! the negotatons dragged on! and #nally n $prl 1990! a deal between the two partes had
seemngly been reached% B" agreed that they would sell the $bngdon #actory to the consortum!
along wth the rghts to use 'but not own( the MG name% The 010 mllon #undng that $ston Martn
used n ther negotatons wth B"! howe&er! now pro&ed a lttle more elus&e 2 $ston Martn was
embroled n ts own #nancal problems thanks e:change rates 'that roncally were a reason cted by
B" #or the closure o# $bngdon(% The global recesson also meant that some o# the #nancal backers
that were ntally keen at the end o# 1979 were not n a poston to make good ther promses4
;ndeterred! $ston Martn showed t ,llam Towns #acel#ted MGB to the press n <une 1990! statng
that t was ther ntenton to launch ths at the 591 model%
;n#ortunately! B" closed negotatons at ths pont! losng patence wth the consortum! thanks to ther
nablty to commt #nancally% That pro&ed to be a black day n B"5s hstory! because t commtted the
company to closng $bngdon #or good! a#ter sellng t o##%
+urng the negotatons! B" #ormulated ts own plans to sa&e $bngdon! whch re&ol&ed settng up a
specal &ehcles operaton there4 they came to nothng! and were dropped durng the $ston Martn
negotatons7 probably because o# the $ston Martn negotatons%
Other Key dates:
Car First registered on 13/02/1!0 (registered to British "ey#and)
A$%&ired 'y Aston Martin on 2(/0)/1!0
*hey spent + days on the re'&i#d in order to do a ,ress "a&n$h in -&ne
Aston Martin then .ept the $ar &nti# -&#y 1!/ 0hen it 0as so#d to a pri1ate $o##e$tor
And is no0 in the pro&d o0nership o2 -ohn Os0e## a 3e3'er o2 MG 4orth&3'ria