Another Look at the MG Magnette

I wrote about the 1953-58 MG Magnette sedans (saloons) six years ago.  Now that I've found more images to illustrate the design, it's a worthwhile time for another look.

I maintain a soft spot in memory for the ZA version because I did a long ride in one years ago while at university, as the previous post mentions.

Color images below are of cars offered for auction or direct sale unless otherwise noted.

Gallery

Apparent factory photo of a ZA Magnette that was announced in October 1953.  It's a trim, sporty four-door designed by Gerald Palmer.  Body shaping approximates late-1940s American designs, while the hood and grille are in the traditional British vein.  The grille design is a rounded version of what MG sports cars of the time wore.

The lack of chrome trim on the front fender suggest that this car might have been a pre-production model photographed for publicity or brochure purposes.

Production ZA in British Racing Green.  Wheels seem the same as those on MG TF sports cars.

The instrument panel and other interior items were trimmed in warm colored wood.  The framing of the speedometer echoes the MG badge octagon motif.

Light green was common on ZAs.  The one I rode in while recovering from my hangover was that color.

Side view of that ZA.  The curves of the aft roofline and side window are echoed in the profile of the trunk lid.  The faint extension of the front fender and the low-relief rear fender line help to soften what otherwise would be too much slab-siding.

ZA rear view.  The backlight window is small for its time.  However, it reasonably suits the overall design of the car -- though it would look better if it were very slightly larger.

Now for the later ZB Megnette.  Its main style difference is the greatly enlarged backlight.  I think this enlargement was too extreme and didn't blend well with the original design.  The new chrome strip served as a paint color delimiter.

Side view of a ZB.  MG marketers called two-tone paint jobs "Varitone."  The Varitone scheme makes the car seem longer than ZAs, but destroys the purity of Palmer's design.  As can be seen here and the previous image, the C-pillar seems too pinched, while the shapes of the backlight and adjoining side window do not relate as well as they might due to the large radius curves on the former.

Another view of the same ZB Magnette.