1938 MG VA Tourer




























































































- Description
Introduced to the public at the 1936 London motor show, the VA was the second all new model to be launched by the company after its acquisition by Morris Motors, the first model being the SA. Although based on the Wolseley Super Six and aimed at the luxury car market, the SA received sufficient input from MG founder and designer Cecil Kimber to transform it into a car worthy of the famous MG name. Likewise the VA, or 1½-Liter, shared its 1,548cc four-cylinder overhead valve engine with the Morris 12/4 and Wolseley 12/48. As installed in the VA, this engine featured twin SU carburetors and produced 54bhp, which gave the VA great performance. The VA could comfortably be driven at 60mph and had a genuine top speed of over 75mph, with more to come from the tourer once the windscreen was folded down. Synchromesh made its appearance on 3rd and 4th gears for the first time in an MG saloon. A Tickford-bodied drophead coupé and Charlesworth open tourer completed the range of body styles offered for the VA. By the time production ceased in 1939, only 2,407 VAs of all types had left the factory so finding one today is a bit more difficult than some of the other more commonly seen models.