Why I hate the MG RV8
Credit where credit's due, the RV8 fulfilled its brief admirably - that of reminding the fickle British consumer that less than a decade and a half before we were building one of the World's most popular sports cars. The idea was to get the MG marque back in the public eye, laying the foundations for an all-new car bearing the famous octagonal badge. But unfortunately rather than prepare, it misled.

Buyers were presented with a chintzed up MGB, a 31 year old design barely concealed by flared arches and new bumpers. Instead of attracting the youth market, the RV8 succeeded only in luring the middle aged flat cap brigade, a breed too old for a TVR and too young for a Morgan. You'd have forgiven the RV8 if it had been any good, but it wasn't.
Last word from Autocar?
This article is hot from the back page - maybe even the back passage - of the latest issue of Autocar magazine. It's an extraordinary illustration of the type of "glib bar room prattle" you would expect to hear from airheads quaffing pale lagers! "Never knowingly well informed" springs to mind when you read this type of material - it's opinion and assumption presented as fact. The comfort is that the people who express views like this are no longer V8 enthusiasts - presumably they wear designer sweatshirts and baseball caps and have a silver ring through their ego to remind them where it is!
It was supposed to herald MG's revival, but to Al Clements the RV8 was nothing but a dog's dinner
Take the cabin. A cross between an antique shop and a DFS sale: acres of nasty ruched cream leather and walnut door cappings clashed uncomfortably with plasticky Rover switchgear and a spindly Metro-style wheel. Even worse, from behind the wheel it felt as though your arms were on one side of the car and your feet on the other as your body articulated to access the

horribly offset wheel and pedals. Tall drivers could enjoy bruised elbows and knees, together with an attractive view of the top of the windscreen. The RV8 also had a useless boot, although at least, thanks to Tickford, it had a proper hood.

With that lovely big V8 up front and rear wheel drive, you might think this was a subtle supercar in a quaint costume. If only. The classic Buick-derived all-alloy motor was indeed up front, but in Range Rover tune it was a reluctant revver and the unsophisticated chassis ensured a real white-knuckle ride if you foolishly tried to keep up with a Chimera.

Telescopic Konis in place of the MGB's lever arms, a wider track and some fat tyres were pretty much the extent of the changes underneath. Unbelievably the MGB's live axle and leaf springs remained at the rear and the massively heavy steering was unassisted. And no anti-lock brakes on a 135mph plus sports car was not a step forward. With light throttle inputs, it was fine on a bone dry, baby's bottom smooth road, but give it the large one, ignore the weather forecast or tackle a bumpy B-road and you could look forward to all manner of perils. Exceed the tyres' grip and plunging understeer was followed by whip-cracked oversteer - I almost encountered both at the same time as front and rear fought for supremacy in the battle to lose grip. The RV8 seemed to have a magnetic attraction for the undergrowth.

Ergonomically flawed and dynamically inept, it's no surprise that Rover saw the RV8's rivals as lifestyle accessories such as speedboats and tennis courts. Just as well though, because put it up against anything else with four wheels and a bit of grunt and it didn't really stand a chance.
Let's have your comments on this masterpiece of motoring journalism - we will publish them here so Autocar and Al Clements will benefit from the more balanced views of real V8 enthusiasts!
Members' comments

"The "Walnut door cappings" are in fact elm burr cappings - but don't let accuracy get in the way of such racy copy!" - comment from Victor Smith. (24.11.03)

"Clive Wheatley nearly fell down the pit at his garage laughing when he read the article. He couldn't stop laughing about it and I was chuckling over how anyone could write such rubbish all the way home to Solihull!" said Tony Johnson, a new RV8 member who has has just acquired a reimported RV8 from Clevewood Garage at Downend near Bristol. Tony will be registering the RV8 with the V8 Register shortly. Just before he popped over to Wolverhampton to see Clive, he spotted this item in Autocar and very kindly sent a copy to the V8 Website. (24.11.03)

Frank Morand (Mirage 0197) from from France but based in Thailand, emailed to say "I popped into the V8 Website today to get away from the daily stress and found this terrible Autocar article". He mentioned he had seen this type of article before on the MG RV8 and the MGBGTV8 but believes "we should take this type of press article with the utmost circumspection." (26.11.03)

Members' comments continued

Peter Garton (Woodcote Green 1238) from Koblenz in Germany commented "of course we all know in our hearts, if we're honest, that the MGRV8 has its design problem areas. Nevertheless it is quite obvious from the article, which contains some horrible journalistic abuse of the English language by the way, that the perpetrator in all probability drives an ultra modern diesel German/Japanese hatchback!! I love my MGRV8, which always attracts the inevitable admirers who have never seen such a lovely car sports car with a typical British luxurious interior design; only to be found, these days, on extremely expensive models. The car is a joy to drive although I admit that I certainly do not try race all over the place which the writer of the article attempted to do quite obviously. When I get my power steering fitted next year, one of my "problem areas" will be eliminated". (29.11.03)

Tim Whiteley (Oxford Blue 0935 ) emailed to say "I have to say that this article just about sums up our great British motoring press - was is not written by Jeremy Clarkson? I have been an MG enthusiast for years and despite the misgivings of the RV8, I find it to be everything I ever wanted. It wasn't designed to be "hurled" around bumpy B roads, and I suspect most owners wouldn't even dream of putting their vehicles through that kind of torture any way. I have driven many other cars, including the TVR Chimera which I found to be of poor quality, poorly finished and over estimated, none of which would apply to the RV8. Besides, the RV8 is made out of "proper" materials not fibre glass! The one thing the RV8 does have in its favour is its relative scarcity, which attracts numerous admiring glances and statements like "that's a beautiful car, what is it?"."
Victor Smith (Harvest Gold 1089) notes that "the current fashion in the motoring press and on motoring programmes on television is for the laddish mentality that thinks it is clever to be seen driving cars "on the edge" with rubber howling - Clarkson and others exhibit this and have made it their style. Their glib, self-important comments are often worthless claptrap which suggests the programme makers have seriously lost the plot. Frankly many discerning sports car enthusiasts are heartily sick of it. Bring back Goffey and Woolard - even Quentin Wilson - with their more intelligent and thoughtful style which was much more informative and relevant and worth reading or viewing. The sad thing is a good quality motoring publication has closed recently - MG World - but at least we still have MG Enthusiast providing good quality MG information and reviews! I am afraid if the best Autocar can do is this type of material, then the best place for copies of the magazine is in the environmental black bin on the way to the pulping factory!".

To be continued with members' responses to the Autocar article

For a more balanced review of an RV8 here is an example of good quality motoring journalism with balanced and informed comment

An interesting review of an RV8 which had undergone a comprehensive refurbishment by the Yorkshire based specialist, Mike Satur, was published in MG World in 2003. The article was an example of good quality motoring journalism with balanced and informed comment. The contrast with the Autocar article both in content and style could not be greater!

The RV8 reviewed was finished in a non-standard colour - Zircon Silver - with grey leather seats and trim. The new colour really suits the RV8 and sets off the lines very well. The car was formerly BRG 0355 but is now registered with the V8 Register as Zircon Silver 0355. In December 2003, this car was up for sale again as the new owner had been posted overseas. For details of the car, see the advert on the RV8s for Sale webpage.

The four page article was produced by MG World in their February/March 2003 issue. Sadly this excellent specialist MG magazine has unfortunately folded at short notice with the final issue in December 2003. The editor was Philip Raby who produced an interesting magazine which many V8 enthusiasts subscribed to. We very much hope Philip will soon be back involved as editor of another motoring publication.
An excellent four page article on a refurbished and tastefully customised RV8 carried out by Mike Satur. (Article: MG World Feb/Mar 2003)

Further details of this RV8 article

See the four page article

(The download will probably take around 3 minutes at 28,000 and a little quicker at faster connection speeds, but it is well worth waiting for as the article is a very interesting read)