1936 MG SA Sports Saloon – Auction Car of the Week

The MG SA is a beautifully styled luxury sports saloon, but as elegant as it is, the car was somewhat of a departure for the company when it was unveiled in 1935. For one thing it was big – the largest car MG had produced up until that point in fact. This caused some concern among the more fickle fans of the brand who saw it as a move in the wrong direction, away from the smaller, more lively offerings of the past. It was also the first model produced after the company’s merger with Morris.

People needn’t have worried though because the MG SA, based on a Wolseley Super Six chassis, was a beautiful car. With its newly designed, coach-built body and 2,288cc, six-cylinder engine it was an attractive package that not only looked great and could top 85mph, but was affordable too. The success of the car can largely be attributed to MG’s founder Cecil Kimber who fought back against the newly appointed company head Leonard Lord to develop his own vision for the SA rather than succumbing to pressure to simply re-badge the Wolseley and chuck it out the door.

The 1936 MG SA Sports Saloon available here via our auctions platform is a sublime example of the marque and one that has survived almost 90 years completely intact. It remains a shining specimen thanks to various restoration works over the course of its life, with the most recent being a complete engine rebuild in 2020. Along with a full bare metal respray in 2013 the car looks and drives just as good today as it did all those years ago when it rolled out of the factory at Abingdon.

What makes this car truly special though, aside from the superb condition throughout, is its fully documented, 86 year history. With everything from hand-written notes and receipts for work undertaken, to the original sale’s brochure, everything is included. It really is a comprehensive folder and a huge selling point.

The two-tone green paintwork has survived the intervening nine years since being resprayed excellently and it presents incredibly well. The original factory colours look great and the various brightwork and chrome trim pieces are in top condition, with only some slight pitting to the spinners on the 18” spoked wheels starting to show. The low, sweeping lines of the SA still turn heads while the inclusion of more modern indicators are a useful addition without appearing incongruous to the overall aesthetic.

Moving inside the car the interior is completely original and oozes period grace and charm. It’s not showroom condition, instead it carries a lovely patina which we think only adds to the allure of this MG SA. There have been some past repairs to the upholstery and steering wheel but these conservations have allowed the cabin to remain factory. Having said that there are some modern additions to make the car just that much easier to live with. These include a fire extinguisher and a 12 volt charging point.

Mechanically speaking this MG SA is about as good as it gets. The whole car was recommissioned and tuned in 2013 and then the engine was fully rebuilt again in 2020. As such the car drives and performs perfectly. The original wet clutch has been removed in favour of a more modern dry system and a larger, ten gallon fuel tank has also been installed to improve the car’s range. The original built-in Jackall lift system fitted to the chassis has been retained too, making inspections simple, along with any underbody fettling. Not that this car needs any!

With well under 3,000 of these cars ever produced it’s an exclusive proposition, especially in this condition. With a recent restoration and engine rebuild under its belt too, along with a comprehensive, fully documented history, this MG SA is quite the collector’s piece. It’s a beautiful, mechanically sound example of pre-war, British automotive history so get your bid in now for your chance to own this wonderful piece of machinery.