Austin-Healey Sprite and MG Midget: affordable fun

By James Page

| 18 Jan 2024

The Austin-Healey Sprite and MG Midget family had an impressive innings that started in the days of Nat Lofthouse and Frankie Avalon, and lasted until those of Kenny Dalglish and Gary Numan.

It survived the creation of British Leyland, which put it in the same stable as its old rival, the Triumph Spitfire.

Keen drivers bought the cars new as ‘high days and holidays’ treats; students later picked them up cheap as daily runarounds.

The ‘Frogeye’ Sprite got curvaceous styling to go with its friendly face

Then, as now, they had a wide appeal, and such is their enduring popularity that there is a tendency to take them for granted, to overlook their very real capabilities.

They are so much more than just an endearingly familiar face.

Their story begins in the 1950s: the tie-in between Austin and Healey went back to 1952 and the creation of the Healey 100.

Four years after that, the British Motor Corporation bigwigs identified the need for a cheap, small-engined sports car to slot into the range beneath the MGA.

Clockwise from top: the Austin-Healey Sprite was revealed in May 1958; no bootlid for early Sprites, so the luggage area is only accessible behind the rear seats; tiny tail-lights

BMC boss Leonard Lord and Donald Healey were present at the meeting; Healey set to work, using the Austin A35 as a basis, which meant employing the 948cc overhead-valve A-series engine, four-speed ’box and front suspension comprising lower wishbones and coil springs with lever-arm dampers.

At the rear, a new system of quarter-elliptic springs was designed. The Morris Minor donated its rack-and-pinion steering.

It was decided that the new model would be of monocoque construction, with box sections for the scuttle and sills contributing to a light but rigid platform.

The Austin-Healey Sprite’s austere cabin reflected its position in the sports-car market

The front wings and bonnet formed a single front-hinged section, while there was no opening bootlid – the luggage area was accessed from inside the car, behind the seats.

Gerry Coker penned the shape, with the distinctive lights – originally intended to pop up rather than be fixed – giving the car both its appealing face and its lasting nickname.

There were rumours that this new baby sports car would be badged as an MG, but instead it was launched in Monte Carlo in May 1958 as the Austin-Healey Sprite.

The ‘Frogeye’ Sprite’s twin-carb 948cc A-series engine sounds great

At £668, it was the cheapest four-cylinder sports car on the UK market, and was certainly an austere little thing.

Quite apart from the lack of a bootlid, there were sidescreens in place of winding windows and no external doorhandles.

The ‘Frogeye’ couldn’t be locked because the internal release was easily accessible by poking a hand through a flap in the sidescreens.

Nonetheless, it was an immediate hit, with more than 21,000 cars sold in 1959.

The MG Midget arrived in June 1961

As time went by, though, there was no getting away from the fact that buyers wanted a bit more sophistication.

BMC gave the MG folk at Abingdon the task of redesigning the Sprite’s rear to accommodate a bootlid, and Healey with doing away with the signature front end.

The two concerns managed to incorporate their changes into a remarkably coherent whole that was based around the same punt as the Frogeye.

The MG Midget’s cabin is similar to the Austin-Healey Sprite’s

The Sprite MkII was subsequently launched in May 1961, and a month later came the MG version, fulfilling that company’s need for an affordable sports car and reviving the Midget name that was first used for the 847cc M-type in 1928.

The chassis and running gear remained as they were for the MkI Sprite, but the 948cc unit received a stronger crankshaft, a higher compression ratio, larger inlet valves with double springs and 1¼in SU carburettors.

Power was therefore up from 42.5bhp to the heady heights of 46.5bhp.

At that point in time, MG and Austin-Healey still had separate dealer networks, and the former demanded something a little more flashy to sell.

This MG Midget MkI has the rare rear-bench option

Although the MkI Midget was mechanically identical to the MkII Sprite, it cost £669 rather than £631 thanks to a cabin that was trimmed rather more fully, plus an exterior that sported chrome side strips and a bonnet centre strip, as well as an MG grille.

There was even an ivory-coloured steering wheel at first, but that was replaced after a few months by a black one.

The pace of development for the ‘Spridget’ was raised a notch when, in 1962, Triumph introduced the Spitfire.

In some ways, it was far more antiquated than BMC’s offering, sporting as it did a separate chassis.

But it did have independent suspension all round, even if at the rear that was provided by the controversial swing-axles.

The 948cc A-series engine lasted until 1962

It sold well, too, and would find more homes than the Sprite and Midget combined through the mid-1960s.

Fortunately for BMC, its latest round of revisions coincided neatly with the launch of the Triumph and was in place for the London Motor Show in 1962.

The A-series engine was stretched to 1098cc, which provided a boost of 8.5bhp, and the gearbox synchromesh was improved.

Disc brakes were fitted at the front and the interior trim was updated, but the Sprite kept its plain grille and lack of exterior adornments.

This tweaked MG Midget MkII handles well

Confusingly, these revised models retained their Sprite MkII/Midget MkI nomenclature despite the changes.

Not until March 1964 would the next generation arrive, bringing with it a brand-new rear suspension set-up comprising semi-elliptic leaf springs, which improved the ride.

There were more luxuries, too, no doubt motivated by the need to keep up with the Spitfire.

In came winding windows, for a start, plus exterior doorhandles and a redesigned dashboard.

The familiar Octagon badge on the MG Midget

Beneath the bonnet, the 1098cc engine gained a stiffer crankshaft, a better exhaust manifold and improved gas flow in a cylinder head that also featured bigger inlet valves.

Power was up to 59bhp, top speed to 92mph, and sales hit a new high.

Yet this model would last only until October 1966 before once again being updated.

This time, a detuned 65bhp version of the 1275cc Mini Cooper ‘S’ engine was fitted, and a neat folding hood finally replaced the much-criticised removable roof frame of the earlier cars.

The MG Midget MkII has ‘finned’ tail-lights (left); painted wire wheels

Following the launch of that MkIV Sprite/MkIII Midget line, the pace of development slowed somewhat.

Bar the odd facelift here or there, this generation would last until the introduction of the 1500 in 1974, but the intervening years brought with them great turmoil.

In 1968, Austin-Healey, MG and Triumph were united beneath the British Leyland banner, which would subsequently prove to be bad news for the Healey concern.

The revised dashboard introduced some subtle flair to the MG Midget’s cabin for the MkII

The Spridgets were given a spruce-up in 1970, with satin-black sills and a chrome-edged satin-black grille.

The rear lights and bumpers were redesigned and RoStyle wheels were fitted, though wires were still an option.

But at the end of that year, the royalty agreement with Healey was not renewed and the name disappeared from the model, which was discontinued after a final batch of 1022 plain old ‘Austin Sprites’ had been built.

This lightly modified MG Midget has a single SU HIF44 carburettor

This inspired thinking meant that the Cooper name vanished from the Mini range at the same time.

So the MG Midget was left to soldier on alone, until in 1974 it received the biggest raft of changes since the MkI had been introduced.

The American market had always been vital – exports as a whole accounted for some 76% of Spridget production – so BL needed to respond to new safety legislation.

In truth, it always had done; since 1968, North American versions of its smallest sports car had received a padded dashboard, along with dual-circuit brakes and a collapsible steering column.

Pretty lines of the late Austin-Healey Sprite

But the latest revisions necessitated a major rethink.

In October 1974, the 1500 appeared with the mandatory impact bumpers and a ride height that had been raised by 1½in.

The bodyshell had needed to be strengthened, and the increase in weight was intended to be offset by fitting – horror of horrors – Triumph’s 1493cc engine.

It required a new exhaust manifold and sump to fit in the MG’s engine bay and, while the Spitfire had an overdrive gearbox, the Midget made do with a Marina-based four-speed that at least boasted synchromesh on each forward ratio.

As with all Spridgets, the Austin-Healey Sprite MkIV’s driving position suits smaller motorists best

These changes turned the Midget into a genuine 100mph car, but there was no disguising the fact that it was getting long in the tooth.

The final 500 cars – out of a production run of 354,164 – were all finished in black and were produced in late 1979, by which time the MG was priced at £3820 against £818 at the beginning of the decade.

Seeing the various generations together is to be reminded of just how diminutive these sports cars are. The Frogeye, in particular, looks tiny.

The Healey name was soon to disappear (left); this car’s small wing mirror is fixed directly to the body

Coker’s endearing lines make the best of the compact 3ft 8¾in track that was carried over from the A35, with a low bonnet line and curvaceous rear.

The featured MkI Midget – built in September 1961 and one of the earliest survivors – looks like a completely different car, and bigger thanks to the car’s squared-off extremeties.

When you get inside, however, the bloodline is clear.

The seats and dashboard – with its slightly random assortment of switches and dials – are little changed from the Frogeye, and, while the view down the bonnet is dominated by converging wings rather than prominent headlights, you are in little doubt that these cars are, in essence, the same under the skin.

The Austin-Healey Sprite MkIV sits on 13in wire wheels

Each generation is pretty tight inside, but the driving position gradually evolves from a somewhat ‘sit up and beg’ feeling with a big, thin-rimmed steering wheel close to your chest, to a more sporting attitude that places you in the car rather than on it.

Certain driving characteristics remain constant throughout, such as the short-throw gearchange; the sharp steering; the surprising amount of body roll under hard cornering; and the slightly disappointing brakes – not even the 1500 had a servo.

The differences come mostly from the engine fitted. As you would expect, the 948cc unit in the Frogeye and MkI Midget lacks torque, and you have to wait patiently for it to build up a head of steam.

The Austin-Healey Sprite’s 1275cc engine, taken from the Mini Cooper ‘S’, performs well

Our featured MkII Midget features a few period-style upgrades to its 1098cc engine, and doesn’t get on cam until about 2500rpm.

It pulls strongly from there, with that familiar fruity exhaust note that can only come from an A-series and, in this spec at least, feels every bit as fast as the 1275cc models higher up the rev range.

Where those cars score, however, is in their blend of torque and power. Prod the throttle and they eagerly jump forward with no hesitation.

BL’s facelift of the MG Midget meant a new grille, black sills and, later, round rear wheelarches

As an everyday proposition for the public road – and modern traffic – they would no doubt be the most usable of the A-series cars.

The 1500 Triumph unit might not have the same character, but it does offer the strongest performance.

Owner David Storer likes to use his cars enthusiastically and issues instructions that I should do the same.

The engine has been lightly tweaked and responds instantly to throttle inputs; as you’d expect, it has noticeably more torque than the 1275cc models.

The MG Midget MkIII has better seats plus a large, three-spoke steering wheel

Even with the increase in ride height and the extra weight from those impact bumpers – which, to me, look more awkward on a Midget than they do on an MGB – the initial turn-in remains sharp, although if you get your entry wrong the car will run wide at the exit.

The Midget 1500’s natural tendency when being pushed, however, is towards oversteer, but it is very much of the controllable variety rather than being snappy.

The limits of the Midget’s roadholding are soon exceeded and, if you’ve done your braking and gearchanging before the corner and are back on the throttle, the rear will slowly break away.

The MkIII represents the last hurrah for the 1275cc MG Midget

You don’t even need to do much by way of correction – within reason, it will go only so far and then just sit there.

Period magazine road tests reported that the 1500 would bite if you panicked and lifted off the throttle at this point, but if you don’t the Midget will make you feel like a hero as you drift out of corners.

It’s predictable, dependable – and terrific fun.

And that applies to whichever type of Spridget you go for, which explains why they were so popular as competition cars in period.

Mild upgrades make the MG Midget 1500 great fun to drive

Not long after the Frogeye was introduced, John Sprinzel and Tommy Wisdom entered the tortuous 1958 Alpine Rally, finishing 15th and 19th respectively.

Healey was charged with looking after official motorsport outings, and made regular raids on Sebring.

In 1960, one car was entered for the 1000cc class in a new four-hour GT race at the famed American circuit.

Harry Weslake tweaked the engine and, in a further attempt to close the gap to the twin-cam Abarths, Stirling Moss was employed alongside Sprinzel.

Clockwise from top: the MG Midget 1500 has a Triumph-sourced ‘four’; black-leather cabin; RoStyle wheels were standard fit

The engine overheated in practice, but Moss brought the Frogeye home in second place.

Sprinzel would go on to build a handful of Sebring Sprites with aluminium bodywork by Williams & Pritchard: Moss drove one at the Florida venue in 1961.

As the 1960s progressed, the cars continued to be seen in racing – from the Targa Florio to the Nürburgring and Le Mans.

The degree of factory commitment at this stage can be gauged by the entry for the 1962 Sebring 3 Hours: 9251 WD was driven by actor Steve McQueen and finished ninth; Innes Ireland was seventh in 9252 WD; Pedro Rodríguez came sixth in 9253 WD; and in third place behind the Abarths was Moss in 9254 WD. Not a bad driver line-up, all in all.

The MG Midget 1500 sports controversial Federal impact bumpers

That racing success provided a welcome marketing boost and proved the cars’ sporting prowess against worthy oppostion, but it is not the context in which they are now coveted.

Instead, it is their sheer accessibility that remains their most powerful draw.

Few genuinely classic two-seaters offer a comparable blend of affordability and thrills, and each one boasts something on which it is very hard to put a price: the ability to put a smile on your face every time you drive it.

Images: Tony Baker

Thanks to: The Midget and Sprite Club; Mike Authers

This was first in our July 2014 magazine; all information was correct at the date of original publication

Arkley SS

The Arkley SS melded cheeky looks with better handling

Perhaps the best known of the Spridget derivatives was the Arkley SS.

Designed by John Britten, it featured glassfibre front and rear sections but retained the donor’s floorpan, suspension, running gear, hydraulics and wiring loom.

The kit was suitable for all models from the Frogeye onwards, and was made by the Lenham Motor Company in Kent.

Arkley could convert the car for you, or you could elect to do it yourself, and it is thought that around 900 were sold.

While the standard interior was retained – with the exception of a misleading six-speed gearknob – the reworked styling was intended to evoke traditional sports cars from the likes of Morgan, with the brochure promising ‘a return to sports-car sanity and open-air freedom’.

The reduction in weight certainly brought about an improvement in performance and handling, with Cars and Car Conversions stating: ‘Slowing down for corners in an Arkley seems outdated.’

The increase in grip came mostly from the chunky 7in wheels that Arkley claimed were the widest available on a car of this size, shod with low-profile tyres.

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