The Open Road - Classic Car Hire MG RV8

Built from April 1993 through to November 1995 the RV8 was designed to re-vitalise interest in the MG marque while the MGF was being designed and built.

It is based on the Heritage MGB bodyshell and fitted with a fuel injected 3.9 litre version of the all alloy Rover V8 engine that is also fitted to Range Rovers and Land Rovers. Rover also supplied this engine to power Morgan 8s and TVR Griffiths and Chimaera. The suspension was completely revised and a limited slip differential fitted to control the delivery of power to the rear wheels. The interior was finished to a much higher specification than the MGB with leather seats and door panels and the dashboard and door cappings finished in Elm burr veneer.

Only 1,996 of these were built with about 350 being sold in the UK and the rest being exported, most of them to Japan. Since then approximately 50 have been re-imported from Japan, including this one, meaning there are now about 400 RV8s in the UK. Like all Japanese specification RV8s this one benefits from being fitted with air conditioning.Price when new was £25,440 about £2,000 less than a TVR Chimaera.

For daily, weekend and weekly rates, see the section on Hire Charges.