Production of Popular British MG to Resume

LONDON — The MGB, one of the most famous names in British sports car history, will make a comeback in September, 13 years after its production line stopped and three months after the 30th anniversary of its launch.

MG manufacturer Rover Cars said Friday that it would make a limited edition of the MGB open two-seater, called the MG RV8, at a rate of 15 per week. The price tag is likely to be about $44,500.

About 500,000 MGBs were built between 1962 and 1980 at a plant in Abingdon, near Oxford, England, making the car the most successful sports car of its period and the best-selling British car in the United States.

The car will be powered by a 3.9-liter fuel-injected eight-cylinder engine, with a top speed of 135 m.p.h. and with new suspension and braking systems. The V-8 engine is also used in Range Rover leisure vehicles.

“The MG RV8 is an evolution of the MGB,” a Rover spokesman said. “Rover is still assessing the possibility of returning to volume sports car production,” he added.

In June, MGB enthusiasts from around the world will gather at the Donnington motor racing circuit in central England to celebrate the model’s 30th anniversary. The MGB was preceded by models such as the MG-TC, MG-TD, MG-TF and MGA.

Rover, a subsidiary of British Aerospace, has rights to the MG name dating back to the 1960s, when the company traded as British Leyland. It became Rover Cars in 1986.