MG · 1947–1953

MG Y-type

The MG Y-Type is an automobile produced by MG in England from 1947 to 1953. It was offered in four-door saloon and limited production open four-seat tourer versions. When production ceased, 8,336 "Y" Types had been produced. While the original production records were sadly lost or destroyed when the factory closed it is currently thought that of the 6,935 Y chassis that were made they were split 6,133 were "Y" saloons and 902 were "YT" Tourers. (The exact split is a subject of ongoing research and is always subject to amendment as new evidence comes to light.) There were 1,301 were "YB" saloons.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: MG VA · Successor: MG Magnette

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MG YA (1947–1951)

=== Development and launch === In the years immediately before the Second World War, MG had sought to supplement its popular range of ‘Midget’ sports cars with three saloons of various sizes and engine capacities. These were the "S", "V" and "W" models. The MG factory at Abingdon-on-Thames had grown by developing what were in essence Morris based products and they were always to be closely associated with what was to become the Nuffield Organization (Morris, Wolseley and later Riley). The "WA" had an engine displacement of 2,561 cc, the "SA" 2,288 cc and the smallest of the group, the "VA", had an engine of 1,548 cc. The next development to the range was to include one more saloon, of smaller engine capacity than the "VA", and for a component base the Cowley design office turned to Morris’s Ten-Four Series M saloon, which was introduced during 1938, and the smaller Eight Series E which was launched at the Earls Court Motor show the same year. The prototype "Y" Type was constructed in 1939 with an intended launch at the Earls Court Motor show, the following year. However, as a result of the hostilities the public had to wait a further eight years before production commenced. All prototypes originating from the MG Factory at Abingdon were allocated numbers prefixed by the letters EX; this practice continued until the mid-fifties. Although the prototype of the MG "Y" Type was primarily a Morris concept from Cowley, much of the ‘fleshing out’ was completed at Abingdon. As a result it was allocated the prototype number EX.166. When the car was launched the MG Sales Literature stated "A brilliant new Member of the famous MG breed. This new One and a Quarter Litre car perpetuates the outstanding characteristics of its successful predecessors – virile acceleration, remarkable ‘

MG YT Tourer (1948–1950)

In 1948 several (currently believed to be 9) "YA" Types (consisting of chassis, engines and some body parts) were imported into Switzerland and given cabriolet bodywork by various coachbuilders, such as Reinbolt & Christé. The idea of the open four-seat tourer had been popular before the war, and in theory there was still a market. As a result a "TC" specification of the XPAG engine was married to a pressed-steel open body with fully folding hood and coach-built doors. A production tourer, the MG "YT", was launched at the Motor Show in 1948. It was available for export only in both right- and left-hand-drive models. As far as we know currently (September 2026) only 902 of these cars were produced when production ceased in 1950—it was not the success that MG had hoped for, and indeed other British manufacturers were also having problems selling open-tourer versions of their saloons. The "YT" Tourer did not benefit from ‘displayed’ woodwork but had the same standard of seat trim. It did have more instrumentation, in that there was a tachometer (or rev counter) in front of the driver, the speedometer was positioned in front of the passenger with a central bank of subsidiary dials in the centre, giving a similar sporting appearance to the TC with a "double scuttle" dash.

MG YB (1951–1953)

In 1952 MG Car Company updated the "Y" Type and an improved model was launched, known as the "YB". The "YB" had a completely new Lockheed twin leading shoe braking system, 15 inch wheels and a much more modern hypoid type of back axle. Production numbers - 1,301. Road holding was also improved by the introduction of smaller 15-inch (380 mm) wheels (the "Y" and the "Y/T" both had 16-inch (410 mm) wheels). The "YB" also had an anti-roll bar fitted to the front of the car and stronger shock absorbers, or dampers, were fitted. Little else was changed about the car, which was by now looking extremely dated. The YB was produced until the end of 1953 and the MG ZA Magnette was introduced in 1954.

Production numbers

The original production records of the MG Y Type were lost or destroyed when the MG Works at Abingdon closed in 1981. What is known for definite is that there were a total of 8,336 Y chassis produced of which 7,035 were MG YA or MG YT (the exact mix was not known) and 1,301 were MG YB. The original evidence pointed to the split of MG YA to MG YT was 6,158 to 877. This is most often found quoted in books and magazines. Following over 10 years of extensive and world wide research by the International MG Y Type Register, it is currently proven that these numbers are incorrect and the correct split is now put more correctly at 6,131 MG YA and 904 MG YTs.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

MG Y-Type

Manufacturer

MG (Morris)

Designer

Gerald Palmer

Production

1947–1953

Assembly

Abingdon-on-Thames, Berkshire, England

Predecessor

MG VA

Successor

MG ZA Magnette

Length

164 in

Wheelbase

99 in

Width

59 in

Class

sports saloon, tourer

Height

57 in

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1468996CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Y-typeCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1376842128 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1947.mg.ya.arp.jpgPublic domain · Photo: User Arpingstone on en.wikipedia · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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