As the 1990s began, MG was facing a difficult situation. The new owner, British Aerospace, had finally allocated the budget to create a new roadster that the public had been eagerly awaiting. However, the new model, known as the F, would not be ready until 1995. Meanwhile, Mazda was experiencing tremendous success with its new MX-5, and TVR was set to revitalize its roadster.

In response to these challenges, MG decided to restart production of its iconic B model. Despite being discontinued for over a decade and originally dating back to the 1960s, the B was given a few modern upgrades on a limited budget. British Motor Heritage provided the B shell for classic restorations, and MG added new bumpers, wider tracks, new dampers, Rover’s 190bhp 3.9-litre V8 engine, and a more sophisticated wood and leather interior.

MG openly acknowledged that the new RV8 was “a recreational pursuit that just happens to take the form of a motor car.” In our review, we noted that the RV8 would not appeal to buyers looking for dynamic performance in a British sports car. Despite giving the RV8 only two stars due to its outdated feel, we acknowledged that it could be suitable for a particular type of driver. We compared it to TVR’s new Chimaera, which offered better performance, a larger boot, a roomier cabin, and less wind noise for just £800 more.

In the end, only 330 RV8s were sold in the UK, highlighting its limited success in the market.

Asian royals spending billions on hoarding rare cars

After gaining independence in 1984, Brunei experienced an economic boom, and its royals indulged in a lavish lifestyle. Sultan Hassanal and Prince Jefri secretly amassed a massive collection of luxury cars, many of which were custom-made. In 1993, reports indicated that the Brunei royals owned over 100 Rolls-Royce vehicles, a similar number of Ferraris (including five F40s), three out of the seven Cizeta V16Ts ever built, and a staggering 63 new Mercedes-Benz 600 SECs, which were given as gifts to dinner guests. Although the Bruneian embassy downplayed the size of the collection, evidence and rumors continued to surface in the following years.