A Reliable Miata-Powered MGB-GT Will Only Cost You $77K

Building a restomod is straightforward: Take the body of a classic car and stuff it full of updated drivetrain and suspension pieces. While most builders start with Detroit products, England's Frontline Developments uses an MGB-GT and calls the stunning result the LE50.

This tribute to the MGB's 50th anniversary is not a rebuild of something found in a barn; this is a new car. According to car site AutoMinded, Frontline starts with a freshly stamped and welded body shell courtesy of the British Motor Heritage parts shop. It then fits a hot-rodded Mazda MX-5 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed gearbox — yes, the car most directly influenced by the MGB now provides parts for its return. The suspension and brakes are the near-race-spec parts which form the core of Frontline's business. The interior is retrimmed with Alcantara and new vintage-look gauges, and the Dunlop perforated-disc wheels could have almost come off a Jaguar D-Type.

The numbers are impressive all around: 0-to-60 mph in five seconds flat (most normal MGBs take about twice as long) and a top speed around 160 mph, according to Frontline. The cost for this hand-built resurrected speedster is even more startling: base price is £49,900, or about $77,000 at current exchange rates.

(Hat tip to Ben!)

Photo Credit: Gez Hughes/Frontline Developments