The car MG should have built! This prototype, housed at the Heritage Centre in Gaydon could have become the MGF.

1989 was the year that Rover gave serious thought to reviving the MG marque properly. A number of projects began in parallel, with sports cars of varying configurations being considered, one of which was to become the MGF.

Roy Axe sketched the outline for this two door sports car - code named DR2 - at the end of 1989. The car draws on a number of influences including Jensen Healey, XJS and obviously from earlier MGs.

The car was based on a TVR Wedge, which was stripped down to be used as the donor car. The interior is straight out of the TVR, not the interior that Axe had designed. Rear wheel drive, the running gear is straight from the TVR including the Rover V8.

Eventually named the PR5, it was a front runner for the role as the new MG, particularly as it was big enough to appeal to the American market. Sadly Rover was struggling in the States at the time making the American appeal a less important consideration and the mid-engined MGF won the day.