1994 MG RV8 |

Sold

1994 MG RV8

Sold Price

£15,900

Mileage~66,000
TransmissionManual
Engine3.9L
LocationRipon

SOLD

1994 MG RV8

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Isaac Wass

Professional Consigner

Based on the MGB chassis but with a wider track, more aggressive styling, and a 3.9L V8, the MG RV8 is a re-imagined British classic.

Originally manufactured in the UK, the MG RV8 was limited to a run of only ~1,982, of that number 1,583 were exported to Japan which is where this particular example began its life. Manufactured using the MGB chassis, the RV8 was subject to a whole host of changes such as a track widened by over six inches, some tweaks to the suspension in the form of adjustable Koni dampers, and of course the 3.9L V8 engine. These improvements made the car quite a different beast from the original MGB with a 0-60MPH time of ~5.9 seconds, an iconic V8 engine note.

This RV8 is dressed in "Woodcote Green" paintwork, one of the more commonly found colourways, but arguably one of the nicest. With its cream leather interior, burl wood dashboard, and red convertible roof this car is eye-catching to say the least. Being one of the Japanese imports, this example comes with factory fitted air conditioning as standard. It comes to market from ~6 years ownership, the current owner being the first registered keeper in the UK importing it here.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Isaac after meeting Chris the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

From the coastal roads of New Zealand, to the winding back roads of Britain, I’ve never failed to enjoy the experience this car provides.

Chris has spent his life working in the rail industry, first in the UK and then moving to New Zealand as part of a 3 year project to assist in the design and construction of a compact but intricate rail network. This is where he first purchased the vehicle after it was imported from Japan in 2016, he then proceeded to enjoy the car on some of New Zealand's best coastal routes before returning to the UK in 2017.

Not bearing the thought of leaving the car behind, Chris went through the painstaking process of importing the car from New Zealand to England so that he could continue to enjoy it. However having recently relocated from Dorset to North Yorkshire and in the process of building a new home, Chris believes it’s the right time to find his beloved motor a new owner. He'll be on hand to answer any questions on the car in the comments section.

Chris

Vehicle Owner

Chris saved £2,700* when they
sold their MG with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Flared wheel arches, stunning Woodcote Green paintwork, you can see the heritage but also instantly know there's more to this MG.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheels are the original 15” single piece items, the lattice design a contemporary take on the classic wire spoked wheels of times gone by. To look at them you would not believe they have travelled multiple countries and thousands of miles over the last 24 years, they show little to no sign of any corrosion or damage, and no visible curbing to any of the four wheels.

The tyres are in good condition and whilst they are quite old tyres, still hold good tread and show very little sign of their age. Images that show the tread and condition of the tyres can be found in our "Mechanical" and "Exterior" image galleries below where we have taken plenty of high resolution images for your perusal.

Bodywork

The aggressive styling of the RV8 includes flared wheel arches, attractive body lines, and a carefully sloped bonnet leading to a wide front grill and attractive headlights borrowed from Porche’s parts catalogue.

On the whole the body work is in fantastic condition, with no visible signs of damage or repair observed from our perspective, and no misaligned panels or uneven panel gaps. Chris has even had two very minor door dings removed by a paintless dent repair technician before consignment.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The "Woodcote Green" paintwork unique to the RV8 is in great condition, during our time with the vehicle we were blown away by the depth this colour has - especially in the sunlight which really brings out the gold metallic flake.

We noticed no major scratches, chips, or inconsistencies in the paint, and we couldn’t see any mismatched colours between panels. Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the paintwork for yourselves.

Glass and Trim

The windscreen and side windows are both original factory items and are in visibly good condition with no chips, cracks, or scratches to be seen. The rear window is also an original that was refurbished and refitted in 2020 at the time of fitting of the new hood.

Overall the trim is in good condition, especially the limited chromework which hasn’t visibly weathered at all. However the black plastic trims have faded over the years and could do with some mild restoration. This can be seen clearly in all of our images and videos.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

With its burl wood dashboard, plush cream leather interior, and factory fitted air conditioning, the cabin of this MG RV8 is a very nice place to be.

Seats and Carpets

The leather seats are cream in colour, offsetting beautifully against the burl wood dashboard. The leather itself is in considerably good condition for its age, with the seat bases just beginning to show their age, however the hide still holds its colour and was not torn, ripped, or split at the time of our assessment.

The matching cream carpet is also in good condition, not showing any signs of excessive wear or discolouration which can be common on carpets of this colour. The mats in the car are the original items, and the car also comes with a set of spare mats that Chris had made up during his ownership.

Dashboard

The burl wood dashboard was replaced by Chris not long after he purchased the car, as it was suffering from the all too common delamination that can often be found on these cars. As a result of this the dashboard is in fantastic condition, with all the original switchgear and clocks in matching condition.

The dash has been converted to MPH since it was imported, meaning the mileage reading is not accurate, however Chris did make note of the mileage prior to the changeover as can be seen documented in our "History" gallery, so the mileage can still be tracked.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Featuring the factory original steering wheel and gearstick, both items are in grand condition, with minimal wear to the leather and stitching, and the original steering wheel badge presenting in good condition also.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

With a 3.9L V8, Koni adjustable dampers and a wider, more stable track, the MG RV8 is a classic bit of British engineering which has proven reliable and easy to maintain.

Engine and Gearbox

The 3.9L V8 engine puts out ~187BHP, not a big number by today's standards but a sizeable chunk of power when compared to its meagre ~1,250kg curb weight.

Upon starting the car the V8 roars to life with little hesitation and proceeds to settle into a steady idle, providing a lovely V8 burble as the soundtrack to this rare British sports car. Once on the road the gearbox provides nice long gear ratios, making driving the car a breeze. With plenty of torque from the engine, the car will sit and pull comfortably at 30MPH even in 5th gear! During our time with the vehicle we heard no crunching from the gearbox and no grinding from the clutch, indicating both are in good condition. Likewise the engine ran smoothly and didn’t appear to hesitate or hunt for power.

You can see and hear the engine running during our cold start section in our "On The Road" video.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension features adjustable Koni dampers from factory, providing a stiff but relatively comfortable ride, even on the less than perfect roads of North Yorkshire the ride was not jarring or crashy.

We made sure to capture as much of the running gear as possible when photographing and videoing the underside of the vehicle, the images can be seen in our Mechanical gallery and the video can be seen in our "On The Road" video.

The Drive

It’s easy to see why Chris fell in love with this car, with the top down and the sun shining there is little to dislike about the drive the RV8 provides. It cruises pleasantly and accelerates willingly, making it the perfect car for weekend drives, evening cruises, and (as Chris discovered) New Zealand coastal routes.

The car provides a mechanically solid drive with little excess noise save the sound of the V8 motor, fitted with a cone type air filter for a touch of extra induction noise. The zips for the rear window of the convertible roof do rattle around somewhat but this does not take away from the experience whatsoever.

Electrics and Other

The RV8 features a factory immobiliser system that developed some issues during Chris’s ownership, which subsequently led to him having the immobiliser system rewired - there is a wiring diagram for this custom work in the paperwork that comes with the vehicle and is also pictured in our "History" gallery.

Other than that Chris reports very little in the way of electrical faults, with the air conditioning still working, and all gauges, clocks, vents, speakers, and lights working. During his ownership Chris have not used the radio or CD player system or inside wing mounted aerial thus he cannot verify if these items work.

Chris has recently replaced the rear boot struts with brand new items, as well as replacing the convertible hood in 2020 at an approximate cost of £1,200.

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History and Paperwork

From Japan to New Zealand, and New Zealand to the UK, this MG RV8 is a rare sight on British roads, it presents beautifully and is ready for a new owner this summer.

Chris has a folder full of paperwork, from MOTs to services, repairs to restorations, and imports to exports. There isn’t much this folder doesn’t cover, and we’ve endeavoured to photograph all relevant paperwork for your perusal.

The clock was changed from km to miles in November 2018. The km on the clock at that time was 102,335 km = 63,558 miles. The new one, calibrated in mileage commenced at "0".

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.