MG TF115
The Entry Level
MG TF115 Has More To Offer Than A Budget Price Tag. Andy Enright Reports
Ask anybody in the know and theyll point to the fact that you dont need huge power in a car in order to have fun. Yes, ridiculous performance has its appeal, but cars like the
Mini Cooper, the
Ford Ka and the
Citroen C2 all ably demonstrate that a good time can be had without an obscene horsepower figure to rely upon. The MG TF115 may subscribe to this school of thought but can it justify its own existence in a tough corner of the market?
As a nation we love our roadsters, and when it comes to roadsters few could hold a candle to the success of the MGF. Whilst the TF, is the replacement for the MGF, has its place in the sun passed it by? Not a bit of it. The ingredients that made the MGF so popular have been retained, the bits that werent so great have been steadily refined and no significant rivals have appeared to dethrone it. The MG TF115 may not be the brightest light in the TF family but it has its appeal.
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Doing exactly what it says on the tin, the
MG TF115 is good for 115bhp, in this case generated by a 1.6-litre 16-valve K-series engine, which the eagle eyed will note is not entirely dissimilar to the powerplant plumbed under the squat bonnet of the
Mini Cooper. Few denigrate the mini for being manifestly underpowered yet peruse the spec sheets and youll realise that the Mini is quite a few kilogrammes heavier than the TF 115. For the record, the MG is good for 60mph in 9.
2 seconds and capable of a top speed of 118mph. A combined fuel economy figure of a gnats under 40mpg makes it supremely affordable especially when you consider the asking price is a mere £15,995. Trouble is, thats more or less the same price as the markedly more powerful
Mazda MX-5 1.8.
The TF115 has its work cut out.
"You know what make of crisp bag youve just driven over"
One of the key things working in the MGs favour is the typical buyers decision making process. At this end of the roadster market, concerns about handling, performance and power tend to be a little more peripheral than those relating to style and affordability. Its here that the TF scores, boasting a more modern body and lower running costs than the current MX5. The styling has elements that are familiar MGF, but much of that bar of soap look has been chiselled away, resulting in a more gym-toned look.
The man responsible for the styling work, Peter Stevens, has an impressive resume that includes the
Lotus Elan and McLaren F1, and he was of the firm opinion that the TF should be a mere nip and tuck of the MGF body. As such the TF115 benefits from a side profile where every panel is different to the MGF, with contoured curves that give a more aggressive feel to the profile and a lowered look to the whole car. There are also bigger air intakes to allow the mid-mounted engines to gulp in more oxygen. The rear deck, which sits above two chromed tailpipes that displace the foglamps, also has a curvy look, now on all variants including the small lip spoiler originally developed for the MGF Trophy 160SE.
High-speed stability is said to be better as a result. However, its the front youll notice first, with projector-style headlamp units that also incorporate the indicators. Between them, theres the latest MG sportscar two-bar grille and below that, a deeper front bumper incorporating a mesh air intake and twin foglamps. The latest cars can be identified by their chrome finished badging.
It all looks mean enough to frighten off the hairdresser types though given that these people bought the majority of the 40,000 MGFs sold here, that might not necessarily be something of which MGs shareholders would approve. With all this effort having gone into making the TF its own car, its a little disappointing to climb inside and find a sense of deja vu. True, the
seat cloths and the instrument graphics are different but thats about it. To be fair, the Longbridge budget probably only stretched so far and in any case, the cabin did get a bit of a re-work at the turn of the century.
Some minor tweaks were also made more recently as illuminated controls for the ventilation system were introduced along with an alloy gear knob. Still, we could have done without keeping the narrow, rather highly-mounted seats and the rather clunky minor controls. Once out on the open road, youll soon forgive the MG TF115 its mediocre interior. That trademark of the MGF, its Hydragas suspension, was ditched in favour of more traditional coil springs and dampers.
A multi-link arrangement at the back along with solid sub-frame mountings (rather than wishy-washy rubber bushes) have really sharpened up the handling. This set up has been tuned on the latest cars in order to maximise ride comfort and sharpen the handling. Despite this, if you get into the TF115 expecting a salon chariot, both you and your fillings are going to be in for a shock. It rides very firmly indeed.
Theres also a steering rack more direct than Jeremy Paxman and punchy brakes equipped with Bosch 3-channel ABS. Square spoke 15-inch alloy wheels shod with Continental Premium Contact tyres ensure you know what make of crisp bag youve just driven over and the cloth trimmed sports seats do a pretty good job of holding you in place during enthusiastic manoeuvres. Theres not a great deal of standard toys to talk about, but a CD stereo, a drivers airbag, an alarm/immobiliser, electric front windows, an alloy gear knob and a leather gear lever gaiter are fitted as standard. Should you want more, MGs impressively comprehensive options list may have something to tempt.
The TF115s soft top is unusual amongst the ranks of mid-engined cars, due to the difficulty of packing the folded hood on top of the engine bay. Not only have the designers managed this (albeit with the drawback of a plastic rear screen), they've also created so much boot space that there's still no need to carry luggage under the bonnet, where it could interfere with safety. You'll still need to specify the optional boot-mounted luggage rack if you want to take more than a couple of soft bags however. Its easy to grow weary of flabby offerings masquerading as sports cars, but its a genuine shock when something youd dismissed as being a bit fey suddenly shows it has some surprisingly sharp teeth. The MG TF115 is the real deal, and one almost suspects its become too focused for its own good. As a nation we tend to like our flabby offerings.
Maybe MG are hoping to educate the national palate.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: MG TF115
PRICES: £15,995 - on the road
CO2 EMISSIONS: 169g/km
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.2s / Max Speed 118mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 39.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Drivers airbag, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3910/1780/1270
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