The Birth and Growth of MG: A British Motoring Icon

The story of MG, short for Morris Garages, begins in the early 1920s when Cecil Kimber joined the Oxford-based Morris dealership as sales manager. Under his leadership, Kimber started producing special versions of Morris cars, known as “Kimber Specials,” and the first MG cars appeared in 1923, featuring both Morris and MG badges. In 1924, the iconic MG Octagon logo was registered as a trademark. As demand grew, MG moved to larger premises and established a separate factory in Cowley, Oxford, in 1927. By 1928, MG had gained enough prominence to adopt the name “The M.G. Car Company.” The company expanded further, leasing a former leather factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1929. MG’s legacy in British motoring was sealed when it officially became the M.G. Car Company in 1930. Cecil Kimber, the driving force behind MG, remained with the company until 1941, when he left amid disagreements with Morris, and he later met a tragic end in a railway accident in 1945.