SINCE 1959 NOW IN INDIA VOLUME 1 | JULY 2020 www.mgmotor.co.in WELCOME TO SAFETYFAST! INDIA. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF MG. Hello and welcome to the first This new chapter also is a leaf of the MG issue of SafetyFast! India. Car Club India just like its UK counterpart. We at MG are excited to extend the It will be an organisation led by passionate world of MG to you via ‘SafetyFast!’, a MG owners for MG owners in India. magazine that has been around for 60 years, Because no matter how good the cars may and has been sought by MG family and get, how much innovation or new features motor enthusiasts the world over. It has we may bring in, what makes MG special excited and captured is you – the owners, every little nudge, poke, drivers, and fans of MG. push and leap MG has I want to reiterate taken towards innovating that we are committed the world of auto-tech. to disruption and The magazine is digital differentiation and the only edition subscription last couple of month for a convenient confirm our beliefs that customer experience. we are on the right path. Available at your Thanks to you all for the fingertips and most support, love for the importantly, contactless brand and great reviews in today’s environment. of our two products We brought this Hector & ZS EV. We are magazine to India as it is devoted to innovation in an iconic part of the MG autotech and hope you as a brand. With the magazine, we plan to will be able to see the same in our bring to you ‘the world of MG’, inform upcoming launch of Gloster. Least to say, you about what we have been up to around we are quite excited. the globe, but especially in India and On that note I sign off with my warmest bring facets of MG’s history alive which regards and hope that you all are keeping safe! you may or may not be aware of. Until next time. Meanwhile, I hope when you are in or around London next time, you will take some time to visit our home in Abingdon, about 90 minutes from London – and make a visit to the Kimber Rajeev Chaba House to chat with our partners at the President & Managing Director, MG Car Club. MG Motor India SAFETYFAST! | JULY 2020 www.mgmotor.co.in THIS MONTH A note from Adam. In love with MG 4 Welcome message from 22 since 1979. Gerenal Manager, MG Car Club. Damanji’s Lal Pari. When you fall in love with What’s in a name? MG, the affair lasts forever. 5 The story behind the iconic magazine’s name and more. MG ZS EV sets The evolution of 24 a new record. 6 SafetyFast! magazine. Sounds familier? A timeline of MG and the A brand new record is nothing magazine’s intertwined history. new for MG. This time with an electric vehicle. Read on. 10 Cecil Kimber - Speedster, Innovator, and father of MG. Read the fascinating story of the man behind the legacy. Classics, Culture, Extending our belief in 12 and Community - changing what we can. 25 The MGCC legacy. Together we can change. MG The roots and the route extends a helping hand. MG took to make it a well loved brand. A dream. Few helping MG India kickstarts 17 hands. One man’s MG Experience Drive. 29 determination. When India finally got the Read about how innovation widely successful event and became an integral part of MG. loved it instantly. 19 From one British Legend to Another. A story about Sir Stirling Moss and his immense contribution. FOR ANY QUERIES OR FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES OF MG WRITE TO US AT [email protected] or visit www.mgmotor.co.in www.mgmotor.co.in @MGMotorIN @mgmotorin @mgmotorindialtd @mgmotorindia @mgmotorin A NOTE FROM ADAM. Hello and welcome to the first issue bespoke products, designed for, and built of SafetyFast! India. locally. The future for MG in India is very, I thought it would be nice of me to introduce very bright. myself to everyone, my fellow MG owners, As good as the cars may be though, what and friends. My name is Adam Sloman and I makes MG special, is you – the owners, am the General Manager of the MG Car Club drivers, and fans of MG. – an organisation that is made of passionate Our club count is approximately a lakh MG owners, by MG owners and for MG members from around the world and many owners , yes, people just like you and me, more which are part of the MG family by who've loved the brand for nearly 90 years. ownership, many of them Like MG itself, the MG having held memberships Car Club was born in for over 50 years – a club Britain, but today we find like ours does not exist ourselves in almost every without extraordinary corner of the globe, people. MG brings including, I’m proud to amazing people together say, India. and creates wonderful I’m writing to you today communities and I am from the town of glad India is already Abingdon, 90 minutes from experiencing that. London, from Kimber I will close my message by House, home of the MG extending an invitation to Car Club. Kimber House all of you to come and stands next to the site of visit Kimber House – you the old MG factory, where will find a warm welcome MG’s were produced from waiting for you. And 1929, meaning that every MG built in the UK those of you can’t, join us on Facebook back then drove past our front door! (Facebook.com/MGCar-Club), and subscribe I first had the opportunity to visit your to our MG Car Club Podcast to hear the incredible country back in 2018, and I was latest news from Kimber House as well as the blown away by the sheer passion Indian latest MG news (www.mgmotor.co.in) – do people have for MG and for British culture. Of get in touch, we’d love to hear from you. course, in 2018 it was much before MG India Until next time. launched Hector, so my second trip, this past February was even better, because it gave me the chance to meet more MG fans, and owners of MG Hector as well as MG ZS EV. MG’s showing at the recent Auto Expo in Adam Sloman Delhi was nothing short of incredible with General Manager, MG Car Club. SAFETYFAST! | JULY 2020 www.mgmotor.co.in WHAT’S IN A NAME? ‘SafetyFast!’ became the slogan and the word bicycles, it now read ‘Faster than watchword of the MG Car Company in most bicycles’. Kimber was livid and seeing 1929. In April 1959, 30 years later with the that ‘SafetyFast!’ could not be tampered MG Car Company’s permission, it became with, he instructed Ted Colegrove to |go the title of the MG Car Club’s official ahead and use it. Since then, the publication, which was then sent to MG Car Company used the all members. ‘SafetyFast!’ slogan in a lot of The slogan ‘SafetyFast!’ their advertising from 1929 was the brainchild of to1979, till the closure of Ted Colegrove, MG the Abingdon Factory. Car Company publicity You’d ask why manager in the 1920s. In ‘SafetyFast!’ for the 1929, Ted was driving through MG Car Club Oxford late in November. He magazine? Because, came up behind a bus, which in two words, it had painted on the back of a accurately described large triangle with the words the subject to ‘SafetyFirst!’ running through it; which the magazine this was to show that it was was, and still is devoted – speed fitted with brakes on all four wheels - a new with safety. It also is still accurate innovation then, and that it could and stands true after nine decades stop quicker. of the Octagon’s existence for the Ted thought it would be a great slogan if brand. For MG, safety has always altered to read ‘Safety Fast’. Back at the been paramount. Abingdon works, Cecil Kimber, the father Today, we bring to you SafetyFast! India of MG, was sitting at his desk with an which will keep you updated and advert featuring the current slogan ‘Faster connected with all things MG, from around than Most’, to which someone had added the world as well as India. 5 | SAFETYFAST! | JULY 2020 www.mgmotor.co.in THE EVOLUTION OF The very first SAFETYFAST! SafetyFast! magazine was produced. John Milne in his MGA MAGAZINE. “storming his way up the April 1959: The very first SafetyFast! magazine was produced. John Rest-and-be-Thankful Milne in his MGA “storming his way up the Rest-and-be-Thankful Hill Climb” Hill Climb” graced the graced the front cover of issue number 1, April 1959. This had the bold front cover of issue blocky ‘SafetyFast’ logo emblazoned across in magenta with the slogan number 1, April 1959. ‘the magazine for those who practise driving as an art’ directly below. 6 | SAFETYFAST! | JULY 2020 www.mgmotor.co.in THE EVOLUTION OF SAFETYFAST! MAGAZINE 1970: Due to the factory backing being lost, the self-financed SafetyFast! Which started in January 1969 was a much more modest publication, but it reported more grassroots club news. By now the magazine was down to 24 pages and all black and white. The ‘Safety Fast’ script printed on the front cover was still a blocky font but had become italicised.