MGA Mk. II Deluxe - the best MGA was the last...*
In 1961 and 1962, MG produced a several hundred 'special' MGA 1600 Mk. II's. These cars were built on the same chassis as the MGA Twin Cam (adding 4 wheel disk brakes to the normal Mk. II configuration).

They were probably produced to empty the 'parts bins' of remaining MGA Twin Cam chassis bits prior to the introduction of the MGB.

In fact, 42% of them were produced in the last 10 weeks of MGA production.

Regardless of the reason, the use of brakes identical to those used on the Jaguar E-Type resulted in a wonderful version of the MGA.
Although now commonly known as the 'Deluxe', this was never an official MG designation. No specific model name was listed in factory literature - parts & maintenance manuals simply referred to cars with 'all round disk brakes'.

According to a Car & Driver 'Road Research Report' in October 1961, this option added $250 to the price of the car - at a time when the entire car cost $2500. An expensive option.

A road test (left) in the May 1962 Sports Car Graphic used the 'Competition' designation - neither report used the term 'De-Luxe'.

(click the image to the left to read the road test)
In 1965, a poster "MG's through the ages" used the term 'De-luxe' in the description of the MGA Twin Cam (below).

This designation as apparently 'stuck' - most subsequent books on MGs have used that term.
(click the little red Deluxe to go forward...)
* with apologies to my Twin Cam friends...
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