1955 Arnolt MG Bertone Coupe
(Est.) 75 bhp, 1,250 cc, OHV inline four-cylinder engine, Shorrock C75B Supercharger, twin SU carburetors, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs, semi-floating rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94"
- Offered from a prominent private collection; formerly owned by Gene Ponder
- Coachwork by Italy’s Bertone
- One of only 67 MG-based Arnolt coupes produced
- Formerly the property of noted Jazz musician Maurice Stein
After World War II, Nuccio Bertone lacked both cash and raw materials. Luckily, he located a pair of used MG TD frames, and his talented designer, Franco Scaglione, built handsome bodies for them. The cars debuted at Turin in 1952, where they captivated American industrialist S.H. "Wacky" Arnolt. A deal was struck for production versions, and the first examples were finished in time for introduction at New York in 1953.
Like Bertone’s 1952 show cars, the Arnolt-sponsored versions utilized the MG TD chassis and its 54-hp XPAG engine. Base price was $3,145, and although 200 were planned, MG phased out the TD chassis and engines in favor of the new TF. Ultimately, just 103 Arnolt MGs, including 67 coupes and 36 convertibles, were produced.
This 1955 Arnolt MG coupe featured here is one of the last examples of its series, and its original owner was Maurice Stein, the brilliant clarinet and alto-saxophone jazz musician. Noted collector Gene Ponder purchased this car from Mr. Stein’s widow in Beverly Hills, where it had spent its life to that point. In 2007, the Arnolt MG joined the prominent private collection from which it is offered.
Today, the coupe is finished in maroon with a matching leather interior fitted with a tan headliner. Other features include an optional Motorola radio as well as a set of Borrani wire wheels with special Arnolt knock-offs, which were an expensive and rare option. Underhood, a belt-driven Shorrock supercharger adds seven psi of boost, translating to a gain of approximately 20 bhp. The odometer shows only 377 miles, which is believed to be the accurate mileage acquired since the restoration was completed. Exceedingly fascinating, rare and highly prized, this MG Arnolt Coupe is without question one of the most desirable and unique postwar MGs available.
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