Roadster Showdown: Can Edd China's Fiat 124 or Martin Buckley’s MGB challenge the Mazda MX5 Miata?

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In our 1st episode, Edd China (ex Wheeler Dealers) & Martin Buckley drive the MGB roadster & Fiat 124 Spider. Can these classic cars hold a candle to the modern Miata?

Special thanks to:

Classic and Sports Car magazine

Jon @ Cotswolds Classic Car restorations

Paul and Shef (our on call specialists) @ Holford Motors

Dave Vale (living legend) @ V8 Conversions

Andy @ Andy's Autobarn

[NewVsOld]

Please like, subscribe & contribute towards the next episode if you can (links in description). It genuinely does help us bring you the next episode!

[erfansafaeian]

I've got a very similar looking white 66 MGB and growing more and more in love with it!

[onefastcyclist]

In the late '60's the 124 was a revelation: a true hemi DOHC head, a two stage 2 bl Weber carb, mechanical advance distributor, slick shifting 5 speed trans, 4 wheel disk brakes, dbl wish bone front suspension with a well located solid axel at the rear. All of this worked wonderfully - exiting a corner at 4, 500 rpm - the carb opens in-sink with the spark advance and those lovely cams make that little engine scream like a banshee all the way to 7, 500!

[FiatGuy]

It's great to see the 124 spider getting the attention it deserves. 4 wheel disk brakes, DOHC, double-wishbone front suspension and a 5 speed from the factory make it a great drivers car that sells for half of what the Alfa Romeo equivalent does!

[bobdadruma]

I owned an MBG and a Fiat Spider. I loved both of them. I currently own a 2023 MX-5. I love it also.

[SteveDentonClassics]

Horses for courses. Part of the joy of a classic car is knowing you did that, you fixed it, you drove it, and its personal to you. With a modern car, they are just too sanitized, yes they good, well built, don't need much more than a service, but they sum up the modern era of chuck away society rather than enjoy what you can achieve

[rjkulman]

always nice to see Edd back with any car - this time paying homage to a classic MGB, a car I wanted when much younger, more please

[Saboda]

Well done, gents! I’m a big fan of all three cars. Wanted an MGB when I was a kid, ended up with an X1/9, and now I have my fourth MX-5 — an orange one like you guys had. I consider myself lucky to have been able to enjoy ANY car like these three. They make people happy.

[geeboy]

These guys are two of my favourite motor car commentators. What a great pairing. Genius! At last Edd now has a worthy and knowledgeable partner who has an established bank of well written and well informed articles behind him. Really looking forward to seeing what they find to look at👍

[AMPHICARSdotCOM]

Good to see Mr Buckley embracing this new video technology. I like his style. He was the only reason I carried on subscribing to the classic comic for so long.

[davidbattaglia]

Back in 1972, one of our elementary school teachers drove a MGB (as opposed to the typical sedans teachers drove). It was an amazingly sporty looking car relative to the other cars. That started my love for 2 seater sports cars. I now own a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth and LOVE the sporty, nimble nature of the car. I would have been happy with either a MX-5 or Fiat, but I like the style of the Fiat better and the mid range torque makes it an easier car in daily driving, as you don't have to really rev it up to get the goodness out of it.

Great video guys, I love that MGB, the looks and style are beautiful and sporty, please don't sell it short! It really is a stylish car!

[brucieco]

Been reading Buckley for years. Nice to put a voice with the face. Ed, Pure genius. Please more more more.

[darrylyoes]

I have one of each: an MGB and an MX-5. This video sums the experience up perfectly.

[cornishrider]

Superb! A very welcome and long overdue Buckley being on YouTube. Have enjoyed his superb writing for many years so looking forward to more of the same.

[MrBluoct]

My 69 MGB ...

And the dance between the magic chrome hub spanner and lead knock-off hammer in the trunk

Two in front “cozy”

Three upfront - way friendly

Two in front and one sideways on rear deck - mayhem

Two finger close ratio shifts ( transmission that is!)

Preferred dash / smith details and passenger no glove box padded pleating detail

Positioned down way low - below windshield during brisk fall Maryland nights with top down

Allegedly using handicap curb cuts to make u- turns after midnight and avoid detours / traffic lights

Parking and fishing out of an mgb while on a bridge’s pedestrian cat walk

Chrome bumpers

Throaty su carbs

Lower stance


Good times ~

[josephmccullough]

Edd hasn't lost his enthusiasm. Great to see him back. More please 👍

[kirkwagner]

Long ago I had a '69 MGB. It was rusted out, and I could barely keep it running on my college student, part time retail income. Many years (and cars) pass, and I buy a brand new 2002 Miata. Super reliable, very grippy, working heater in addition to AC. A better car all around, at least until it too got terminal rust and had to be put to pasture.

But in my dreams, its the MGB I find and drive again.

[benzinapaul]

Great to see Martin on film. I'm 46 and been a subscriber to to C&SC since I was 15 and being a fellow Lancastrian who grew up around oddball European cars I've always been a fan. Top man.

[jimmybluesm]

We've owned a 1980 MGB roadster since 1982. It's like one of the family. ☺

[peteranderson]

I owned a '99 Miata up until a few years ago. I have to say that once a Miata gets 15 years and 150, 000 miles on it that things do start to break. I ended up with a fair amount of water on my pants and grease on my hands during my years of ownership. I did end up with more facial hair and a desire to visit local microbreweries by the end of it.

To be fair, I doubt that an MGB would have made it half that far. I was crazy enough to try and look into getting one as my daily driver before I settled on the Miata. Every MGB that I looked at had some critical problem that needed solving as soon as I would have bought it. Not to mention that I don't have a garage to keep it in and I live near the coast. Any MGB that I would have owned would probably have returned to the Earth by now.