Ride Before You Buy – More Than a Car Show… An Experience

Experience the Thrill of MG Motoring at New ‘Ride Before You Buy’ Event

A brand new family-friendly motoring event comes to Abingdon this October Celebrating MG’s Past – Inspiring its Future

Classic motoring enthusiasts, families and anyone with a love of iconic British cars are invited to a brand-new event taking place in the heart of Abingdon, the historic home of MG.

On Sunday 4th October 2026, the MG Car Club and Abingdon Works Centre will host the inaugural Ride Before You Buy event at Abingdon Cricket Club, from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

More Than a Car Show… An Experience, the event has been designed to give visitors the opportunity not only to admire some of Britain’s most iconic sports cars, but to experience them first-hand.

Rather than simply walking past static displays, visitors will be able to meet owners, learn about the fascinating history of the MG marque, sit inside the cars and, subject to availability, enjoy a passenger ride in a selection of MGs in return for a voluntary donation to charity.

As the birthplace of the majority of MG models, Abingdon provides the perfect setting for this exciting new event. Adding to the occasion will be the attendance of former employees from the famous MG Factory, whose stories and experiences helped shape one of Britain’s best-loved motoring marques. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to meet some of the people who built the cars that continue to inspire enthusiasts around the world today.

Every classic MG on display has survived because someone chose to become its custodian. Today, those custodians are passing on not just their cars, but the stories, knowledge and passion that have kept the marque alive for generations. Ride Before You Buy aims to inspire the next generation of enthusiasts, helping ensure these iconic British sports cars continue to be driven, cherished and enjoyed for decades to come.

The event forms part of the MG Car Club’s ongoing commitment to preserving the heritage of the marque by introducing it to new audiences. By giving people the opportunity to experience these cars first-hand, the Club hopes to inspire future generations of enthusiasts and help ensure that ownership of MG’s historic models continues to flourish for many years to come.

Whether your passion is Vintage MGs from the 1930s, elegant post-war classics, sporting MGBs or the more modern MGF, MG TF and today’s MG models, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.