Not for U.S. Sale; MG TF.(MG Rover Group Ltd., convertible)(Brief Article)

Can the British build a better British roadster than the Mazda Miata?

Well, no.

More cheaply? Yes. Evidence: the MG TF convertible, the revised version of the car introduced at Geneva in 1995 as the MGF. The new car's name is MG TF, boldface MG and italic TF, if you please. It sits on the same platform as that introduced under the former BMW regime.

Nowadays, under independent British ownership, MG's pockets aren't as deep. In an era of $1.5 billion development costs (see the new Range Rover), there can either be feelings of delight or suspicion when an automaker says it redesigned its flagship sporty car for a mere $45 million. Such frugality evokes thoughts of elegantly inexpensive solutions, but also brings a vision of the R&D department cribbing spare parts from Big Nigel's Salvage and Sausage Van.

Some cost-cutting tactics are quite visible. Then again, this is a better ragtop than several offered by free-spending car companies.

Does it drive like a British roadster? Sort of.

It's nimble, but not darty. It's 150 pounds heavier than the Miata, at 2535 pounds, but still light enough to elicit a scream of ``Yeah, baby,'' as you fling it around secondary roads. Its switchgear can be a bit crude. Its appearance comes across macho enough for men, cute enough for girls. Guess that means it's British.