“The K3 Magnette must rank in the history books as the most famous and successful of all the record breaking MGs.

With only 33 examples produced during 1933 and 1934 this car alone gave an incredible boost to the marque and established MG firmly in the forefront of the world motor racing and record breaking league.” - Richard Monk, The MG Collection.

The K series of Magnette sports cars was announced at the London Motor Show in 1932, the racing K3 being based on the short-wheelbase chassis of the two-seater K2 roadster.

The Ks used an overhead-camshaft six-cylinder engine similar to that of the existing Magna series, but downsized to 1,087cc to gain entry into racing’s 1,100cc Class G, success in which was considered vital by MG boss Cecil Kimber.

For the K series, MG’s long-stroke ‘six’ received a cross-flow cylinder head, and in the K3’s case induction was by means of a Power Plus supercharger driven off the crankshaft nose and fed by a single SU carburettor.

Power - up to 120bh...