Test Car Specifications
Model: Frontline MG BEE GT
Price: From around £120,000
Motor: Hyper9 electric motor
Battery: 40kWh lithium-ion
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power: 123hp
Torque: 220Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Range: 140 miles (estimated)
0-62mph: 9.0 seconds (estimated)
Top speed: 120mph
Styling
To an extent, customers can make the BEE look exactly how they want it to, albeit within the confines of the MGB's styling. Unlike the V8-powered LE60, though, the BEE is available in both open-top roadster and three-door GT coupe forms. Either way, Frontline will dramatically overhaul the bodywork, giving the car fewer panel gaps and seams, and adjusting the bodywork so every shut line is perfect. Then the engineers add modern headlights and modern paint techniques, as well as ensuring the chassis is capable of withstanding the elements much better than the original.
Interior
As with the exterior, the BEE's interior design is entirely customisable, although there's arguably more scope for personalisation because Frontline essentially treats the cabin as a blank canvas. If you want a dashboard with a touchscreen, you can have it, and if you want to install special arm rests that suit your body shape perfectly, you can do that too. You can even have it trimmed in pretty much any material you want, as long as it's legal.
To accommodate all that, Frontline has a trim shop on-site, run by two old school friends who really know their business. Our test car was beautifully appointed in classic style, with gauges that look original (albeit new, and with a few small differences to suit the electric powertrain) and hidden mod-cons. The Bluetooth system, for example, is well hidden, and the fact the car still has a manual gearbox makes it feel more original.
Practicality
How practical the BEE is will largely depend on whether you choose to base it on an MGB roadster or an MGB GT. The hard-top car goes without rear seats to maximise the carrying capacity, while the roadster isn't exactly flush for space. Even so, Frontline makes every effort to ensure comfort, offering adjustable seats that can be moved to suit taller drivers, and a special rig that allows the engineers to custom-build panels and seats for maximum driver comfort. Everything is adjustable, right down to the support in the seat bolsters, and it's all done with a respectful nod to the original.
Performance
Where the original MGBs came with an underpowered four-cylinder petrol engine at first, the BEE gets something both less and more dramatic: a Hyper9 electric motor. That's powered by a 40kWh battery and sends its output to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox, which is designed to allow a little more engagement than the conventional single-speed transmissions found in most electric cars.
The motor can be tuned as the buyer sees fit, but our test car was designed to work a bit like a petrol car, with a similar power delivery and an output limited to 123hp. Because you can't stall the motor, the clutch is only necessary for selecting and changing gears, but you can slip it to set off if you really want to. Or you can just select third when you get in and never touch the gear lever or clutch again. You won't go that quickly, but it'll do the job.
Drive it right, and our test car claimed a 0-62mph time of around nine seconds and a top speed of 120mph, as well as a 140-mile real-world range. All those figures are more than sufficient, and the relatively small battery means charging should easily be done overnight, even though the car is only designed to work with domestic wallbox chargers, rather than rapid public units.
Ride & Handling
While Frontline has reimagined much of the BEE, it wanted to keep some of the original car’s character, so the suspension set-up is similar, albeit with some highly modified parts. That means the handling feels a little old-school in its manner, with some softness to the suspension and a little more body movement than some drivers might be used to from modern sports cars. But there’s still plenty of poise in there; the balance is superb and the steering is fabulous, which makes it a really enjoyable car to drive, even if it doesn’t have the flat stability of a new sports car.
However, the ride is a little bit firm considering the body roll – engineering know-how in the 1960s was not what it is now – and Frontline hasn’t managed to iron out all the car’s foibles. So around town it feels a bit stiff, despite being 70kg lighter than a standard MGB, and though it settles a bit at higher speeds, it isn’t exactly wafty. It is quiet, though, as you’d expect from an electric sports car.
Value
It’s difficult to say how much a BEE will set you back, primarily because you can customise it as much or as little as you please. Although Frontline says you’re looking at around £120,000 plus for one of these cars – roughly the same as the LE50 four-cylinder petrol version – the real price could be way higher. On the plus side, it’s highly exclusive, it’s completely custom-made, and it costs about the same as a well-equipped Porsche Taycan. On that basis, it’s quite a reasonably priced thing.
Verdict
For many enthusiasts, the idea of an electric MGB is most unwelcome, and we suspect most of those enthusiasts will fail to read this far. But if all you really want is an electric car with 1970s styling and a hint of the 1970s atmosphere, this is one of the best options out there. And though it costs as much as a high-end electric car, it's far more interesting to look at. The 140-mile range limits its use slightly, but for those who'll treat this as a second car, it should be more than ample.
