Writing articles from behind the sofa always presents problems, for one, you always burn your elbows on the radiator and if you use an ostrich feather quill as I do, then its best to put some newspaper down. In 2007 nearly every motor writer could be found here, too scared to come out as somebody in a suit and tie on television announced that MG cars has just been bought by a foreign investor.

This meant that MG would be bringing more cars to Britain’s roads and to be honest this was good. What wasn’t good was its last attempt at a car. Like a rancid dying breath, the MG X-Power SV was exhaled onto the market in 2005 as Rover lay on a hospital bed about to be switched off. The SV sported a 4.6 litre V8 developing 320hp, a carbon fibre body, a top speed of 165mph and a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds. Impressive, until you consider that it cost between £75,000 and £82,000.

To produce an £80K car as a last ditch attempt to remain in the market is optimistic stuff. Even back in 2007 one would expect their free bus to Tescos to reach 60mph in 5.3 seconds and it is a fact that my milkman gets 165mph out of his float, allowing for chilly weather.

When MG was making proper cars back in the 60s like the MGB and MGB GT out of wood and stone, people were able to afford cars with real performance and driving involvement. Admittedly the driver was often involved in re-building the engine, but this was pure motoring, not tarnished by the need for things like cold air inside the car, or warm feet, or any safety equipment whatsoever.

The MG TF is like a modern interpretation of the MGB, its chubby Grandson brought up in a society built on health and safety, targets and European standards. It has been around for a while now, beginning its life in 1995 as the MG F and in 2000 being reinvented as the MG TF we see today. Every example came with either a 1.6 litre giving 115hp, or a 1.8 litre which developed 118hp, 135hp or 160hp in its most powerful ‘Trophy’ version.

Not earth-shattering performance, but then the MG TF only weighs in at just over 1000Kg making power to weight ratios impressive. It is this which makes MG’s latest version interesting, the revised LE500 for 2010. It will be hand built at the infamous Longbridge plant, featuring new interior and exterior styling that includes a hard-top roof. New suspension and brakes also make and appearance underneath an improved 135hp 1.8 litre unit, all for a price of £16,055, making the LE500 a very competitive car in its market.

Although the styling isn’t a million miles way from every other MG F and TF that has rolled off the production line, it does represent a fresh-faced and undeniably attractive vision for 2010. The hard-top design is particularly nice and luxuries such as parking sensors, leather seats and air-conditioning as standard should pull in more sales for the New Year.