MG certainly did not have it all its own way in the 1930s when it came to sports cars because snapping at its heels was the Wolseley Hornet Special.

The original Hornet was launched in1930 as a six-cylinder derivative of the Morris Minor.

Its 1,271cc power unit was then the smallest six in production and it drew a lot of attention from the motoring press which described it as a mini-six.

The rather whippy Morris chassis was stretched to accommodate the new body and the car received touches such as hydraulic brakes propelling it into a new age.

The engine was such a sparkler that it drew attention from sister company MG which used it to form the basis of al MG ohc six-cylinder engines.

But the Hornet was just asking for a sports version and various bodyworks were applied. But the real bang for the buyers' bucks came in 1932 when Wolseley introduced a ‘speed' chassis for the enthusiast.

It was intended that specialist coachbuilders should create modern sporting bodies to rev-up Wolseley's ambitions in the world of sports cars.

And so was born the Hornet Special with its twin-carb six-cylinder which could whiz up to 75mph and deliver a bucketful of driver enjoyment to the young and not so young wind in the hair set of the 30s.

The Hornet Special was typical of the 1930s sports cars. Its low-geared back axle for zippy acceleration and high-revving engine gave it capability and the special bodywork with flared scuttle covers and heavily louvred bonnet gave it what was then a high degree of street and track cred.

But the Hornet Special just could not unseat MG from its sporting podium and after 1936 the Hornet line was discontinued.