Cherished News

Pete Barrett MG Car Club Insurance Manager Cherished.vehicle@aplan.co.uk

Welcome to this month’s Cherished News. We hope you are all staying safe and well and enjoying your MGs now we have our freedom again.

At the time of writing this, Alix, Ian and Simon can’t wait to be at Gaydon celebrating the MGF25 event. They are hoping to see the members’ fabulous cars and are looking forward to meeting the members. We are hoping to get the “MGf metro mule” from Gaydon to display as well and assuming my TF keeps working that should be there too (see update below).

The team and I are also really looking forward to August 13-15 as it’s the Triumph and MG weekend at the Malvern Three Counties Showground. We will be there all weekend and it’s sure to be a fantastic event. If you have not booked tickets, I recommend that you do as the setting at the foot of the Malvern Hills is beautiful, and there are some fabulous roads in the area. I will be camping over so come and say hello if you see me or the team.

Sadly, I have been informed that the MG and Triumph spares day, the weekend after Malvern, has been cancelled. The Good News is it has been moved to January 2022 so we have something to look forward to in those dark winter months.

Green Card Update

There is good news for all of you that wish to travel to Europe again with your cars. The European Commission announced that it has waived the obligation to have a Green Card for travel to EU countries.

This will come into force from August; however, we do request if you are insured with us that you still call us before you travel so we can update our records. We also still intend to issue green cards for the next couple of months as the news may not filter down quickly to all law enforcement agents and we would prefer you not to have any issues if you are stopped.

Emma update - Hot, hot, hot!

After my very long trip back from the MG Cup meeting at Silverstone last month where my TF160 kept overheating every 10 miles. I think and hope that we have finally got to the bottom of it boiling itself. After lots of investigation it seemed neither the radiator or the pipes under the car were getting hot, even though they did before and thus the coolant wasn’t circulating. This led us to think maybe the thermostat had intermittently been failing and had finally given up. We replaced this last week and so far, so good. Who would have thought such a cheap part could cause such hassle … watch this space!

As always, the team and I look forward to talking to the members as their policies come up; please give us a call when they are due.

This is administered as part of the A-Plan Holdings who have a whole panel of insurers and can give you independent advice for your Private Car, Buildings and Contents, Commercial, HGV, Life and Travel Insurance. Please note that the MG Insurance scheme powered by Cherished Vehicle Insurance uses one insurer provider only KGM Underwriting Services who we have selected due to their experience in the classic car market. And that is it for this month! If you’d like any more information on any of the above, feel free to give any of us a call here at Cherished Vehicle Insurance on 0345 2508282- we’d all really love to hear from you. MG Car Club Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of A-Plan Holdings. The MG Classic Car Insurance Scheme is managed and administered by A-Plan Holdings Ltd. Cherished Vehicle Insurance Services is a trading name of A-Plan Holdings who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Benefits of the policy include: • Free and simple Agreed Value service - Completed in-house by our specialists • Member to member cover • Reinstatement cover available • Salvage Retention – Subject to qualifying Criteria • Modification cover • 90 Days European Cover – included as standard • Multi Vehicle Cover - we can look to put all your vehicles, even non-MGs, on the same policy • Laid Up Cover – if it’s not on the road it can still be insured • Spare parts cover – up to £1,000 cover for your spares • Occasional Wedding Hire - can be arranged on application • Business Use – can be arranged on application • Limited Mileage discounts • Young Accompanied Driver cover from age 18 • Track day Cover- can be arranged on application

MUSCLE...

THE MG ZT 260 V8

Photos by Colin Grant and Andy Knott Text by Colin Grant

We had the rare chance to sample what surely is the epitome of a British Muscle car, the 4.6 litre V8 MG ZT. Owned by Tony and Linda Cotter, this stunning blue ZT has been lovingly cherished and improved during their ownership.

History of the MG ZT 260 V8

With the success of the Zed range of cars, which at the time were outselling their Rover stablemates by 10-1, it was decided that although the press were impressed with the Zed range, especially the KV6 engine ZS and VVC ZR, a new rangetopping car was required to really make them stand up and take notice again. MG had a history with the burbling V8 engine, which sounded so good in the MGB V8 GT, but with the Rover V8 engine being no longer available MG Rover decided to look around and went further afield. The engine they decided upon was the Ford Mustang engine. This being a 4.6 litre V8, SOHC, 16V engine and gearbox from the Mustang GT. This V8 engine used a cast iron engine block with an alloy cylinder head with each bank of four cylinders having a single camshaft with two valves per cylinder and an output of 260hp with a mighty 410Nm of torque at 4000rpm. Power to the road was through a fivespeed gearbox to a limited slip diff. Up to this point every MG ZT model had been a front wheel drive car with a transverse engine. With such a big engine up front it was necessary to re-engineer the car so that the V8 engine sat longitudinally with rear wheel drive. The re-engineering work was initially undertaken by ProDrive, a Banbury-based company which had experience building racing cars for various motoring manufacturers. However, problems were encountered and the cars were completed by MG Rover. The work saw an almost complete redesign of the floor-pan to accommodate the engine and transmission tunnel for the final drive to the rear wheels. The suspension remained virtually unaltered at the front but at the rear a new fully independent set-up was designed. The alterations to the floor-pan for the transmission tunnel made it necessary to reduce the size of the footwells with the spare wheel space being taken by the new rear suspension and drive. The ZT 260 doesn’t come with a spare wheel for this reason. The battery and HiLine radio modules, if fitted, were also located in the spare wheel well. More alterations were required with the steering. A new design was necessary to move the rack forward to clear the engine. The front brake callipers were moved to the back of the discs because of this modification. The brakes themselves were those from a ZT 190 but with 325mm vented discs. The rear brakes were uprated to 332mm vented

discs with alloy callipers. Bosch ABS is fitted as standard. The ZT 260 uses the same 18” alloy wheels as the other ZT models, but because of the extra load only the ‘Straight’ and ‘Apex’ designs were used. The 11-spoke ‘Apex’ wheels were standard on the facelift non-SE cars. Tyre specifications remained unchanged.

Originally planned for release late in 2002, the launch was delayed until September 2003. The finished car looked very much like the standard ZT apart from the badging and quad exhaust pipes, and when running the exhaust note was a giveaway. The car was available in 10 standard body colours plus the range of Monogram colours. The interior was standard ZT but with a long list of options available to keep the new buyer happy. The car underwent a facelift in the spring of 2004 with the styling designed by Peter Stevens made to reflect the MG SV V8 supercar.

MG ZT260SE, VIN #077, 2004. Number 77 out of a production run of 883

Tony and Linda’s car is far from standard, but first we asked them what attracted them to the 260. Tony takes up the story. “We already owned a 2003 MG ZT 190+ purchased in May 2005, just after the collapse of MG Rover, and loved everything about it. But, when we went to MG Shows Linda would always sit and drool at the ZT V8s, so one day I decided to buy one!” Tony continued: “Without Linda knowing, I posted a request on the Two Sixes user forum asking if anyone knew of a Mk1

SE model in Trophy Blue for sale. A chap in East Anglia responded, who wanted to sell his car which had the very spec, colour, etc I was looking for, I know you should never do this but we did the deal remotely without me seeing the car. I was hoping to make it a surprise Christmas present for Linda, so after making my bank balance £8,000 lighter, he delivered it to my home a few days after Christmas on December 29 2011, much to mine and Linda’s delight.”

In September 2014 Tony followed up an ad by John Newey of Summit Garage in Dudley, who was offering for sale an engine complete with a Roush Stage III Supercharger for £3,000. It was one of several crated engines shipped from Roush USA and originally destined for MG Rover’s flagship ZT, the XPower 385 which was being developed by ProDrive. When MG Rover went into administration, only one XPower 385 had been produced, an Ignition Blue ZT-T in December 2014.

The engine was still in its original shipping crate, addressed to ProDrive in Warwickshire, but sat unused for 10 years. The work was carried out by Tony’s regular maintenance man Nick from an MG Rover Specialist firm called Austin Garages, located at Burton-on-Trent. As this was an engine destined for an MG, after dealing with the normal minor issues the only part they found missing was the Intercooler reservoir, but the cap was present! A fruitless search was made for this rare item, but after much emailing and discussions they found that a Chevrolet Camaro reservoir fitted, so this was purchased from the States and installed, and looks factory standard.

The pre-production performance of the 385 is 0-60 in 4.8secs, 100mph in 12.8 secs, with a top speed of around 178mph (limited to 155mph). The power is unleashed through a Tremecs TR3650 five-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels through a Dana Hydratrak limited slip differential, with quad exhaust pipes creating the glorious V8 soundtrack.

After the conversion was completed, although Tony was happy with its performance, he felt it would benefit from a re-map designed specifically for this set up; so he contacted a specialist company in Northampton, who carried out this work for him. Unfortunately after the re-map, which cost £500, the car ran rough. The company suggested fitting a different grade of spark plugs, but it made no difference as the car still ran rough. After scratching their heads, Tony contacted Nick at Austin Garages who suggested fitting the standard Roush management unit back into the car. After this was installed and set up Tony had the smooth running and performance he wanted. One small issue was that the Roush unit produced an engine management light to come on, as it was designed for checking emission tests on the Mustang and not an MG, but this was overcome. The original V8 ZT 260 engine was sold to a guy who wanted to fit it into a Ford Capri, so part of the cost was recouped!

The suspension on the Cotters’ ZT has been stiffened and lowered 1.5” compared with the standard models using Eibach linear rate rear springs and a larger diameter anti roll. Wheel response is

controlled by Bilstein monotube struts. The interior is all standard SE model, including: Highline Satellite Navigation system, Rear Parking Sensors, Electric Sunroof, Electrically adjustable/heated Driver and Passenger Seats, Electro chromatic selfdimming rear view mirror, six-disc CD Changer, Harmon-Kardon nine-speaker Sound System with sub-woofer, Individual (Driver and Passenger) Climate Control and illuminated Vanity Mirrors in Sun Visors. Much of the In-Car Entertainment equipment is BMW, so it was fairly simple to upgrade the standard Analogue TV module to a Digital one, and Tony also replaced the standard Boardmonitor cassette deck with a 16:9 aspect ratio widescreen unit. To keep the ICE current, the standard Mk3 Sat Nav computer with CD drive was replaced with a Mk4 DVD version. Finally, the standard BM24 Philips Radio Tuner was replaced with the superior BM54 Becker version.

The exterior is pretty much as standard, apart from two additions that you wouldn’t be able to distinguish this from other ZT models. The first is a subtle front splitter beneath the bumper, and the other is the quad tail pipes at the rear. Modifications to the car since Tony bought it are Power Fold Mirrors and the rare Chinese MG7 Tail Lights. Tony recently replaced the standard rain-sensor front windscreen with a heated version, and from the same supplier (MG Rover Custom Car Parts) he also had illuminated customised kick plates installed and LED Angel Eye Daylight Running Lights, which really gives the big ZT V8 presence when it’s bearing down on its prey!

Impressions

We met Tony and Linda at their home in South Oxfordshire. They live close to some beautiful countryside and the rolling chalk downlands of the Ridgeway, which meant we had many options to try out the car along the picturesque country roads surrounding their home, together with the A34 nearby for some spirited dual carriageway motoring.

Although Tony offered us the keys, we felt with such a rare car it was better to sample its delights by being passengers. The sound is amazing and the acceleration stunning as the supercharger whines away quite happily on top of the mighty V8.

We’ve always been impressed with the ride of the ZT models, and even on this lowered ZT was exceptionally comfortable but gripped well with little body roll on the tight Oxfordshire bends. Cruising along motorways would be a breeze in this car as it would just eat up the miles, a proper V8 Grand Tourer, just like its spiritual predecessor the MGB GT. The main problem for us would be keeping to the speed limits!

Reliability

Tony and Linda pointed out that in the 10 years of their ownership the car had been remarkably reliable, with just a couple of small but irritating issues, one being whilst they were touring abroad, when turning off the ignition they found that the cooling fan just would not stop. An immediate solution was to disconnect the battery which is located in the boot, so every time they stopped they had to remove their entire luggage to get to the battery. Fortunately a call to Nick at Austin Garages pointed Tony in the right direction. He said a simple solution was to remove a fuse under the bonnet each time they stopped to save unloading the boot, but if they could place a screwdriver through the hole that the bonnet catch located in they would find the relay that controlled the fan. They could then tap the screwdriver on the relay housing, and it might just reset the relay. Tony did this and so the solution worked and they had no further issues with the fan. Tony has even suggested this remedy to a couple of other ZT V8 owners, who couldn’t believe it, but tried it and came back in astonishment when it worked. Later on during the same European trip Tony found the bonnet would not lock in position once closed. Another call to Nick and following his instructions they soon had the bonnet shutting correctly again. Apart from that, the ZT has been an absolute joy!

What next…

When Tony and Linda were asked what plans they had, and whether they would move on from the ZT there was a resounding ‘No’ and the plan is to keep showing and enjoying the V8. It’s a true love affair and like many MG enthusiasts the Cotters have invested so much in their cars, the money spent far exceeds the cars’ value. As well as their everyday ZT 190 and their show ZT the 385, they’ve also recently completed the holy trinity; as Tony’s everyday car had clocked up quite a mileage, the Cotters decided to purchase an MG TF for high days and holidays in, guess what colour… you guessed it, Trophy Blue!

Both Tony and Linda are active members of the MG Car Club, with both of them sitting on the Abingdon Works Centre committee, and do attend a lot of events. So if you do see one of their Trophy Blue trio at an event, do stop to have a look, they’re all stunning MGs and a real testament to their owners.

Z CARS

– THE CARS THAT SAVED MG?

By John Thompson

During May 2000 Rover Group was broken up into its individual businesses by its then owner BMW. The MG, Rover (under licence) and remaining heritage marques were sold to the newly formed MG Rover

Group under the administration of the

Phoenix Consortium. The MGF two-seater roadster had been launched in 1995 under the ownership of BMW. Unwilling to develop the MG brand any further, the potential strength of the MG brand was not recognised until the new owners took control. The decision was made to return the MG brand to its roots and develop a new range of sports saloon cars from the existing Rover range, the 25, 45, and 75. The announcement was made in late

November 2000 with the X30, X20 and

X10. Following development and the testing of prototypes, the new saloons were launched in the July of 2001 as the

ZR, ZS, ZT and ZT-T. The latter being a development of the new Rover 75 Tourer.

WHAT DID THEY DO?

The brief was simple: use the existing range of Rover saloons as a base to develop a new range of sports saloons. What do people expect from a sports

Early press photo of the ZR 160 MkII MG ZS hatchback

saloon? What do people do to modify the performance of their cars? What should it look like? These were the types of question being asked by MG Rover in 2001. From the outset it was important that the new saloons were more sports cap and less flat-cap! The modifications and developments made to the existing Rover models were considerable and not just a case of ‘badge engineering’. Some were specifically made to the individual models to increase handling, performance and styling, etc.

COMPETITIVE MARKET

With the Rover range of saloons already well established in the car market, how would a new range of ‘affordable power’ sports saloons derived from them fare in the same market? Surprisingly well, actually. After initial doubts that the MG brand couldn’t compete, the new saloons were well received by the press and public alike. Even the Top Gear team of the time seemed to like them! The ZR was launched squarely into the ‘hot hatch’ market. The starting price of £9,995 placed the ZR 105 in a strong position among its competitors. The provision of a 5-door version and diesel option made the new ZR a very popular and flexible saloon. The 1.4 litre version of the well-regarded K-series engine was also kind to the pocket with low running costs and insurance grouping. The higher powered 1.8 litre and VVC versions of the same engine were used to give the ZR the superior performance in the case of the 120 and 160 models. The ZR was also sent rallying and racing in the MG Trophy. The ZS was launched

The MkII MG ZR Trophy MkII ZR sporting the new grille, reminiscent of the MG SV grille

into the medium-size family car market. It also launched MG Rover into the British Touring Car Championships in September 2001. As with the ZR, the starting price of £12,495 placed the ZS 120 in a very strong position among its competitors. The ZS 120 used the same 1.8 litre K-series engine as the ZR. The ZS 180 with its 2.5 litre KV6 engine provided extra power and exciting driving experience. It was rare for a car of this size to have such an engine, especially at such a competitive price. The award-winning Rover 75 was already well established within the larger and executive car market. This became the basis for the new ZT, the largest entry into the new range. Continuing the affordable power theme, the ZT 160 was launched with a starting price of £18,495. Again this very competitive price placed the ZT well among its competitors, especially when considering the levels of trim available. The initial four models were powered by the 2.5 litre KV6 engine, delivering a strong and solid performance. The ZT-T was introduced in September 2001. The same levels of trim and refinements as the saloon were available, but it also offered the additional and practical loadspace of a tourer. Early in 2002 a Ford V8-powered rear-wheel drive version was announced this became known as the ZT 260 and was finally launched in 2003. A later development during 2003 saw a turbo-charged 1.8 litre version of the ZT launched. Originally planned to replace the ZT 160 KV6, the 160 continued in production as a special order.

FACELIFT

The Zed range of saloons, as they had become known, underwent a facelift in mid-2004 by Peter Stevens and his design team. The new styling was designed to reflect that of the new MG SV supercar which had recently been unveiled at Birmingham Motorshow. The soft, round face of the original designs was replaced with a harder, more aggressive front end. The redesigned rear of the ZR and ZS saw the number plate move down to the bumper area, allowing for a stylish, smooth boot panel with a large MG badge. Redesigned side-skirts complemented the overall revised design for both. The interior of the ZR and ZS also saw alterations. There was a redesign of the dashboard, console and revision of instrument and switch locations. Circular aluminium air-vents complement the final design. Minor profile changes were also made to the rear bumper of the ZT. The ZS 180 probably benefited the most from the facelift with subtle changes to the body profile and ventilated front

ZT in Moonshine, a Monogram paint

wings. A new design multi-spoke alloy wheel was introduced to complete the modifications and gave the ZS 180 a more macho appearance. The opportunity was also taken to revisit the paint shop, with some new colours being introduced with new models. After the facelift, there were two distinct faces to the Zeds. Those built between 2001 and mid-2004 were referred to as Mk I, whilst those built from mid-2004 onwards became known as Mk IIs.

THE END?

The real reason why the MG Rover Group collapsed remains uncertain. The subject is still very much a matter of speculation and discussion, which we won’t get drawn into here. However the proposed deal in April 2005 with China’s SAIC to secure the company failed at the last moment. The next day the MG Rover Group went into administration. Thousands of workers lost their jobs at the factory and those throughout the network of dealerships. It seems a terrible shame that the current run of MG saloons was to end in such a way. At their height the MG models were out-selling their Rover counterparts by 10-1. Over the entire run of cars approximately 25,000 of both ZS and ZTs were produced, but it was the ZR that outsold their fellow saloons with over 75,000 being produced, making them the most popular MG saloon ever. The production of the Zeds may have ceased prematurely, but the enthusiasm and interest generated by them lives on in the hearts of the members of the various forums, groups and clubs around the country – and us of course! The Zed saloons have become a very important part of the continuing MG story. Eventually the assets of MG Rover were bought by NAC, who subsequently merged with SAIC, moving most of the production lines of the existing models to China, although the ZT/75 was updated and modified at Longbridge to take the MG6 platform. One has to wonder if it was not for the MG Zed range, the Rover marque still owned by BMW and later sold to re-join Land Rover, would this have happened.

The MkI ZS 180 in Trophy Blue made people sit up and take notice

The track focused MG ZS 180

ZEDMANIA

THE FORMATION OF THE REGISTER

By Ray Kemble

Zed cars assemble at the MGCC Silverstone meeting in 2002

When the range of Zed cars was launched in June 2001 the MGCC very soon issued an appeal for new owners to register their cars by sending in the details to Kimber House. The cars started to be delivered from the following September/October. In the October 2001 issue of Safety Fast! the intention of the formation of the ZR/ZS/ZT Register was announced. During the following Council meeting a motion was passed bringing the new Register into being.

Very little happened until July 21 2002, the Sunday of the Silverstone weekend. An invitation had been sent out via Safety Fast! for all those interested in the new Register to meet up. About 30 people congregated in Race Control at around lunchtime to really bring the

Register into being. Mike Yeadon, who was at the time chairman of the Midget Register, being used to such proceedings and the ways of the Club, agreed to chair the meeting. He also produced and circulated notes of the meeting that indicated that eight people were prepared to help with Register activities. Those present briefly introduced themselves.

Most were either people who had taken delivery of their cars or had one on order. I was of the former, having got my ZS in the proceeding October. It was a fairly hurried meeting and with it being the Silverstone weekend, most people seemed anxious to be elsewhere as they had things to do. After some discussion it was decided that a committee needed to be formed. It was agreed that a more formal meeting should be called sometime in September to elect the committee and go from there.

On September 21 2002 this second meeting took place. Mike Yeadon agreed to take on the role of Chairman and Tony Goodwin that of Secretary. None of those present felt up to the challenge of Treasurer. Kelvin Fagan, who had sent apologies, had indicated his willingness to be the Register scribe and so that was agreed, too.

It was decided that we needed some events, or at least something to get the Register going. A couple of internet forums had already started up and there was talk on them of setting up some kind of a meet for the following Easter Bank Holiday. We wanted to make this a reality, but events need money up front. The Anglia Centre had very kindly donated £250 for setting up the Register but we needed more room to manoeuvre. The best way to get some cash would be to sell regalia; for that we needed a Register logo. Having worked out what we needed to do we went away agreeing to meet during the following November.

The November meeting was well attended with just about all committee members present and this was probably the real, practical start of the Register. The first thing was that nearly everyone wanted to change the name of the Register. The ZR/ZS/ ZT Register was felt to be quite a mouthful and people preferred to call it the Zed Register. However, we were informed that

The inaugural meeting of the Register at Duxford in 2003. Photo: Kelvin Fagan

there was a need to avoid confusion with the ZA/ZB Magnette Register and that since our Register had been created via a Council resolution, it would need a similar motion to change the name. Since this would take time, we agreed to keep the ZR/ZS/ZT Register official name and use Zed Register for everyday usage. We were very thankful that this problem disappeared subsequently when the Magnette Register dropped the ZA/ZB designations from their name.

We then addressed the need for the grand opening event. Various venues were discussed but one thing we had to bear in mind was that our cars were saloons (and hatchbacks). This meant we were more likely to have families as members and that any venue needed to have something for the non-MG enthusiast. The Imperial War Museum at Duxford was suggested and it was decided to go with this. Kelvin Fagan had proposed this and he did most of the work in setting up this event. Kelvin also took on the job of setting up the first website in addition to being the public face of the Register as the Safety Fast! scribe.

The next job was the Register logo. In the interim period I had sketched up some ideas. I had been looking for some identifiable feature of the cars in the same way that the MGF Register had used the fuel filler cap. One idea I had was to use the bezel round the badge on the steering boss with notches that lined up with the

Zeds at Kimber House for a previous open day

corners of the MG logo. I had drawn up a more detailed logo using this, featuring a large ‘Z’ in the middle done in the XPower colours of green and grey.

Our next meeting was on March 9 2003, but we had achieved quite a lot via email in between. Andy Tasker, who was working on the Committee, worked at MG Rover in their design department as his day job. He had taken our logo ideas to the guys there to work on. They produced some excellent ideas based on the bezel theme with the ‘Z’ running through the MGCC shield, much as in the design we now have. After some tweaking via email, the final badge was born.

We also obtained a Treasurer at the March 2003 meeting. John Doubtfire agreed to take on the job and was duly elected into the post. However, most of the meeting was taken up with the arrangements for the Duxford meeting, which was to take place on the Easter Bank Holiday Monday. As mentioned, Kelvin Fagan handled most of the work including an arrangement with Duxford that meant we did not have to put any cash up front, which eased the financial situation. Committee member Chris Stewart agreed to create signage for the event and arranged for a small amount of regalia which he initially funded out of his own pocket.

And so we all met up for our inaugural event at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, in Cambridgeshire. The weather was kind, being sunny although a bit blowy. Gerry Flint had brought along a gazebo which was quite blown around by the end of the day. From memory, I think we had about 80 cars turn up, which was good, given how few there were at that point. Compared with later events it was quite low key. We had a self-judged pride of ownership competition with prizes for the best ZR, ZS and ZT and other MGs. Thanks to Chris’s effort we sold some regalia although we were limited to baseball caps, pin badges and windscreen stickers, the stickers proving the most popular. In fact, I think we sold out. All in all, everyone seemed to have a good day and it was helped along by the excellent museum attractions. Most people just enjoyed having a large gathering of the cars for the first time, and to be able to compare them and swap experiences. In this, the 20th anniversary year of the Zed MGs, the Register is still active and offers support, and a variety of events for all ZR/ ZS/ZT owners to enjoy.

ZRs at the MG Saloon Day at Donington Park 2018

Monograms Zeds gather at Gaydon to support Zed15

An early press photo of the MG ZS

The MG ZS which, despite only having a production run of just less than four years, not only proved to be a practical, versatile family car but also became extremely popular with enthusiasts.

BACKGROUND

The ZS story really begins in May 2000 when the Rover Group was broken up into its individual businesses. The decision was taken to expand on the MG brand and develop a new range of sports saloon cars based on the current Rover range, the 25, 45, and 75 models. An announcement was made late in November 2000 and the first pre-production ZS came off the production line on December 13 2000. Testing and development of the prototype ZS followed during the first half of 2001 with production commencing properly towards the end of May 2001.

GENESIS AND EVOLUTION

The overall body design was already familiar on our roads. The joint Rover/ Honda designed hatchback had been launched as the new Rover 400 and Civic respectively in 1995. A saloon version designed solely by Rover followed during 1996, making the car a very flexible package depending on requirement. A rebrand to Rover 45 and a minor cosmetic redesign took place in the autumn of 1999, together with the Rover 25, to mirror the lines of the then new Rover 75. It was important that the modifications made during the ZS development

NEW, BOLD AND CONFIDENT THE MG ZS STORY

By John Thompson

A 2000 Rover 45, the more subdued sibling of the ZS were more than just a case of ‘badge engineering’ an existing Rover 45. It was also felt important that the customer was given a car with a completely different feel to that of a Rover 45, which had been designed purely for comfort. The doublewishbone front suspension and fully independent multi-link rear suspension made it ideal for its MG transformation. Although there are too many to mention in any detail here, the modifications made were wide and varied. Improvements mainly concentrated on the handling, performance and the styling of the design, both internally and externally. A number of interior options were available, as were the design and diameter of the alloy wheels. Both of these were either fitted as standard depending on the model purchased, or as an optional extra at an additional cost.

So how would this new ‘affordable power’ sports saloon, developed from a similar Rover design, fare in the same market? Actually, very well. After initial doubts that the MG brand couldn’t compete, the new saloon was well received by the press and public alike. Even with the basic package, the customer received a lot of car for their money. The ‘plus’ option for the ZS 110, 120 and TD/115 diesel models offered customers additional specification over the standard models. When first launched, 10 standard body colours were available. To show that the ZS was a completely different animal to its Rover 45 cousin, the shades included the eye-catching Trophy Blue and striking Trophy Yellow, as well as the more traditional British Racing Green. The Monogram programme was introduced in 2002 and took the range of colour possibilities to an even greater level.

The ZS was launched squarely into the small family car market. It also launched MG Rover into the British Touring Car Championships in September 2001. The provision of both a four-door saloon and a five-door hatchback version placed the new ZS in a very strong position among its competitors. In most markets the entry model in the ZS range was the ZS 110 incorporating a 1.6 litre version of the well-established K-series engine producing 110bhp (in Ireland and Portugal a 1.4 litre option was offered as the ZS 105). The ZS 120 model incorporated a 1.8 litre version of the K-series engine delivering 120bhp

The stunning MKII ZS in Monogram Biomorphic Green

in its standard form. It was, and still is, considered an ideal engine for that size of car. The ZS 120 model was also kind to the pocket with fairly low running costs and insurance grouping. With the basic model priced at £12,495 it allowed drivers to experience the MG marque without breaking the bank and placed it in a strong position among other cars in its class. The higher powered top-of-the-range model, the ZS 180 incorporated a 177bhp version of the 2.5 litre KV6 engine and certainly gave an exciting driving experience. To cater for the extra power, larger brake discs and callipers were fitted all round. It was rare for a car of this size to have such an engine, especially at such a competitive price. Many of its competitors at that time were using turbochargers to gain the extra power. With a 0 to 60mph in 7.3 seconds and reported top speed of 137mph, it received favourable reviews in the press and became a very desirable model to

The MG ZS EX259 Touring car with Anthony Reid and Warren Hughes

The body kit gave the MkII a more aggressive appearance The MkII MG ZS interior, with climate control

The MkII rear, with the numberplate relocated to the bumper

The KV6 engine, shoehorned in the range topping MG ZS

own. There were also two diesel versions produced, the ZS TD and TD115. Both these models featured the 2.0 litre L-series engine producing 101bhp in the former, and increased to 113bhp for the latter. As with petrol versions, modifications were made to the brakes to handle the increased performance and both variations were fitted with the same braking arrangement as the ZS 120.

FACELIFT

The later cars, facelifted by Peter Stevens in 2004, do a lot to distinguish the ZS from the look and feel of the Rover 400 and 45. The original features of the Rover 45/MG ZS design were replaced with a completely redesigned front end to give a more modern angular look, inspired by the MG SV Supercar. The rear of the ZS saw the number plate move down to the redesigned bumper, allowing for a stylish, smooth boot panel with a large MG badge. The interior of the ZS also saw alterations similar to those of the other MG saloons. There was a redesign of the dashboard, console and revision of instruments together with the switches. Circular aluminium air-vents completed the final design. At this time the opportunity was taken to introduce some additional colours to the range to go with the new look. Some of the original colours were discontinued. The ZS 180 probably benefited the most from the facelift programme. Subtle changes were made to the body profile in addition to new vented front wings and bigger arch spats. A new design multispoke alloy wheel was produced for this model to complete the modifications. The finished product gave the ZS 180 a more aggressive overall appearance. With the launch of the new facelift models in 2004, production continued into 2005 (with all of the later cars being built with the ‘180’ body kit) until April that year when the MG Rover Group went into receivership.

FEATURED CAR

5 SPEED CONVERSIONS

We have found ourselves fitting more and more conversions over the last few years so I thought I would write a little information for anyone who has either not heard of them or is thinking of having the work done. We replace your original gearbox with a Ford Type 9 gearbox, it keeps the original look and has a lot of pros! Your MG will be able to keep up with modern day traffic at wonderful cruising speed. The additional gear will lower your engine revs which is not only great for fuel economy but importantly for looking after your engine. It really does transform your car. I can confidently say every customer who has this done always says… Why didn’t I have this done sooner! If you would like to discuss in further detail, please give me a call and I will be happy to hear from you. Finally, we are pleased to be extending our free collection and delivery service for short- or longterm works so please contact me for booking. Warmest regards

Jason