RE: MG ZT-T V8 260: Spotted

[MGJohn]

405dogvan said:

You realise that it's possible to own more than one car, don't you?

Yes, I do ... very guilty M'Lud...

405dogvan said:

That taut suspension and snappy clutch don't help in 2 hours of slow moving traffic much...

That is a soul destroying form of madness in any car. I no longer have the patience for such things. In the words of the MG adverts just before the receivers were called in at Longbridge:~

MG ads said:

.
Life's too short not to ..
.

You do not need a change of car to avoid that, you need to change your lifestyle.

That's what I did many moons ago and never regretted it. Salary cut and handed my company car keys in with a major move and lifestyle change. Better off in so many ways .... best thing I ever did.

[Stuart Dickinson]

Oilchange said:

stainless exhaust for extra NOISE! but only above cruise rpm

My Mate Kevin makes a cracking exhaust for these that has been a big hit with the ZT260 owners:

http://www.zeroexhausts.co.uk/images/gallery/large...

[jamieduff1981]

This car isn't about being good value compared to some generic German thing like everyone else has. It's not actually a problem that it doesn't have a German car image. That's actually a huge positive for some people.

The fact that you can buy something that everyone else flocks to by default for similar money does not make this a bad choice.

The person who buys and runs this car does so because it isn't an E39 M5 like everyone else who claims to be interested in cars buys. They buy it because it's individual.

For some people, the mass appeal of the E39 M5 is, erm, quite unappealling. Some people are just happier buying whatever tickles their fancy and they don't give a toss what comparitive conclusions someone with an utterly predictable faceless diesel Audi draws. It's entirely possible to just appreciate a car for what it is, rather than worrying about whether something else makes 20bhp more, or weighs 50kg less or got an extra star in What Car magazine reviews.

[Kyle Fortune]

StefanVXR8 said:

I think I'd prefer the much more elusive 75 V8, more in keeping with older V8 Rovers.

Stef

I refer to my previous post then. You'd have to be nuts!

http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/vehicle.cfm?Accoun...

[toppstuff]

jamieduff1981 said:

This car isn't about being good value compared to some generic German thing like everyone else has. It's not actually a problem that it doesn't have a German car image. That's actually a huge positive for some people.

The fact that you can buy something that everyone else flocks to by default for similar money does not make this a bad choice.

The person who buys and runs this car does so because it isn't an E39 M5 like everyone else who claims to be interested in cars buys. They buy it because it's individual.

For some people, the mass appeal of the E39 M5 is, erm, quite unappealling. Some people are just happier buying whatever tickles their fancy and they don't give a toss what comparitive conclusions someone with an utterly predictable faceless diesel Audi draws. It's entirely possible to just appreciate a car for what it is, rather than worrying about whether something else makes 20bhp more, or weighs 50kg less or got an extra star in What Car magazine reviews.

Spot on.

For anyone truly interested in cars, this MG V8 is an intriguing oddity. Anyone who does not recognise this, frankly, needs an education in all things car -related.

Consider it. MG Rover was on the skids, it had a management team with mixed abilities ( to be kind) and their own agenda. The future of the business was bound up in intensive media speculation and disputes with the Germans ( BMW). And the Unions were chipping in as well.

It was a strange, difficult time. Sales of MGR cars were struggling.

So what did they do?

They took a decent but slow selling FWD saloon, shoehorned a Mustang engine in it and somehow bodged it so it was a RWD muscle car.

Have a think about that.

What a bonkers thing to do.

For this reason alone this car is very interesting. I am still kind of amazed that it exists.

[PascalBuyens]

405dogvan said:

StefanVXR8 said:

They put in a tonne of effort and then put THAT stereo and console in there - plastic, plastic, plastic - such a shame really...

That'll be a BMW stereo then...

[Stinkfoot]

tomoleeds said:

If a rover is your thing that's fine, but I would take similar amount for my 2 owner 2006 A4 s line,
2.0 diesel 50mpg, 220bhp, full leather ,sat nav, xenons, daylight running lights, 6 disc cd, Bose speakers,
4 new injectors under recent Audi recall, Full main dealer history, 4x new tyres, its alright bean different but at todays fuel prices that rover will be visiting a lot of petrol stations

This is Pistonheads mate, a performance car website not Mumsnet. That has to be the funniest post I have read this year. (fk it - maybe I should sell the M5 get a A4 diesel as I am obviously missing something )

I am a big fan of the V8 Rovers but I had to laugh at some previous posters saying they think an Audi A4 diesel or Mazda 6 v6 something or other is a better car !
What planet are these people on ? Those 2 cars could send me to sleep just by looking at them.

This is a v8 powered saloon thats also very rare. OK it may only have 260 bhp but taking that to over 300bhp is not that hard tbh and a decent exhaust will produce a soundtrack that most cars can only dream off - a top Q car smile

Edited by Stinkfoot on Friday 9th August 09:02

[Andy ap]

Sometimes you HAVE to overlook a cars shortcomings to really like it.......Nope never experienced one of these first hand but by god i'd love one. What more could you want great no BS engine, fantastic soundtrack. In my eyes a very masculine and imposing bodykit (still not keen on the ZT's rear lights however). Handling for the size of the car to boot and loads of practicality

For what a car SHOULD be especially aiming at PH'ers as a means of practical transport first fun and excitement second i rate this up there with the RS2, Lotus Carlton, 190 Evo, V70 T5-R, E30 tourer etc etc.

Wish i had the dosh lying around to get me an example of some of these though.

[talksthetalk]

I can see the appeal, sort of a yank tank for people who don't want to look like uncle buck or be expected to get out in a stetson, check shirt and cowboy boots.
The 75 pictured previously has something a bit TVR going on with the light dash/dark seats/light piping going on.

But... not my type of car. I think you could get a cruiser and a fun car for the price, and still have the same running costs. (I have not researched this at all )

[Itsallicanafford]

Legacywr said:

I'm a big Alpina fan, but, I would rather have the ZT260 myself.

Each to their own, Horses for courses etc, but i cannot think of a single area the MG would out perform the Alpina, apart from being British..

[300bhp/ton]

Itsallicanafford said:

Legacywr said:

I'm a big Alpina fan, but, I would rather have the ZT260 myself.

Each to their own, Horses for courses etc, but i cannot think of a single area the MG would out perform the Alpina, apart from being British..

Does it need to out perform in any area to still be of interest?

[rolo0151]

I worked at a dual franchise selling rover/mg & seat in 2004. To my horror I walked in on my first day to see one if these in the corner with a price of £34k sat in the window! Rover insisted that we had x2 of them to try & sell. Never came close to shifting them. In the end rover took them back. Fond memories of doing doughnuts in the car park before they went! Since then I've always fancied one.

[Bash Brannigan]

toppstuff said:

jamieduff1981 said:

This car isn't about being good value compared to some generic German thing like everyone else has. It's not actually a problem that it doesn't have a German car image. That's actually a huge positive for some people.

The fact that you can buy something that everyone else flocks to by default for similar money does not make this a bad choice.

The person who buys and runs this car does so because it isn't an E39 M5 like everyone else who claims to be interested in cars buys. They buy it because it's individual.

For some people, the mass appeal of the E39 M5 is, erm, quite unappealling. Some people are just happier buying whatever tickles their fancy and they don't give a toss what comparitive conclusions someone with an utterly predictable faceless diesel Audi draws. It's entirely possible to just appreciate a car for what it is, rather than worrying about whether something else makes 20bhp more, or weighs 50kg less or got an extra star in What Car magazine reviews.

Spot on.

For anyone truly interested in cars, this MG V8 is an intriguing oddity. Anyone who does not recognise this, frankly, needs an education in all things car -related.

Consider it. MG Rover was on the skids, it had a management team with mixed abilities ( to be kind) and their own agenda. The future of the business was bound up in intensive media speculation and disputes with the Germans ( BMW). And the Unions were chipping in as well.

It was a strange, difficult time. Sales of MGR cars were struggling.

So what did they do?

They took a decent but slow selling FWD saloon, shoehorned a Mustang engine in it and somehow bodged it so it was a RWD muscle car.

Have a think about that.

What a bonkers thing to do.

For this reason alone this car is very interesting. I am still kind of amazed that it exists.

I understand its interest as an oddity, but from a personal standpoint I see it more as an example of why MG Rover failed. They took a comfy (old man's) car, shoehorned in what seems to have been the wrong engine by all accounts on here, converted it to RWD (which is pretty impressive if the car wasn't designed to be RWD in the first place), put on a bodykit and some big black wheels and offered them in all sorts of pearlescent paint finishes. As a result it certainly wasn't a sleeper, didn't have the speed to back up its show or specification sheet and would be seen by most people (who aren't even mildly interested in cars) as a chavved up Rover. Fair enough if you do like it, but when this came out I was 16 and it wasn't the sort of thing that I lusted after. So, for this person who is truly interested in cars, its an intriguing oddity for all of the wrong reasons.

[300bhp/ton]

Bash Brannigan said:

I understand its interest as an oddity, but from a personal standpoint I see it more as an example of why MG Rover failed. They took a comfy (old man's) car, shoehorned in what seems to have been the wrong engine by all accounts on here, converted it to RWD (which is pretty impressive if the car wasn't designed to be RWD in the first place), put on a bodykit and some big black wheels and offered them in all sorts of pearlescent paint finishes. As a result it certainly wasn't a sleeper, didn't have the speed to back up its show or specification sheet and would be seen by most people (who aren't even mildly interested in cars) as a chavved up Rover. Fair enough if you do like it, but when this came out I was 16 and it wasn't the sort of thing that I lusted after. So, for this person who is truly interested in cars, its an intriguing oddity for all of the wrong reasons.

I think this - as in your attitude was more the problem. Rover never "designed" or "sold" an old mans car. They sold a very capable, modern mid size saloon car and estate. It really is only "old farts" in the UK that then attach such stupid stigmas.

The Ford V8 engine was likely used for money reasons - as in Rover didn't any longer have a V8 engine and the Ford one was the cheapest to buy and use.

As for performance, well it's Civic Type R fast. So I can't really see a problem with it.

And for the most part they did look just like the regular 190 model, bar dual exhausts in the bumper.

[robinessex]

Would be quite a proposition to buy the cheapest pre-face list one available with good body work, and then spend some money on bits to " improove" it. Engine, exhaust, brakes and suspension.

[Capri86]

I think some are not getting the point.

The desire of these is not about what they do or don’t out perform, or what value they do or don’t offer but that they are rare, different and an occasion to drive.

They are great cars as seconded by a number of press reviews when they came out.

It rings a cord with this thread: The Cosworth cars: Spotted special

Cosworths as with these are desirable for what they are not that there faster or better than a modern German hack but they stir the sole!

[Itsallicanafford]

300bhp/ton said:

Does it need to out perform in any area to still be of interest?

Yes it does, unless you are a Rover fan. Im not talking just about performance, I mean looks, exclusivity, comfort, quality etc etc

[300bhp/ton]

Itsallicanafford said:

300bhp/ton said:

Does it need to out perform in any area to still be of interest?

Yes it does, unless you are a Rover fan. Im not talking just about performance, I mean looks, exclusivity, comfort, quality etc etc

Well I daresay it's far more exclusive than an Aplina, and as it doesn't look like a BMW it's also better looking. And I'm willing to bet rides as well.

[Capri86]

300bhp/ton said:

Bash Brannigan said:

I understand its interest as an oddity, but from a personal standpoint I see it more as an example of why MG Rover failed. They took a comfy (old man's) car, shoehorned in what seems to have been the wrong engine by all accounts on here, converted it to RWD (which is pretty impressive if the car wasn't designed to be RWD in the first place), put on a bodykit and some big black wheels and offered them in all sorts of pearlescent paint finishes. As a result it certainly wasn't a sleeper, didn't have the speed to back up its show or specification sheet and would be seen by most people (who aren't even mildly interested in cars) as a chavved up Rover. Fair enough if you do like it, but when this came out I was 16 and it wasn't the sort of thing that I lusted after. So, for this person who is truly interested in cars, its an intriguing oddity for all of the wrong reasons.

I think this - as in your attitude was more the problem. Rover never "designed" or "sold" an old mans car. They sold a very capable, modern mid size saloon car and estate. It really is only "old farts" in the UK that then attach such stupid stigmas.

The Ford V8 engine was likely used for money reasons - as in Rover didn't any longer have a V8 engine and the Ford one was the cheapest to buy and use.

As for performance, well it's Civic Type R fast. So I can't really see a problem with it.

And for the most part they did look just like the regular 190 model, bar dual exhausts in the bumper.

Brash: If you want to use the "they took a comfy (old man's) car" argument, doesn't that apply to the basis for most performance hot hatches or saloons! Honda Civic is your stereo typical OAP car but they made the Type R, Mitsubishi Lancia = EVO, A4 = RS4... the list goes on and on. I can’t think of any manufactures that design their flagship performance model first. It's when their mass market models have proven themselves they start working to satisfy the niche markets.

[Capri86]

300bhp/ton said:

Itsallicanafford said:

300bhp/ton said:

Does it need to out perform in any area to still be of interest?

Yes it does, unless you are a Rover fan. Im not talking just about performance, I mean looks, exclusivity, comfort, quality etc etc

Well I daresay it's far more exclusive than an Aplina, and as it doesn't look like a BMW it's also better looking. And I'm willing to bet rides as well.

And it's a darn sight more comfy than the last 3 series I drove.

Just to confirm i'm no Rover/MG fan club member but do rate these cars.