RE: MG ZT-T V8 260: Spotted
Discussion
300bhp/ton said:
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.
They are both limited run versions of mass produced cars, but one was based on a far better car and completed by a company which knew what it was doing and did it properly.
Look, I'm not knocking the MG, and I can understand why you would want to own it, but for me to buy, the Alpina is streets ahead and it's where my cash would go.
I really want to try one of these. Or even a regular ZT.
I have a Rover 75 currently and it's a laughably inappropriate car for pressing on, but you can sense the right bits are there. Decent chassis rigidty, surprisingly feelsome steering and a very faithful, proportional response to your inputs (albeit seemingly in slow motion). Firmer dampers, quick rack and the small matter of a big V8 driving the rear wheels through an LSD and you can see how it would be good.
I have a Rover 75 currently and it's a laughably inappropriate car for pressing on, but you can sense the right bits are there. Decent chassis rigidty, surprisingly feelsome steering and a very faithful, proportional response to your inputs (albeit seemingly in slow motion). Firmer dampers, quick rack and the small matter of a big V8 driving the rear wheels through an LSD and you can see how it would be good.
toppstuff said:
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.
Do you mean "what an utterly stupid, distracting, helping to destroy the business, moronic, egomaniac thing to do."?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.
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.
The saga of MG's fall out with Prodrive over this project is also interesting reading and has been quoted elsewhere on PH.When I last changed cars, one of these was on my shortlist (preferable as a Rover 75) but couldn't find one. Ended up with a Passat W8, another pointless 8 cylinder thirsty car with a s
t badge.
Both are awesome cars in my books and I would recomend either one to a petrolhead in a heartbeat. To anyone else who doesn't "get" them, there's no point arguing the case because they're not rational choices, you buy them because you want one, not because it makes sense.
t badge. Both are awesome cars in my books and I would recomend either one to a petrolhead in a heartbeat. To anyone else who doesn't "get" them, there's no point arguing the case because they're not rational choices, you buy them because you want one, not because it makes sense.
Dave Hedgehog said:
never got these
a range of cars so bad they managed to go bankrupt in a boom and then they shove one of the most ancient, uneconomical and underpowered budget V8s they can find in it
If you want to ignore facts and use the same intellect as a boiled potato, this is a good way of looking at things. However what really happened and the causes are somewhat more complex and involved and about a million miles away from your big picture summary.a range of cars so bad they managed to go bankrupt in a boom and then they shove one of the most ancient, uneconomical and underpowered budget V8s they can find in it
EDIT:
I don't mean this insultingly, but it really pisses me off when people roll out this misinformed fictional nonsense.
300bhp/ton said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
never got these
a range of cars so bad they managed to go bankrupt in a boom and then they shove one of the most ancient, uneconomical and underpowered budget V8s they can find in it
If you want to ignore facts and use the same intellect as a boiled potato, this is a good way of looking at things. However what really happened and the causes are somewhat more complex and involved and about a million miles away from your big picture summary.a range of cars so bad they managed to go bankrupt in a boom and then they shove one of the most ancient, uneconomical and underpowered budget V8s they can find in it
Indeed. The 75 came closer to saving MG Rover than it did to finishing it off.
And as for the appeal of the ZT 260, well, it's obviously a personal thing. I don't doubt you can get something quantifiably better from one of the German manufacturers, but there's a leftfield appeal about having something a bit different. I'd take one over an M5, and not because I have any delusions about the MG being quicker or in any way superior.
Comparing it to an A4, unbeleiveable, nothing wrong with the A4 but the 260 is an intruging evolutionary blind alley, a lovely anomaly, a very rare variant of an increasingly rare car, some seemed to be so vitriolic about the whole MG/Rover thing it is untrue, I am no MGR fanboy but these are very very special.
My uncle had one, my dad still has an identical 190 v6 which is like new, went int he V8 a couple of times and it is still a quick car but for those who play their spreadsheet of 0-60, bhp figures against lease costs and how much it will impress the neighbours it wont figure, it isnt for everyone, it is still, however, way quicker than the Audi mentioned, and doesnt sound like a taxi.
This is my uncles one, making a noise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqZZfXdm7D0
Ok, they arent the fastest, other cars with 2.0 engines have 250 bhp, however they wont pull from tickover in fourth, this is an old school low stress V8, they can be tuned, swapped out or whatever, MGR had grand plans for numerous different states of tune, the 260 being the entry level.
I can see these becoming more collectible, as the remants of our British motor industry (British owned, designed and built) all dies off things like this will gain in significance.
I could have bought my uncles one, sort of wish I had, he sold it for six something, one went at auction for nine grand a few weeks back and I think he regrets selling it now, to be fair it was hard to shift, but mainly as it did attract the odd nutjob, one being some weird fantasist who had been done for defrauding pensioners.
I wonder if the current Shelby Mustang engine would go in, the rest of the drive train looks up to it, the back axle has a separate koni damper to keep it in check, think they specced it for the 400 bhp plus versions, I think the oily bits are very very tough.
Top Gear did quite a good review of the 260, the wooly haired one seemed to enjoy it a lot.
My uncle had one, my dad still has an identical 190 v6 which is like new, went int he V8 a couple of times and it is still a quick car but for those who play their spreadsheet of 0-60, bhp figures against lease costs and how much it will impress the neighbours it wont figure, it isnt for everyone, it is still, however, way quicker than the Audi mentioned, and doesnt sound like a taxi.
This is my uncles one, making a noise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqZZfXdm7D0
Ok, they arent the fastest, other cars with 2.0 engines have 250 bhp, however they wont pull from tickover in fourth, this is an old school low stress V8, they can be tuned, swapped out or whatever, MGR had grand plans for numerous different states of tune, the 260 being the entry level.
I can see these becoming more collectible, as the remants of our British motor industry (British owned, designed and built) all dies off things like this will gain in significance.
I could have bought my uncles one, sort of wish I had, he sold it for six something, one went at auction for nine grand a few weeks back and I think he regrets selling it now, to be fair it was hard to shift, but mainly as it did attract the odd nutjob, one being some weird fantasist who had been done for defrauding pensioners.
I wonder if the current Shelby Mustang engine would go in, the rest of the drive train looks up to it, the back axle has a separate koni damper to keep it in check, think they specced it for the 400 bhp plus versions, I think the oily bits are very very tough.
Top Gear did quite a good review of the 260, the wooly haired one seemed to enjoy it a lot.
I always wanted a ZT V8, I once owned the 1.8 turbo version and it was a pretty good car.
However the problem I see with them is: Jaguar S-Type R. This is a better car in just about every way, and cheaper. 4.2 supercharged v8 giving 400bhp and 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. The only issue with them is they have a (very good) automatic gearbox, but as I understand it the gearbox in the V8 ZT is awful.
However the problem I see with them is: Jaguar S-Type R. This is a better car in just about every way, and cheaper. 4.2 supercharged v8 giving 400bhp and 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. The only issue with them is they have a (very good) automatic gearbox, but as I understand it the gearbox in the V8 ZT is awful.
Legacywr said:
405dogvan said:
StefanVXR8 said:
Stef
WojaWabbit said:
StefanVXR8 said:
It drives as sweet as a nut, returns 37mpg.
How the effing hell are you managing that?!!! I'm getting about 25mpg on a long run at 70mph in my V6 ZT slushbox!Stef
NDT said:
toppstuff said:
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.
Do you mean "what an utterly stupid, distracting, helping to destroy the business, moronic, egomaniac thing to do."?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 wonder if Towers and his buddies at Phoenix gave themselves ZT V8's which are sat quietly in their Spanish villa's somewhere?
amoeba said:
I always wanted a ZT V8, I once owned the 1.8 turbo version and it was a pretty good car.
However the problem I see with them is: Jaguar S-Type R. This is a better car in just about every way, and cheaper. 4.2 supercharged v8 giving 400bhp and 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. The only issue with them is they have a (very good) automatic gearbox, but as I understand it the gearbox in the V8 ZT is awful.
Good point, but there is something I cant put my finger on, it may be better in every way but it just isnt as special somehow, even in R form it isnt as good looking either.However the problem I see with them is: Jaguar S-Type R. This is a better car in just about every way, and cheaper. 4.2 supercharged v8 giving 400bhp and 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. The only issue with them is they have a (very good) automatic gearbox, but as I understand it the gearbox in the V8 ZT is awful.
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
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
Edited by tomoleeds on Thursday 8th August 18:40
GranCab said:
I saw a metallic royal blue one in Sainsbury's car park last week (Castle Marina Nottingham) - it looked superb ....
I owned a metallic Royal Blue ZT-T 260SE for several years and 50,000 miles.Despite what some may say on here they are fantastic cars, great fun to drive and they sound amazing. Mine was for the most part reliable and I still miss it. Photo if anyone is interested:
I had had mine for over five years now and have no intention of letting it go, as far as my son is concerned I am just holding it for him! I have to say I have never seen north of 25mpg and never expected to its an american V8 a country where until recently high mpg was less important than here. In standard for its fast enough (Ford Focus ST) if more is needed it can be had. In the five years the only fault I have had was the known fuel clip issue, which I should have rectified earlier but kept putting off due to driving ...........
I could buy one of many better cars but thats not why I read PH threads etc.
It is however under the radar for most people and I like it that way. I have been approached by many an inquisitor and been paid many complements. The one that sticks in the mind was gent with a stunning lady in a 308GTS giving the thumbs up after finding the source of a glorious V8 while we were all heading south on the M74/M6. Life's too short and so am I thats why I love my MG ZT260 oh that should read ZT400 (Dreadnought look it up)
I could buy one of many better cars but thats not why I read PH threads etc.
It is however under the radar for most people and I like it that way. I have been approached by many an inquisitor and been paid many complements. The one that sticks in the mind was gent with a stunning lady in a 308GTS giving the thumbs up after finding the source of a glorious V8 while we were all heading south on the M74/M6. Life's too short and so am I thats why I love my MG ZT260 oh that should read ZT400 (Dreadnought look it up)
stevemiller said:
I have to say I have never seen north of 25mpg and never expected to its an american V8 a country where until recently high mpg was less important than here.
Many American V8's can easily top 30mpg, it's just the old Ford lump has always been a bit of a crap engine - in global V8 terms.This isn't to say I don't like them, as I do and to be honest with a few breathing mods and some performance cams, then they'll make an easy 300-330hp. But compare to a same year small block Chevy, they made 345-370+bhp in stock trim, more torque, are physically smaller (shorter, narrower, not as tall), weighed a lot less and in many cars could easily attain 30mpg+.
1980's Caddy's and Corvettes could attain 30mpg.
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