RE: MG ZT V8 | The Brave Pill
Discussion
stickleback123 said:
I find it highly implausible that they could have lashed together a 500bhp car that could meet anything even approaching proper OEM standards of driveability, reliability, longevity. The lack of professionalism in MG Rover would be funny if it weren't so sad, you wonder if management opted out entirely and just left the engineers to piss away their tiny budget on fun projects to pass the time. It certainly looked like a slightly more professional version of some of the better Reader's Rides projects on here than anything resembling a real vehicle development programme.
You’ve deffo got issues... stickleback123 said:
J4CKO said:
With regards to the power output, the 260 was going to be the entry point to the V8 range with a few options up to I think 500 bhp, with a 385 in the middle but it obviously never happened, aside from the supercharged conversions.
I wonder what other V8 engine would fit, stuff like the Coyote or an LS of some description ?
I find it highly implausible that they could have lashed together a 500bhp car that could meet anything even approaching proper OEM standards of driveability, reliability, longevity. The lack of professionalism in MG Rover would be funny if it weren't so sad, you wonder if management opted out entirely and just left the engineers to piss away their tiny budget on fun projects to pass the time. It certainly looked like a slightly more professional version of some of the better Reader's Rides projects on here than anything resembling a real vehicle development programme. I wonder what other V8 engine would fit, stuff like the Coyote or an LS of some description ?
At the end of the day "each to their own" but I think people should at least acknowledge what these and some of MG Rovers other effort were
It saddens me how many talented and creative engineers and production workers were let down by the inept management of MG Rover and led to them becoming unemployed
Spunagain said:
I ran a 260 from 2005 to 2010 and loved it. The 260 was a purchase I found very hard to justify at the time as I had been saving for a while for our house extension and I blew the lot, but my wife understood where many better halves would have been reaching for the rolling pin!
..........( loads of interesting car stuff )
I sold mine for only £7200 back in 2010
Spunagain ..........( loads of interesting car stuff )
I sold mine for only £7200 back in 2010
Thank you - that was a brilliant post - enjoyable read
So much more interesting than the “you could have bought...” clan contributions
martin12345 said:
Agreed - however I believe we are "voices in the wilderness" - if people want to love these "high volume 1 off's" then good luck to them - personally I prefer a properly engineered and validated car.
At the end of the day "each to their own" but I think people should at least acknowledge what these and some of MG Rovers other effort were
It saddens me how many talented and creative engineers and production workers were let down by the inept management of MG Rover and led to them becoming unemployed
They didn't go bust by making great, well engineered cars that people wanted to buy.At the end of the day "each to their own" but I think people should at least acknowledge what these and some of MG Rovers other effort were
It saddens me how many talented and creative engineers and production workers were let down by the inept management of MG Rover and led to them becoming unemployed
stickleback123 said:
J4CKO said:
With regards to the power output, the 260 was going to be the entry point to the V8 range with a few options up to I think 500 bhp, with a 385 in the middle but it obviously never happened, aside from the supercharged conversions.
I wonder what other V8 engine would fit, stuff like the Coyote or an LS of some description ?
I find it highly implausible that they could have lashed together a 500bhp car that could meet anything even approaching proper OEM standards of driveability, reliability, longevity. The lack of professionalism in MG Rover would be funny if it weren't so sad, you wonder if management opted out entirely and just left the engineers to piss away their tiny budget on fun projects to pass the time. It certainly looked like a slightly more professional version of some of the better Reader's Rides projects on here than anything resembling a real vehicle development programme. I wonder what other V8 engine would fit, stuff like the Coyote or an LS of some description ?
They managed to stick a V8 in a FWD saloon and make it RWD with 260 bhp, people stick superchargers on them to make them up to 400 bhp and they seem to cope, plenty still around considering its 15 or more years ago.
Dont think it was quite as pitiful an attempt as you are making out, relative to the competition.
J4CKO said:
They could have aimed for the dizzy heights of reliability that BMW hit with their 500 bhp V10 M5 and the stellar rustproofing Mercedes were managing in period, Wonder if Audi would have supplied them the super reliable gearbox they used in the RS6 at the time, maybe even the bomb proof suspension ! Oh, hang on....
Great points and a reminder that even the biggest, "premium" brands get it wrong sometimes.
As for this car, I didn't even know a v8 version existed but having listened to some of the videos and read the enthusiasm from owners, I'm glad it does.
TEKNOPUG said:
The 75 is fine with the GT engine but the MG should have used the 320bhp Cobra engine.
It makes more sense in the context of the 385/500bhp SC versions that were planned. Presumably the Cobra engine cost more and the outputs could easily be achieved by adding a similarly cheap SC.Dreadnought could supply a smaller pulley to give 500bhp but iirc insisted on upgrading the brakes and transmission (possibly the bottom end).
That's my point though, 320bhp could have been handled by the current setup no doubt, whilst keeping the price competitive. You can say add a blower to any car and have X bhp but there would be a whole load of additional cost and development required. You are then competing against M5s etc. It may well have been a good car but see the VXR8 for the likely sales success.
We don't know the price of the Cobra engine Vs the one they chose plus SC. I can only assume it worked out cheaper to go the route they did. AIUI there's at least one 385 in existence so the development was getting there. And as the Dreadnought conversions show the existing set up was good for 400bhp.
One of the mags (PPC possibly?) did a comparison between my old ZTT400 and an E39 M5 and couldn't choose between them.
One of the mags (PPC possibly?) did a comparison between my old ZTT400 and an E39 M5 and couldn't choose between them.
Bill said:
We don't know the price of the Cobra engine Vs the one they chose plus SC. I can only assume it worked out cheaper to go the route they did. AIUI there's at least one 385 in existence so the development was getting there. And as the Dreadnought conversions show the existing set up was good for 400bhp.
One of the mags (PPC possibly?) did a comparison between my old ZTT400 and an E39 M5 and couldn't choose between them.
happy to stand corrected but I thought the Cobra lumps were *significantly* more expensive.One of the mags (PPC possibly?) did a comparison between my old ZTT400 and an E39 M5 and couldn't choose between them.
A British folly? Perhaps
A future classic? Most definitely
Worth buying? If you are a tyre kicker - nope. If you are an enthusiast - most definitely
Was it worth MGR developing? Definitely, without these sorts of cars, we would all be in our euroboxes discussing fuel efficiency etc. By the way, the V8 did not sink MGR.
I was watching a Mr Tyrell youtube last night about the V8 Rover SDi Vitesse, cracking car! Low volume variant from a mass-production car. A bit like the ZT260. You'll miss the point if its down to outputs. The car is more than the parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwcxWqA5bE
It's all about the smile on my face when hooning it.
Yours
An "eccentric fringe ultra-loyalists"
A future classic? Most definitely
Worth buying? If you are a tyre kicker - nope. If you are an enthusiast - most definitely
Was it worth MGR developing? Definitely, without these sorts of cars, we would all be in our euroboxes discussing fuel efficiency etc. By the way, the V8 did not sink MGR.
I was watching a Mr Tyrell youtube last night about the V8 Rover SDi Vitesse, cracking car! Low volume variant from a mass-production car. A bit like the ZT260. You'll miss the point if its down to outputs. The car is more than the parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwcxWqA5bE
It's all about the smile on my face when hooning it.
Yours
An "eccentric fringe ultra-loyalists"
I was at the Longbridge press meeting back in 2001, when the Z cars where launched, and remember asking designer Peter Stevens if the KV8 engine was to be used. He said ”no” but wouldn’t elaborate. Later I read that MGR tried to get the Chevy SB but GM refused to supply as the Holden was about to be launched in the UK.
No doubt the lighter Chevy V8 would have made for a better car. But I’ve been running a 75V8 as a second or third car for 14 years now and still love its combination of British beauty and American (soft) power. All in a very useable package.
It is also a great conversation piece. At a classic car show last year, an enthusiast commented: ”Wow, I thought they only existed in the magazines!
No doubt the lighter Chevy V8 would have made for a better car. But I’ve been running a 75V8 as a second or third car for 14 years now and still love its combination of British beauty and American (soft) power. All in a very useable package.
It is also a great conversation piece. At a classic car show last year, an enthusiast commented: ”Wow, I thought they only existed in the magazines!
A US tuning company have managed to export one....
[b]Shrader Performance Inc. ·
Coming Soon: The fastest MG ZTT 260 wagon in the World. 😎 brought to you by the Freedom of the United States 🇺🇸 . After nearly a year of planning, agonizing, researching, and reading import regulations, I finally brought one home thanks to the help of Chris at @retro_sports_cars. Legally. 😎 it wasn’t easy. It eventually will have a Coyote Swap and some form of boost in that tiny engine bay that was designed for the 4.6 2v. Only 883 MG ZT’s made, and only 120 or so were wagons[/b]
[b]Shrader Performance Inc. ·
Coming Soon: The fastest MG ZTT 260 wagon in the World. 😎 brought to you by the Freedom of the United States 🇺🇸 . After nearly a year of planning, agonizing, researching, and reading import regulations, I finally brought one home thanks to the help of Chris at @retro_sports_cars. Legally. 😎 it wasn’t easy. It eventually will have a Coyote Swap and some form of boost in that tiny engine bay that was designed for the 4.6 2v. Only 883 MG ZT’s made, and only 120 or so were wagons[/b]
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