Museum grade MG ZS 180 for sale
Probably the best of the V6 ZSes left, yours for the price of a Dacia Spring
Here’s a game: what’s the seventh car for sale in Appreciating Classics PH stocklist? It has a pair of 22Bs (!), a sub-5,000-mile Evo VII, the world’s only Nissan GT-R powered Evo VIII (just as mad as might be expected), a beautiful TVR Cerbera and an Aston Martin DB7 GTA, one of the last made. A few educated guesses could probably be made from that half dozen - maybe another JDM unicorn, a Lotus of some kind, perhaps an Aston with a manual - and they’d all be wrong. Because the seventh car is an MG ZS 180.
In some ways, clearly, it doesn’t fit at all, being for sale at a third of the price of the TVR and less than five per cent of what’s being asked for the UK-supplied, one-of-16 22B. But in other ways it’s the perfect fit, another much-loved performance car from the turn of the century that’s now seldom seen and is very much in demand as a result. Although that’s not the only thing that these ZSes have in their favour, of course, lauded back in the early 2000s for its balanced, agile handling and gutsy V6. They might not have looked as cool as a Leon Cupra or Civic Type R, but the 180hp ZSes could more than hold their own in the driving department.
Almost a quarter of a century since launch, everything has conspired against real collector-grade ZSes being left. They weren’t hugely popular when new because they weren’t very cool, and who would be seen dead in an uncool hot hatch? Or, even worse, a saloon. But because they weren’t crazy expensive and were great to drive, those that were sold had miles put on them. Then even more use as they depreciated and got to track car project money, or cheap but interesting runaround territory. As with old Fords and Vauxhalls back in the day, there was little real thought about preserving the MG Z cars, yet plenty of encouragement to drive the wheels off them.
So the one keeping company with the mad Evos and Brit supercars is a really special one. Low mileage for a ZS 180 now, with the last ones made in 2006, is probably 60k. This one is showing a tenth of that - just 6,520 - with only two owners since 2002, the first keeping it until 2018 and the second adding just 1,000 miles. Nobody really thought about keeping these mint, it always seemed. Apparently with two exceptions.
Always kept in dry storage, the 180 now presents exquisitely. Perhaps some would prefer the saloon body (see a facelift one here) or one of the lairier colours, but this thing really looks like it’s just come out of an MG Rover showroom. Given the ZS was infamous for flaky interior quality, there’s precious little wear to anything; only the slightest bit of creasing on the bolster shows any sign of human interaction. There are really nicely preserved low mileage cars, and then there’s this. Under the bonnet is exhibition quality.
It’s a real treat for anyone (and there are plenty of us out there) with a soft spot for the Z-car era. With a fresh service including the cambelt, it could most definitely serve as an early-2000s time machine (perhaps next year, though). This is a car to be driven and enjoyed, surely too dumpy to sit and admire in a collection. There was always a lot of Rover 45 about the ZS, however hard MG tried.
The price? It’s £15k. No longer Shed money now, folks. Probably not far off what it cost in 2002, actually. Not one for the casual classic car collector perhaps, but manna from heaven for a diehard fan. Where once the B would have been the classic MG with a less-than-stellar rep, arguably now it’s the Z cars and F/TF that have taken on that mantle. A rare modern classic that’s great to drive and boasts a dedicated community, the appeal of probably the best ZS 180 still around is pretty clear. And those who really adore the Z cars can complete the set with a ZR 160 and a ZT 190, including change from £30k. PH legend status guaranteed.
Most now are suffering from floor corrosion - a design flaw (arf arf) means water collects in the floor box section and rots it out.
Sadly I only had a few good drives in it before some sour, old trout decided to overtake on a blind country lane and write it off. We fixed it, and then another sour, old trout drove into the back of it in broad daylight while trying to use her phone, finally turning it into a Cat B.
Notionally been replaced with a Giulietta MA170, which is better by every metric but substantially worse to drive.
Still miss it, and I'm often tempted to buy another, but prices are strengthening and it's hard to justify with four other vehicles already.
I'm glad this one survived and perhaps it's a contender for Gaydon to be kept for posterity
Drove loads of Rovers over the years and they were always a decent steer and comfortable places to be .. some were even dare I say it fun to punt down the road and quite quick
There's more to driving than numbers, although I appreciate that's an unfashionable viewpoint.
Don’t think it will ever become a true classic in the sense that it will be much of an investment and it does seem a bit on the dear side for something that seems to be forgotten. Can’t see the next generation payout silly money for one of these to relive their youths much like Fords of yersteryear are doing now.
Nice but not for me.
I think Jayemm once described these as like a V6 Honda Integra.
I think Jayemm once described these as like a V6 Honda Integra.
Don’t think it will ever become a true classic in the sense that it will be much of an investment and it does seem a bit on the dear side for something that seems to be forgotten. Can’t see the next generation payout silly money for one of these to relive their youths much like Fords of yersteryear are doing now.
Nice but not for me.
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