Tuesday 9th September 2003

225mph MG Estate

Has the 765bhp ZT-T broken the speed record for an Estate Car?

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[swilly]

Its not gonna make the school run any quicker though is it

Although a 765bhp 6.0 V8 in a chim has potential.

>>> Edited by swilly on Tuesday 9th September 08:41

[d3ano]

Roush Performance was chosen for the powertrain development and they delivered a 6.0-litre V8 with electronic fuel injection that developed a handy 765 horsepower (normally aspirated!).

Whack a supercharger (or two) in there, it should see 250Mph

[WHITECHIMP500]

"virtually stock" ..........Except for the drag racer engine!

[jeremyc]

Allegedly So-Cal President Pete Chapouris said:

However, regardless of that record, we are totally ecstatic with the performance of the MG ZT-T which exceeded our goal of a 200 mph estate by a comfortable margin.

I bet our Pete would have called it a station wagon.

[campbell]

Was that run, with or without the kids, the dog and your mother inlaw.
Good job MG, now just sell the car to the public, we have the right too take the school run to a new meaning

[eein]

There was a thing in autocar a few weeks ago about its first run, giving various details of what was in it. The engine can trace itself back to the one they are using in the customer ones in the same way a modern day F1 car can claim to be the same as a model T ford!

The engine is far closer to ones used in the panoz (I think) le mans cars.

[Fatboy]

eein said:

There was a thing in autocar a few weeks ago about its first run, giving various details of what was in it. The engine can trace itself back to the one they are using in the customer ones in the same way a modern day F1 car can claim to be the same as a model T ford! The engine is far closer to ones used in the panoz (I think) le mans cars.

Still a ford V8 though isn't it? (well, it was before they changed everything )

[FourWheelDrift]

It would have done 235mph if the dog hadn't have kept sticking it's head out of the window

[dandarez]

Book 'im Danno. It's left hand drive...

[Stephen White]

Is it just me, or is anyone else getting fed up with the smarmy, weasle-worded press releases that these corporate posers spew at motor-sports events? "This is not just about setting world records, blah, blah ...with a virtually stock MG ZT-T..." Give me a break!

[Apache]

bet the groceries are all over the place

[SLiller]

Good on you Rover.
Its about time we started put the Great back into Britain.

[marki]

SLiller said:

Good on you Rover. Its about time we started put the Great back into Britain.

I think its about time they startd to actualy produce and sell the concepts instead of drumming up interest only to disapoint by not realeasing the finished product

[JenkinsComp]

I was at Bonneville to cover the event for Street Machine magazine. Met up with Nick Stevenson, Peter Stevens, Alex Xydias, Dick Landy etc. Good bunch of chaps, and indeed Nick is a serious drag racer, he runs a 7-8 second Super Comp Camaro at Avon Park from time to time. I also visited So-Cal and was shown around the car the day before they took it to Bonneville. They actually took the record for a few hours, but eventually were beaten by a Camaro that ran 230 - a little too much more to squeeze the MG any further. 225 is quite enough for an Estate car anyhow. It is a beautiful piece of kit, they said the most difficult part of the project was building it with a full interior, fully functioning down to the electric rear windows! It's just beautifully made. Since I was at So-Cal I also took the opportunity to order myself a 150 bhp nitrous kit for my Camaro, had to be done!
MGRover are releasing the Mustang V8 powered, rear wheel drive, extremely tuneable saloon and estate in the next month or so. Some of my friends in the Street Machine Street Racer challenge have their Fox body Mustangs in the 10s 1/4 mile bracket, showing the potential of the blown version of the engine.
Of course, the Chevys will prevail in the end though!

[Morris]

marki said:

I think its about time they startd to actualy produce and sell the concepts instead of drumming up interest only to disapoint by not realeasing the finished product

Patience is a virtue.

The 260 ps RWD MG ZT officially goes on sale this Monday (22nd).

See www.xpower-mg.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9773 for pictures and info.

[thanuk]

According to the Sunday Times it was launched without prior announcement last Wednesday. Weird. It's not listed on the official website either. Weirder still.

Morris said:

The 260 ps RWD MG ZT officially goes on sale this Monday (22nd).