Wednesday 29th October 2003

MG XPower SV

Now on sale, but can they justify £75K for just 320bhp?

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MG Sport & Racing is blasting the media today with info about the new SV which is now on sale. Launched at the motor show last year, the final product has been eagerly awaited by patriotic car enthusiasts here.

The entry level model is powered by a 320 hp 4.6 litre all aluminium quad cam V8 engine. That's good enough to launch the car to sixty in 5.3 seconds on on to about 165mph.

More powerful versions - and an automatic - will be available next year. There's still plenty of talk of being able to order a 765 hp version although we'll have to wait and see if they'll really deliver such a monstrously powerful car. It would certainly make for good publicity!

Inside the SV gets a sporty cabin - including full rollover protection - with both front seats getting inertia four belt harnesses which can also be locked for serious driving by the flick of a switch. Each cabin is trimmed with the customer’s choice of six leather finishes. Competition seats and fascias are available in a combination of leather and Alcantara allowing each vehicle to be uniquely personalised.

The chassis and carbon body are both constructed in Italy. Carbon provides the same stiffness as steel but is 25% of the weight. Suprising then, that the car still weighs in at over 1500kg. After assembly in Italy the cars are shipped to the UK for finishing at MG Sport & Racing’s newly established HQ at Longbridge, Birmingham by a dedicated team.

Standard fitment in every car is the latest Tracker system from Omitec which not only enables the car to be located and immobilised, in case of theft for example, but also links the vehicle to a central diagnostic control centre at Longbridge.

All good so far until we come to the price. MG are punting this out at a whopping £75K. Whilst exclusivity comes at a price it might prove tough to entice people out of similarly priced exotica into a 320bhp car. What a shame it couldn't have been nearer 400bhp for that price.

The car will be on sale at a network of special XPower dealerships, or directly from the MG Sport & Racing factory.

[Fatboy]

It's a Beast - love the looks. I'm sure when the supecharged version hits the sales floor that'll be utterly bonkers. If I had the cash they'd have my order already.

Yes £75k is a lot for 320 bhp - £15-20k more than a 911 carrera with the same power, but only £4k more than an SL500, with 306 BHP... And it's really individual.

[Beast]

doomed.

[d3ano]

Even though the masculin looks and power (on the high end model) grabs my attention. The price and the fact its an MG is somewhat off putting. Still going to get a Tiv.

I expect to see in fast and Furious 3 though.

[aaandy]

£75k does seem like an awful lot of money that is not really that fast in relative terms to it's competitors. Could be embarrasing on a track day.

For that sort of dosh I thing that I would be ordering a new TVR 440R, in my eyes more exclusive and sooo much quicker. Sound a lot nicer too!

[Ev_]

I've seen one in the carbon, and it does look a little bit better than in the pics, but I still don't see how anyone over the age of 15 would have it on their shortlist.

But that's not really the point, is it? MG probably (hopefully) don't plan to sell many at all. It's just a halo car to give the tired models beneath it some cred.