# MG ZRX Makes Its Debut At The Autosport



## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

The Autosport International Racing Car Show at the NEC Birmingham sees the formal debut of MG and Sport and Racing's exciting range of XPOWER high performance vehicles and parts.Making its show premier is the MG ZRX. Based on the rally and race winning MG ZR range this high performance model features for the first time a two litre variation of the world famous K Series engine developed in conjunction with renowned race engine specialists, Engine Developments.

The prototype ZRX was driven to an emphatic class win at the Thruxton round of the Britcar Endurance Championship in September 2003, driven by well known club racer and MG Sport and Racing manager Don Kettleborough and MG TF racer Mark Roberts.Customers wanting to order an MGZRX at the show can specify a choice of engine power outputs from 160 to 250ps.

The MGZRX can be viewed on the MG Sport and Racing stand 9210 in Hall 9, alongside the stunning MG XPOWER SV, Gwyndaf Evans' Wales Rally GB class winning MG ZR and an MG TF displaying various XPOWER performance parts.

The car at the show, the ZR XPower X210 features many changes from the current range topping ZR160, firstly of course, the change in engine from the 1.8VVC to the 2Litre K Series, further more it features fully adjustable suspension, developed for MG Sport and Racing by Leda and Eibach. To cope with the increase in power, the X210 has beefed up brakes with 310mm Discs and 4 pot front brakes and increased 280mm grooved discs at the rear. The wheels are also increased from 17" to 18", mainly to fit the improved front brakes, although as you can see from a picture in the gallery, its a awefully tight fit! All this for just under Â£ 20,000! (The price has to be confirmed, but they are aiming for under Â£ 20,000). If you want the ultimate, the 250bhp version should set you back in the region of Â£25,000 to Â£30,000!

No 0-60 times have been announced yet, nor have any other performance figures, but people at the show in the know, simply stated "F'ing quick and F'ing good fun", which really speaking, is the most important bit!!

I was origanally told the dash was similar to a TT's but its nowt like it thank God


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## KevinST (May 6, 2002)

Got any pics???


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## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)




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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Now that is _is_ an Eastbourne Express.


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## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

I wonder if they are going to do the Van in this model  should be competion for the Seat coupra R and Honda Type R though with it pushing 250BHP 
Jonah


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

me like a lot ;D


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but apart from a slightly bigger engine, hideous lime green calipers**, wheels, a bodykit and some suspension mods, this is a Rover 25, right?

Hardly a race-bred chasis to start with, I wouldn't have thought....

** Not to be confused with lush yellow calipers or the even better GOLD Brembos I am now sporting


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## KevinST (May 6, 2002)

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but apart from a slightly bigger engine, hideous lime green calipers**, wheels, a bodykit and some suspension mods, this is a Rover 25, right?


And that, ultimatly, is the problem with it... it's just a body kitted Rover 25 :-/


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> And that, ultimatly, is the problem with it... it's just a body kitted Rover 25 Â :-/


In turn based on a three generation old Honda Civic. :-/


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

> Not to be confused with lush yellow calipers or the even better GOLD Brembos I am now sporting


those lime green calipers on the rover look like Brembos to me...


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

> ** Not to be confused with lush yellow calipers or the even better GOLD Brembos I am now sporting


Would they be the standard TT calipers you painted yellow one weekend after a night on the Tequila?

The self same standard calipers that possess all the braking force of my arse cheeks either side of a dinner plate? :


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Don't care if they ARE Brembos - the colour is gross!!

Carlos, this ain't the place for the discussion..... but the standard TT brakes will stop you as quickly as a set of Brembo or Porsche brakes, so maybe you have stronger arse cheeks than you thought


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

> the standard TT brakes will stop you as quickly as a set of Brembo or Porsche brakes, so maybe you have stronger arse cheeks than you thought


This isn't true. I had Porsche front brakes on my TTR and I can tell you, they are stronger than the stock brakes, even on the first go.

Of course the usual mantra also applies, better brakes will stop you quicker on subsequent occasions, but the Porsche fronts really do pull you up quicker. You could easily get the ABS grinding in the dry, not so easy with the stock brakes.


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

> Of course the usual mantra also applies, better brakes will stop you quicker....


And someone behind you will stop their car using your boot..... :-/


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

> And someone behind you will stop their car using your boot..... :-/


Not if they leave sufficient braking distance


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

> Not if they leave sufficient braking distance


I wish :'(



















James.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

According to something I read the other day any of the ZR derivatives are awful.

The ZT is the only car in the range to deliver in temrs of driver enjoyment.

But then I only read that and haven't been in any car bar a standard Rover 25 and that was awful.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

My mum has a Rover 25. Its pants.

My dad has an MG ZR. Its a bag of spanners.

Serious quality problems with trim bits falling off, screws or rivets on the bodykit going rusty and its generally about as good for MG's image as Harold Shipman was to the life expectancy of oaps.


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

Why would anyone want to buy a Rover/MG car of any description, let alone spend twenty odd grand on a Rover 25. ???


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