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THE RETURN OF THE PRACTICAL BRITISH MUSCLE CARTuesday 23 September 2003
MG Rover Group has today (September 23) launched the V8 powered MG ZT 260 V8. The rear-wheel drive vehicle, available in ZT saloon and ZT-T estate car, powered by a 260bhp 4.6-litre V8 engine and with an awesome 410Nm of torque to deliver class-leading acceleration, is now available for customer order in the UK. With an on-the-road price starting at £27,995, the ZT 260 offers an unbeatable combination of price and performance.
Rob Oldaker, MG Rover Group’s Product Development Director, commented: “The MG ZT 260 V8 demonstrates our commitment to deliver cars of true pedigree and character. This is a truly rewarding car to drive. Our choice of a big, torquey engine has been vindicated as this is a deceptively quick and efficient cross-country car. The more you drive it, the more you appreciate its unique ‘muscle car’ character that flies in the face of our competitors’ trend towards buzzy high-revving engines.
“Its introduction means MG now has the broadest range in its 80-year history. The new V8 heralds the return of the practical British muscle car, and as an MG it’s obviously great value too.”
Overview
The ZT 260 is a fully engineered evolution of the front-wheel drive ZT. Clever installation techniques have permitted the larger capacity engine and rear-wheel drive power-train to be incorporated within the robust bodyshell, without major visual changes. Below the skin the platform is largely new with significant changes to many functional vehicle systems to accommodate the revised drive-line layout, to produce a car of great driving character.
Recently a development ZT-T V8 was taken to the Salt Flats at Bonneville, Utah where the MG achieved a maximum speed of 225mph from a specially tuned V8 engine variant.
Design and Development
The development engineers were briefed to deliver the ultimate antidote to an anodyne world. The challenges involved in transforming the drive platform and packaging a large capacity V8 engine into the existing front-wheel drive vehicle should not be underestimated. Advanced computer techniques were used to package the new hardware without sacrificing the strengths of the established ZT platform. Sophisticated modelling techniques were used to refine the kinematics of the completely new multi-link rear axle configuration and to ensure that despite the revised engine installation, the car continues to meet the latest standards for occupant protection in all its markets.
Given the magnitude of the changes, it is no surprise that ZT has been extensively tested, seeing action in climates ranging from the bitterly harsh conditions of the Swedish winter through to the burning heat of high speed testing in Arizona and Australia.
Body Structure
Externally there is little clue to the extent of body structure changes necessary to accommodate the new rear-wheel drive powerunit, indeed ZT 260 shares the same acclaimed style of the front-wheel drive ZTs. Extensive changes have been made to the underfloor, with new designs for the front and rear floor, as well as an enlarged transmission tunnel to accommodate the in-line gearbox. A new manufacturing facility has been commissioned alongside the existing sophisticated ZT manufacturing line to ensure these changes to the body are delivered to consistently high quality standards.
Powertrain
The ZT 260 utilises Ford’s proven 4.6-litre V8 engine, widely used in North America to power the iconic Ford Mustang. Modifications have been made to the powertrain to assist in packaging the engine while MG’s engineers have also developed new intake, exhaust and emissions control systems to ensure the vehicle complies with stringent European noise legislation with no loss of power or torque. A new electronic engine calibration helps ensure the car exceeds curre
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