Hi Matt! Been looking forward to seeing the results of your drive with my car. I am so very pleased that you enjoyed it! Capturing much of what I love about my car. 10 years of ownership, 70,000 miles covered in that time (car is on 169,500) and you've given such a great account of it. Great job! And it was an utter pleasure to meet with you. Looks like I need to get the 260 off SORN so you can have a potter about in that before it's sold!
thanks for letting me out in it! It's basically the ideal car - accelerates like an EV but makes that amazing noise, manual gears and the way it handles are all perfect! Yes, I definitely need to try the V8 now before it goes
Seen this car a few times when getting parts, it's great to see more about it. Fun seeing the local roads in a video too, always like the route from Applemore to Beaulieu road station way
Wow indeed! As is well known, MG for we Americans ended with the MGB. As a near 30-year owner of a Midget, I followed the MG Rover saga with considerable interest, entertaining the thought that we might actually see new octagon badges here in the States. Of course we didn’t, but I was intrigued with the F, TF, ZR, ZS, and ZTs. So this one ticks a whole lot of boxes for me, and my envy is greener than that paintwork. Thanks for the usual excellent review.
What a car and the sound is absolutely amazing! You have to remember that yes it was 45 underneath but that 45 sat on double wishbones at the front and multilink in the back
It's basically a Honda Integra/Civic Type R chassis! 😀 Without the travel of a classic Rover strut setup, but minimal torque steer and tip it into a bend and it just goes round almost telepathically.
My favourite FD test drive, I love it. I had a BX GTi many years ago and a contemporary group test complained about the rear spoiler getting in the way of the rear view. I had no problem as there was never anyone close enough behind to bother me😁
The reason it feels so much faster than the 45 V6 is that the 45 had only a 2.0 and this is a 2.5😉 KV6 is a fantastic engine, sounds great and will go on forever if maintained correct, my ZT190 is currently on 302.000km.
I have follwed Scott working on this car for a number of years now and it's a credit to him it's turned out so well. The kit is very rare. I had a freind try to buy one but it was an extortionate amount of money. I do hope parts are available should it ever need any. I build gearboxes for these cars and am surprised at the lack of wheel spin. Our car (Rover 45 with 250bhp turbo conversion) spins when pushed using the same ratio gearbox. I think the super charger kit won't of been offered in the UK simply for fuel economy. I cannot think fuel economy has improved using this setup! But our 45 turbo can get around 40mpg on a run. Matt, I suggest looking at the K turbo for your Tomcat. It's a collection of parts from the Rover/MG range which make a fantastic upgrade.
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 it's funny you say this as our car we have done the opposite! The 4.2 version does help pickup on a NASP car but on a turbo it helps holding gears to hold boost. Our 45 is also on 15" wheels so the 3.9 final drive helps as does the Quaife LSD... I realise on a a super charged car you don't have this issue. Great to see the car being used. I see so few around of the Rover MG range.
Me, having never owned a Rover/MG, prefers the sound and simplicity of the standard 180. ...but I absolutely see the appeal in this car, for someone who's experienced with these cars, and want more. It's SO freaking cool.
This is the same as the MG Rover ZS 220 prototype in Australia which has the same supercharger engine spec. It was production ready just before the company collapse.
Awesome car, sounds amazing, and love the eye catching green colour. Reminds me off my 1998 Honda Civic 5 door hatch I had around 10-12 years ago. It was a dark green, but in dark conditions it would look like a very dark green, but in the sunlight it was more like a Bluey turquoise colour😎 EDIT, did anyone else notice the owner bought a Lucas battery which has green branding, nice touch 😅
Nice of Scott to lend you the car! And what a car it is. There was a chap in Australia selling a few Sprintex kits a couple of months ago, on one of the MG Rover facebook groups. They were about $5000 (AUD) if I recall correctly.
That is one very special car, it's got it all, looks, performance and what a sound! I agree with you, what a crying shame that this was not put into production.
I've owned an Audi A4 2.4 v6 30v with a very rare PES G2 Supercharger kit using an Eaton M62 supercharger for 17 years trust me that supercharger whine never gets old I'm loathe to sell it nothing else sounds like it the torque and throttle response are instant I've recently bought a mint Boxster S with IMS failure to put the supercharger on to attached to an Audi S4 2.7 engine with Emerald ECU and Tiptronic gearbox they all bolt up plenty of people mainly in the US have done the mod using S4 engine with twin turbo but no ones done the 2.7 with a supercharger I cant drive manual It should be an absolute weapon in the lighter Bxster and ill be able to hear the whine even more it will be a one off treat for my 60th next year. Thanks for the upload and motivation if all goes well you can preview it.if you're interested
I love these cars! Never knew you could supercharge the KV6. I thought it was too fragile and tuned to its max anyway. Glad I'm wrong! I drive an MG ZT 260. When I'm done with it, I may trade for a ZS 180. Love to drive one! 😊👍👋
Hi! The ZS is mine, and it is a bit beefier than some may think. The rods are forged from factory, and apart from the compression being a bit high, it's OK for a little bit of boost. I am also a 260 owner (Vin 338). Love that car, prefer the ZS though
@scottbiddlecombe1326 Mine's #469. Loving mine too! In fact I've bought a fair few bits from your company recently for it, so thanks for that! 😊👍. Yeah I'd love to try a ZS 180. My only worry is, like you, I'll love it even more than my 260! 😅
Brilliant video, these are great cars without the supercharger, so this thing must be an amazing drive. Let's hope the supercharger kit once it's fully refined is on DMGRS in the near future!
Very unlikely the problem they would have to find new a supercharger manufacturer as sprintex in Australia hasn't made those in many years and only very few were made in the first place.
Is it reliable? I remember from reading up on these years back that the Australian model zt 75 supercharged v6 was hideously unreliable hence why there are none left these days. Plus there was a guy selling or doing these conversions circa 07/08 who caused a few waves back in the forum days - RSM was it? On another note I remember there was typhoon zs with a vent in the bonnet that was a test car or something similar - which I’ve seen locally to me but I believe it was sans the sprintex charger.
Hi, so this is my car. It's not top bad reliability wise. The charger has only been on the car 18 months, but the oiler system and bit more fueling at the top alleviates most of the problems. With regards to the RSM kits, iirc there were 4 kits that were sold, and this kit was the 4th of those kits. Lastly the car you're thinking of is a Twilight MK2 180, which indeed was the original R&D car. The great news is it is one of those two cars I said I worked on, and the car was re-charged back in 2019. I know the owner of that car fairly well. Smashing chap
Furious drives in New Forest. Sorry about the low speed limit.🥴 RE Diesels there was a big market in Europe. Most MG/Rovers find for sale here in Spain are "coal" powered. Obviously not the F/TF
I approve of this, many years ago I had a 1999 400hhr for a time, specifically a 414, i liked how quick it was for a 1.4 but it needed a nicer interior really, did that still have the passenger window switch down by the handbrake, one feature i really didnt like about the car, put them both on the door and give the passenger their own switch on their door man🤣🤣
7:09 The car Ian had, and the car Joseph had (which I now own) were/are 45’s, not 400’s, and don’t have the same engine. They had the 2.0 KV6, not the 2.5. They are less powerful, and have different driving characteristics. However, I find that I can enjoy the 45 V6 as much as I enjoy my ZT190 with the larger V6. The 45 V6 was unique in that it had the Steptronic/Stepspeed sequential manual shift option mated to the standard (ie. non-CVT) Jatco five speed auto box, and there lies the key to enjoyment. Seamless manual shifting allied to arguably the best handling chassis in class = fun!
I did like Ians/Jospephs/your V6, but didnt really get on with the gearbox the couple of occasions I drove it, the chassis was great, loved the interior and the sound but couldnt get on with the shifts
A blown KV6?, nice. When i was at MG Rover Matt, we used to supply the police with some fully marked MG ZT Tourers for testing. The Police really like them but complained of the lack of mid range ump so MG Rover stuck a Super Charger on them, problem solved 🤣MG Rover were going to do some proper X Power models with some big power, shame they didn't do that instead of plouging money in to racing and MG SV. i know they had engineered a MG TF with a KV6 in it and adding Super Charger to the ZT V8. Obviously a blown ZS V6 would have been a natural thing to do. Don't know what they were planning for the ZR though, maybe a 2 litre K series with Turbo/super charger on it? I can remember the engineering guys tuning the heck out of a ZR Diesel and a director, whom shall remain nameless, took it home for a test. On the way in to the next morning, he blow the gearbox on it. Remember, this is more or less the same gearbox that went into the Tomcat Turbos with 200bhp so it must have had large amounts of torque, apparently it went like s**t of a shovel. The ZS with the body kit and Gills on the wings took MG Rover by surprise with the amount of sales.
Hi there You're correct about the dial rings. The air vents, however, are standard fitment in the MK2 25 and 45. I didn't like the standard MG item, so I changed them over
Cor Luvaduk, Woohoo. I bet it took several days longer to shoot that vid. "Fun Time". How the other half live. Thanks for vid. Goin fur a wee lie doon. Later 😂
i swapped a zr diesel for one of these in 2018 went from a gs430 lexus before. it was so light and nimble. one of these with an actual honda engine would be insane but never seen it done.
Lovely car, MGR should have developed supercharged V6 for production instead of the ZT V8! The ZS has always driven and handled so well very underrated. Drove a 2006 (registered) one I just disliked the level of road noise at times.
Apparently the oil servicing this needed meant they thought they'd be deluged with warranty claims as people wouldn't look after them properly, but then they shut anyway
What a fun car! I guess MG Rover could have fitted some stronger rods and pistons in the engine for the production model (budget permitting?), if they had any concerns about durability with the extra boost on the engine? I'm guessing KV6 engines already have a forged crankshaft?
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 I've seen most of your cars always wants a zs MK2 did have a ztt for a few years but it was costing an arm and a leg (not that you minded when I was buying parts)
I'm not sure the Janspeed meets the noise regulations of the time! Car manufacturers were taking the mickey with "off road use mode" loophole until the recent WLTP rules, where now they need to comply with the driveby noise mode in the loudest mode (no more blatant valves that bypass the muffler!).
Wish they made this along with the 1.8 Turbo swap. Heard about vapourware stories of experimental 2.7-litre KV6s as well as road-spec K2000 engines being tested for possible use in high-performance ZSs and other models before they went under. Could a road-going K2000 have opened the door for the KV6 to reach 3-litres in the same way there might have been untapped scope for the KV6 to reach 2.7-litres by way of the 1.8 K?
2.7 and 2.9 KV6 was in active development right at the end of MG Rover. 2.7 was essentially a longer stroke 2.5, but the 2.9 needed different pistons and liners iirc. There is a TF Coupè being built currently that will have this 2.7 KV6.
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 Is it known roughly what the approx bore and stroke were for the 2.9? A few overbore and stroker 1.8+ K-Series forums appear to suggest there was room for bore to grow to 82-82.5 if not 83 mm, while some stroked it to about 90-91mm IIRC. The K2000 by Judd meanwhile was said to be even more bespoke.
CAREFUL: I noticed you’re driving round the New Forest, please be mindful most of the speed limits within the New Forest are limited to 30 miles an hour. You may have unfortunately incriminated yourself with the 0-60 speed test.
Speed limit in the New Forest is 40 for all stretches driven. As Matt has explained though, he's dubbed over the run. The in car footage of the standing start which was used as the dub over features later.
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 yes some of the times it 40 but fenced area are not the case. But saying you’re going to stretch to 60 is going to cause concern for the local constabulary. I just don’t want him getting into problems.
@michaelvandromme fear not, I understand the sentiment and this point has been made by others already. I am the owner of the car, and I've been a New Forest resident all my life. Matt was briefed on the limits before he took the car out, and he respected them at all times
I think I'm one of very few people that really dislikes the super charger whine. I do like a turbo whistle but that whine has all the appeal of an old hairdryer.
I think a lot of people forget the huge dowry BMW left MG/Rover unfortunately it mostly went on motorsport, MG where in the BTCC from late 2001-03 & Le Mans in 2002/03. They where competitive in the BTCC, but motorsport is an expensive business & the dowry was quickly eaten up!
I think, even if MG Rover didn't spend money on their motorsport programme, the dowry they got would have been eaten up anyway. The ZS/45 replacement they had TWR work on still wouldn't have been enough to save them, even if they ploughed more money into it, and TWR didn't go into administration. They needed a partner, and no one wanted to join them 😔
@@NeoRambler great point, it's a shame that they didn't focus on replacing the 25 imeaditly, I say that, as especially back then, hatchbacks where the biggest seller, once the Focus launched in 99, every make up'd there game.
@grdixon83 That's true. Perhaps they thought the ZR/25 would have tied them over in sales whilst the 45/ZS replacement was underway, before they began work to replace it. The ZR was one of their most popular models 😊👍
@@NeoRambler Why wasn't it sold to Honda back when Land Rover was still with it? Honda still doesn't have any real "serious" 4x4s to this day, so Land Rover would be very useful for Honda (and vice versa Honda quality control for Land Rover). Were Honda not interested? With just MG & Rover and no money spinners like Land Rover and Mini, one can appreciate that the group was much less valuable later on.
@TassieLorenzo I believe it was because Honda had gained everything they needed from Rover in terms of how to design cars with European tastes, and once their Swindon factory was fully up and running, they no longer needed Longbridge for production capacity of their cars. Honda didn't want to leave Rover entirely, but despite the efforts of John Towers, and Graham Day, to convince them to take a majority stake in Rover, BAe had already done the deal with BMW. Honda at that point then sold their shares to BMW, only allowing them to use the platforms for the 400/45, front end of the 200/25, the 600, and the 800 for royalty payments. I believe also Honda did get access to Rover's books, but what they saw told them they were on their way out without series backing, which BMW appeared to want to give, and did 😊👍
No screens, no connectivity, no AI, no other gizmos...just a great car
Couldnt have said it better my self
Who is Al?
Well, if you punctuated correctly, then, yes; you could've.@@jamieeedden777
@@jazzhands7771 She's in Deadpool, his blind roomate
Council Estate Dreams
Hi Matt!
Been looking forward to seeing the results of your drive with my car.
I am so very pleased that you enjoyed it! Capturing much of what I love about my car. 10 years of ownership, 70,000 miles covered in that time (car is on 169,500) and you've given such a great account of it.
Great job! And it was an utter pleasure to meet with you. Looks like I need to get the 260 off SORN so you can have a potter about in that before it's sold!
Mate, that is one seriously cool car, you have done an amazing job with it!
thanks for letting me out in it! It's basically the ideal car - accelerates like an EV but makes that amazing noise, manual gears and the way it handles are all perfect!
Yes, I definitely need to try the V8 now before it goes
That car is freaking awsome!! Love the ZS to begin with (although do prefer a 75 for waft), but that whine. Audio porn.
You have done a very good job on the car Scott 😁
Lovely car...even the battery is colour coded!
Seen this car a few times when getting parts, it's great to see more about it. Fun seeing the local roads in a video too, always like the route from Applemore to Beaulieu road station way
Wow indeed! As is well known, MG for we Americans ended with the MGB. As a near 30-year owner of a Midget, I followed the MG Rover saga with considerable interest, entertaining the thought that we might actually see new octagon badges here in the States. Of course we didn’t, but I was intrigued with the F, TF, ZR, ZS, and ZTs. So this one ticks a whole lot of boxes for me, and my envy is greener than that paintwork. Thanks for the usual excellent review.
What a car! Utterly brilliant video, thanks,Matt.
What a car and the sound is absolutely amazing! You have to remember that yes it was 45 underneath but that 45 sat on double wishbones at the front and multilink in the back
yes, they were a superb starting point, people forget or dont realise how well sorted those cars were
It's basically a Honda Integra/Civic Type R chassis! 😀 Without the travel of a classic Rover strut setup, but minimal torque steer and tip it into a bend and it just goes round almost telepathically.
@@TassieLorenzo What`s not to like?
My favourite FD test drive, I love it. I had a BX GTi many years ago and a contemporary group test complained about the rear spoiler getting in the way of the rear view. I had no problem as there was never anyone close enough behind to bother me😁
The reason it feels so much faster than the 45 V6 is that the 45 had only a 2.0 and this is a 2.5😉
KV6 is a fantastic engine, sounds great and will go on forever if maintained correct, my ZT190 is currently on 302.000km.
and the manual transmitting the power rather than spinning uselessly and wasting it in the auto
Gosh Matt that SOUND !!!!!! thanks for taking me into the weekend with a big old SMILE 😁on my face 👌🏻, who cares it’s miserable & raining outside.
I have follwed Scott working on this car for a number of years now and it's a credit to him it's turned out so well.
The kit is very rare. I had a freind try to buy one but it was an extortionate amount of money. I do hope parts are available should it ever need any.
I build gearboxes for these cars and am surprised at the lack of wheel spin. Our car (Rover 45 with 250bhp turbo conversion) spins when pushed using the same ratio gearbox.
I think the super charger kit won't of been offered in the UK simply for fuel economy. I cannot think fuel economy has improved using this setup! But our 45 turbo can get around 40mpg on a run.
Matt, I suggest looking at the K turbo for your Tomcat. It's a collection of parts from the Rover/MG range which make a fantastic upgrade.
It is worth mentioning the gearbox in this is indeed one of your 4.2FD open diff boxes.
Really does help it get upto speed
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 it's funny you say this as our car we have done the opposite! The 4.2 version does help pickup on a NASP car but on a turbo it helps holding gears to hold boost.
Our 45 is also on 15" wheels so the 3.9 final drive helps as does the Quaife LSD...
I realise on a a super charged car you don't have this issue.
Great to see the car being used. I see so few around of the Rover MG range.
I had no idea Scott’s car had a supercharger. What a fabulous thing. And thanks for the mention!
Any time! And yes, its a bit special
Me, having never owned a Rover/MG, prefers the sound and simplicity of the standard 180. ...but I absolutely see the appeal in this car, for someone who's experienced with these cars, and want more. It's SO freaking cool.
This is the same as the MG Rover ZS 220 prototype in Australia which has the same supercharger engine spec. It was production ready just before the company collapse.
yes, I believe this kit came from Australia, one of the great motoring 'if onlys'
This is a road test I want to watch not hideous electric garbage
KV6 is a fabulous sounding engine
I remember looking at these when they were brand new. Now I feel old 😂
Can't believe you only need three people to get 100,000 subs
Nice car
Another great video has always matt and family 👍
This is a direction you may like to take the channel. Subtle modifications or 'what if' cars would be a great series of reviews to watch.
He’d be welcome to have my MGF for a bit and looks tall enough to drive it.
This. I'd happily let Matt take my slightly fettled Spec C for a blast. Sadly I'm at the other end of the country so not sure how viable that is.
in this case I'd happily let him take my absolutely standard looking mk4 Mondeo 2.5 turbo with 281bhp and 431Nm
Now the sound of this car sums up the name of this channel! This is a well done modification as well.
Awesome car, sounds amazing, and love the eye catching green colour.
Reminds me off my 1998 Honda Civic 5 door hatch I had around 10-12 years ago. It was a dark green, but in dark conditions it would look like a very dark green, but in the sunlight it was more like a Bluey turquoise colour😎
EDIT, did anyone else notice the owner bought a Lucas battery which has green branding, nice touch 😅
The vortex in the tank must be big, but the smile is definitely bigger! What a sound!
Nice of Scott to lend you the car! And what a car it is.
There was a chap in Australia selling a few Sprintex kits a couple of months ago, on one of the MG Rover facebook groups. They were about $5000 (AUD) if I recall correctly.
That is one very special car, it's got it all, looks, performance and what a sound! I agree with you, what a crying shame that this was not put into production.
I'm not sure whether Matt liked this car. He didn't sound very enthusiastic...;)
I've owned an Audi A4 2.4 v6 30v with a very rare PES G2 Supercharger kit using an Eaton M62 supercharger for 17 years trust me that supercharger whine never gets old I'm loathe to sell it nothing else sounds like it the torque and throttle response are instant I've recently bought a mint Boxster S with IMS failure to put the supercharger on to attached to an Audi S4 2.7 engine with Emerald ECU and Tiptronic gearbox they all bolt up plenty of people mainly in the US have done the mod using S4 engine with twin turbo but no ones done the 2.7 with a supercharger I cant drive manual It should be an absolute weapon in the lighter Bxster and ill be able to hear the whine even more it will be a one off treat for my 60th next year. Thanks for the upload and motivation if all goes well you can preview it.if you're interested
subbed
Wow, what a thing! The sound puts me in mind of the Aussie straight six Marina that HubNut drove.
Just that sound. Amazing car.
This brings back memories of getting my T4 diagnostic tool to talk to one of these. It was a fight.
Damn that sounds so good! Also love the colour. Great review Matt.
its addictive, I could have driven it all day
I almost supercharged a citroen Zx 2.0 16 valve once until my timing belt broke at 90mph on way back from buying the actual super charger 😂
The car said no. NA or go without. 😊
Excellent Review Matt, the soundtrack sold me the car😂😂
Testement to Scott for fitting the Supercharger, I now want one!
I think we all want one now!
FuriousDriving driving furiously. What a cool thing. I want one.
“Real pop and bang not a stilly map“. well said
Pop and bangs have become obnoxious whether they're "authentic" or a map. Sorry, but the chavs have ruined it for everyone!
@@lptomtom Speak for yourself. A nice single bang as you shift on a pull is great, if it's doing it while pottering about not so much.
Wow. What a car. I always had a soft spot for rovers . Grateful video mat.
Blimin heck ! That thing gets out of its own way!
That’s what I call furious driving!
One of my favourite ever cars that ive never owned
Cannot think of a more appropriately named channel for this to be reviewed on 😁.
Oh wow. I bloody love that.
Is the car's nickname Hulk? Well, it's furious and green, so if it's not, it should be 😁
Your channel, the owner of my saviour with my ZTT. Two worlds colliding to make a great video. Enjoyed greatly!!
Now that’s actually really cool!
What a fantastic car - Lab approved too!
Probably your best review to date, what a car! Waiting to see what youve got in store to show us the other side of 100k 😃
Rocket Ship 🚀
That sounds so good and makes me so annoyed they dont have more superchargers
I love these cars! Never knew you could supercharge the KV6. I thought it was too fragile and tuned to its max anyway. Glad I'm wrong!
I drive an MG ZT 260. When I'm done with it, I may trade for a ZS 180. Love to drive one! 😊👍👋
Hi! The ZS is mine, and it is a bit beefier than some may think. The rods are forged from factory, and apart from the compression being a bit high, it's OK for a little bit of boost.
I am also a 260 owner (Vin 338). Love that car, prefer the ZS though
@scottbiddlecombe1326 Mine's #469. Loving mine too! In fact I've bought a fair few bits from your company recently for it, so thanks for that! 😊👍. Yeah I'd love to try a ZS 180. My only worry is, like you, I'll love it even more than my 260! 😅
@scottbiddlecombe1326 The more you know about the KV6. Thanks Scott! 😊👍
Brilliant video, these are great cars without the supercharger, so this thing must be an amazing drive.
Let's hope the supercharger kit once it's fully refined is on DMGRS in the near future!
I dont know they're planning this as a kit, but maybe after this video they can be persuaded!
Very unlikely the problem they would have to find new a supercharger manufacturer as sprintex in Australia hasn't made those in many years and only very few were made in the first place.
The green looks cool 😊
Is it reliable? I remember from reading up on these years back that the Australian model zt 75 supercharged v6 was hideously unreliable hence why there are none left these days. Plus there was a guy selling or doing these conversions circa 07/08 who caused a few waves back in the forum days - RSM was it?
On another note I remember there was typhoon zs with a vent in the bonnet that was a test car or something similar - which I’ve seen locally to me but I believe it was sans the sprintex charger.
Hi, so this is my car.
It's not top bad reliability wise. The charger has only been on the car 18 months, but the oiler system and bit more fueling at the top alleviates most of the problems.
With regards to the RSM kits, iirc there were 4 kits that were sold, and this kit was the 4th of those kits.
Lastly the car you're thinking of is a Twilight MK2 180, which indeed was the original R&D car. The great news is it is one of those two cars I said I worked on, and the car was re-charged back in 2019. I know the owner of that car fairly well. Smashing chap
Sounds very interesting!
Totally different from my Calibra with Jenvey individual throttle bodies.
Nice car as well, looks good and well maintained.
Furious drives in New Forest. Sorry about the low speed limit.🥴
RE Diesels there was a big market in Europe. Most MG/Rovers find for sale here in Spain are "coal" powered. Obviously not the F/TF
The New Forrest paradox - some of the best roads around, but the low speed limit! Floor it to 40 over and over to enjoy the noise!
Always loved the ZS, but this is particularly cool - I'm a sucker for the pre facelift MG's but the colour compliments this one very nicely.
What an amazing car🤩😍👌👍😎😊
Getting close to the 100k Matt 👍👍👍
Great video & Scott is a great guy... what he doesn't know about these cars just isn't worth knowing.
Awwwhh, thanks mate 😂
Nice sounding engine!
I'd love to buy that! Brilliant car
God that thing is gorgeous
Congrats on less than 100k subscribers!🎉
the big 99,500 is where is at these days
Stunning car
Now that is a lovely car.
Love it!
Awesome car
Nice motor but I'm old fashioned it as to be the p6 for me the last of the great Rovers ❤
What an animal, great stuff 💪🏼😄
It a beast!!
The MG isn't bad either!
really enjoyed this video what a car its my dream machine.
I approve of this, many years ago I had a 1999 400hhr for a time, specifically a 414, i liked how quick it was for a 1.4 but it needed a nicer interior really, did that still have the passenger window switch down by the handbrake, one feature i really didnt like about the car, put them both on the door and give the passenger their own switch on their door man🤣🤣
I have a MG ZS not as good as that one but I still love it great fun car
7:09 The car Ian had, and the car Joseph had (which I now own) were/are 45’s, not 400’s, and don’t have the same engine. They had the 2.0 KV6, not the 2.5. They are less powerful, and have different driving characteristics. However, I find that I can enjoy the 45 V6 as much as I enjoy my ZT190 with the larger V6. The 45 V6 was unique in that it had the Steptronic/Stepspeed sequential manual shift option mated to the standard (ie. non-CVT) Jatco five speed auto box, and there lies the key to enjoyment. Seamless manual shifting allied to arguably the best handling chassis in class = fun!
I did like Ians/Jospephs/your V6, but didnt really get on with the gearbox the couple of occasions I drove it, the chassis was great, loved the interior and the sound but couldnt get on with the shifts
Love it!
It's the last of the V6's mate 👍
😂
10:01 Furious stunt dog cameo appearance ?
Would like to see the supercharger upgrade you mention at video end .
me too, if it exists!
The interior trim is called Black Oak.
A blown KV6?, nice. When i was at MG Rover Matt, we used to supply the police with some fully marked MG ZT Tourers for testing. The Police really like them but complained of the lack of mid range ump so MG Rover stuck a Super Charger on them, problem solved 🤣MG Rover were going to do some proper X Power models with some big power, shame they didn't do that instead of plouging money in to racing and MG SV. i know they had engineered a MG TF with a KV6 in it and adding Super Charger to the ZT V8. Obviously a blown ZS V6 would have been a natural thing to do. Don't know what they were planning for the ZR though, maybe a 2 litre K series with Turbo/super charger on it? I can remember the engineering guys tuning the heck out of a ZR Diesel and a director, whom shall remain nameless, took it home for a test. On the way in to the next morning, he blow the gearbox on it. Remember, this is more or less the same gearbox that went into the Tomcat Turbos with 200bhp so it must have had large amounts of torque, apparently it went like s**t of a shovel. The ZS with the body kit and Gills on the wings took MG Rover by surprise with the amount of sales.
Ive long said the same, the SV is amazing but they needed to send on the new models and affordable performance
Matt, wait until you get your Modified Rover 420 GSi Tourer Turbo back 🔥
it'll need some good mods to match this!
@@furiousdriving
It would be a great sleeper
@@paulie-Gualtieri. definitely!
Wow what a car! Somewhat quicker than my 1.6 ZS! 😂
Jesus christ, Biddlecombe has turned into phil Mitchell
Yipee I'm back, I've been ill.
I thought you'd been quiet, hope you're much better now
@@furiousdriving Thank you for noticing.
them chrome vents are out a 25 gsi and the chrome bits on the clocks are an aftermarket accessory
Hi there
You're correct about the dial rings. The air vents, however, are standard fitment in the MK2 25 and 45. I didn't like the standard MG item, so I changed them over
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 I thought the standard one was the silver one with no chrome on it
Cor Luvaduk, Woohoo. I bet it took several days longer to shoot that vid. "Fun Time". How the other half live. Thanks for vid. Goin fur a wee lie doon. Later 😂
i swapped a zr diesel for one of these in 2018 went from a gs430 lexus before. it was so light and nimble. one of these with an actual honda engine would be insane but never seen it done.
There was someone who put a k20 in one.
A more common swap is the t16 turbo though. there are some mental conversions out there
Would you believe it, there's a blue one for sale on carsales (Australia) for $18k......
Wonder how much it costs to ship to England?
@@furiousdriving probably ask hubnut, he'd be able to give you a rough idea
Lovely car, MGR should have developed supercharged V6 for production instead of the ZT V8! The ZS has always driven and handled so well very underrated. Drove a 2006 (registered) one I just disliked the level of road noise at times.
Apparently the oil servicing this needed meant they thought they'd be deluged with warranty claims as people wouldn't look after them properly, but then they shut anyway
Got a facelift. MG ZS Diesel. Maybe I can supercharge it 🤔😁🙄😲👍
I dont see why not!
What a fun car! I guess MG Rover could have fitted some stronger rods and pistons in the engine for the production model (budget permitting?), if they had any concerns about durability with the extra boost on the engine? I'm guessing KV6 engines already have a forged crankshaft?
it was the extra oil services they were worried about apparently as people would miss them
The kv6 doesn't take boost too well.
This one is at its limit.
Seen this about plus more living in Hythe Southampton
Hi, yes the car does indeed live in the Waterside
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 I've seen most of your cars always wants a zs MK2 did have a ztt for a few years but it was costing an arm and a leg (not that you minded when I was buying parts)
Why was this not stock? sounds mental 😍😍😍😍
I'm not sure the Janspeed meets the noise regulations of the time! Car manufacturers were taking the mickey with "off road use mode" loophole until the recent WLTP rules, where now they need to comply with the driveby noise mode in the loudest mode (no more blatant valves that bypass the muffler!).
Very nice 👍
Wish they made this along with the 1.8 Turbo swap. Heard about vapourware stories of experimental 2.7-litre KV6s as well as road-spec K2000 engines being tested for possible use in high-performance ZSs and other models before they went under. Could a road-going K2000 have opened the door for the KV6 to reach 3-litres in the same way there might have been untapped scope for the KV6 to reach 2.7-litres by way of the 1.8 K?
2.7 and 2.9 KV6 was in active development right at the end of MG Rover.
2.7 was essentially a longer stroke 2.5, but the 2.9 needed different pistons and liners iirc.
There is a TF Coupè being built currently that will have this 2.7 KV6.
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 Is it known roughly what the approx bore and stroke were for the 2.9?
A few overbore and stroker 1.8+ K-Series forums appear to suggest there was room for bore to grow to 82-82.5 if not 83 mm, while some stroked it to about 90-91mm IIRC. The K2000 by Judd meanwhile was said to be even more bespoke.
if mgr did this they could compete with proper rivals, like golf r32 and alfa gta
Would a Supercharged KV6 fit under the bonnet of a Tomcat?🤔
I guess it might if you cut a hole in the bonnet
CAREFUL: I noticed you’re driving round the New Forest, please be mindful most of the speed limits within the New Forest are limited to 30 miles an hour. You may have unfortunately incriminated yourself with the 0-60 speed test.
dont worry the 0-60 was filmed on an ugly road and nice B roll dropped over it
Speed limit in the New Forest is 40 for all stretches driven.
As Matt has explained though, he's dubbed over the run. The in car footage of the standing start which was used as the dub over features later.
@@scottbiddlecombe1326 yes some of the times it 40 but fenced area are not the case. But saying you’re going to stretch to 60 is going to cause concern for the local constabulary. I just don’t want him getting into problems.
@michaelvandromme fear not, I understand the sentiment and this point has been made by others already.
I am the owner of the car, and I've been a New Forest resident all my life. Matt was briefed on the limits before he took the car out, and he respected them at all times
I think I'm one of very few people that really dislikes the super charger whine.
I do like a turbo whistle but that whine has all the appeal of an old hairdryer.
Nah, supercharger every time- everything’s got a turbo these days, even diesels!
@@damonrobus-clarke533
That doesn't make superchargers sound any better.
The sound is nauseous.
I think a lot of people forget the huge dowry BMW left MG/Rover unfortunately it mostly went on motorsport, MG where in the BTCC from late 2001-03 & Le Mans in 2002/03. They where competitive in the BTCC, but motorsport is an expensive business & the dowry was quickly eaten up!
I think, even if MG Rover didn't spend money on their motorsport programme, the dowry they got would have been eaten up anyway. The ZS/45 replacement they had TWR work on still wouldn't have been enough to save them, even if they ploughed more money into it, and TWR didn't go into administration.
They needed a partner, and no one wanted to join them 😔
@@NeoRambler great point, it's a shame that they didn't focus on replacing the 25 imeaditly, I say that, as especially back then, hatchbacks where the biggest seller, once the Focus launched in 99, every make up'd there game.
@grdixon83 That's true. Perhaps they thought the ZR/25 would have tied them over in sales whilst the 45/ZS replacement was underway, before they began work to replace it. The ZR was one of their most popular models 😊👍
@@NeoRambler Why wasn't it sold to Honda back when Land Rover was still with it? Honda still doesn't have any real "serious" 4x4s to this day, so Land Rover would be very useful for Honda (and vice versa Honda quality control for Land Rover). Were Honda not interested? With just MG & Rover and no money spinners like Land Rover and Mini, one can appreciate that the group was much less valuable later on.
@TassieLorenzo I believe it was because Honda had gained everything they needed from Rover in terms of how to design cars with European tastes, and once their Swindon factory was fully up and running, they no longer needed Longbridge for production capacity of their cars. Honda didn't want to leave Rover entirely, but despite the efforts of John Towers, and Graham Day, to convince them to take a majority stake in Rover, BAe had already done the deal with BMW. Honda at that point then sold their shares to BMW, only allowing them to use the platforms for the 400/45, front end of the 200/25, the 600, and the 800 for royalty payments.
I believe also Honda did get access to Rover's books, but what they saw told them they were on their way out without series backing, which BMW appeared to want to give, and did 😊👍
Did u use the tea shelf?
it would have been on my lap, or the parcel shelf!
Ohhh...🤔 ZT-T 230
that would be a thing and a half
Didn't they once build a Braham special seem to remember something along that line?.
there was the BRM 200?
Think the 45 V6, at least the one Joseph Lloyd had was a 2L V6 not the 2.5.
it was the gearbox lag from the auto that spoiled that, it still sounded lovely
Shouldn’t be doing 60mph in the new forest ! 🌳
It wasnt, that was done out side on the A road and prettier B roll put over it