Insurers are by the nature of their existence cover risk so why would you keep something insured increasing the potential risk to you.  Easy in hindsight I guess, how many of us have done this thinking it was the best/easiest option?  If anything good is to come out of this poor persons plight its that you take heed and make sure you keep your insurances up to date.  I did it a few years ago with a car I gave to a family relative, not thinking about the elements in the article below.

Also if you are reading this short piece and are not insured, don’t be a dork! Get insurance, you are making life a bitch for anyone you damage.

Macmillan Cancer Support is the MG Car Club’s chosen charity which enables them to reach out to the MG community in an array of different ways. Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, you need a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way.

The MG Car Club are holding a Macmillan coffee morning on Friday September 28th at Kimber House in Abingdon. The MGCC has a long term charity partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and is aiming to raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause. “At MGLive! in June 2012, the MGCC raised £8,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support so we’re hoping to add to that figure.”

1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer you will want experts helping support you along the way. Macmillan Cancer Support help provide practical, medical and financial support to you and or your family when it is most needed.

The Macmillan coffee morning will be a great way to meet friends and share in the MG Marque over a cuppa and piece of cake. There will also be a guest speech by former BMC Competitions Secretary, Peter Browning and tours of Kimber House will also be available. Please contact Chris Seaward at MGCC if you would like to attend on chrisseaward@mgcc.co.uk

The MGCC is for all MG Owners and was formed in 1930 by Cecil Kimber. It is a not-for-profit organisation, based in Abingdon and catering for models of MG. With a worldwide membership of over 35,000 the MGCC has the experience and know-how to help owners get the most from their MGs.

MG Enthusiasts can join the Car Club by calling 01235 55 55 52 or by visiting the Club’s website  - www.mgcc.com

From rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive …

From Britain (and North America) to Japan …

From this MG ZT 260 …

… to this Honda Accord Type-S

This blog tells the story of how – and why – I changed from a much-loved MG ZT 260 to a Honda Accord Type-S 2.2 i-DTEC, and offers my impressions of the Accord after my first 2,000 km (about 1200 miles). In an earlier blog on this site, Anthony Braham compared his ZT-T 260 to a Maserati Quattroporte; other owners on the Two-Sixties forum have moved on to different V8s such as the Jaguar S-Type R or Vauxhall VXR8. My change was more mundane, but perhaps more representative of the decision other 260 owners may face.

At first sight, the two cars would seem to have nothing in common. And yet … both are 4-door saloons (or estates) with a discreetly sporting appearance, from a manufacturer positioned just below the German premium brands. In overall length, there is less than an inch between them, and – this might surprise you – only 30 Nm separate the torque outputs from their engines. Perhaps there is more to this comparison after all …

Qui vit bien, vit caché

I live in France and this saying means literally “He who lives well, lives in hiding”. Showing off your wealth has traditionally been frowned upon and that is truer than ever in the current economic downturn. France has never been as strong a market for upscale cars as Germany, Switzerland or even the UK. In today’s climate, times are tough for lovers of conspicuously thirsty V8s like our 260s. Demand for large, petrol-engined cars is shrinking every year: in 2011, for example, just 2% of all BMW 5 Series sold had petrol engines. That makes it increasingly hard to sell on high performance saloons. Many dealers simply won’t look at a 260, especially as MG no longer exists as a marque and the V8 is virtually unknown here, with only seven ZT 260 saloons registered new. Those that do will often propose derisory trade-in prices.  I was offered as little as 5,000 euros (about £4K) for mine; bear in mind that most used car prices on the Continent are significantly higher than in the UK.  Legislation, regardless of which party is in power, is steadily moving against cars like ours: the threshold for the highest level of new car registration tax (or “malus”) of 3,600 euros (£2,800) now starts at 231 g/km of CO2, with an additional annual payment for cars emitting more than 190g/km. At 314 g/km the 260 is off the scale!  There are also plans to limit access to some city centres for heavily polluting cars, and my home is right in the heart of Paris.

This is the environment I live and drive in, and I realise it may well be different from yours. Add to this some of the traditional challenges of using a car like the 260 in a city like Paris: exposure to knocks in traffic and when parking, and the car’s dislike for major traffic jams in hot weather (I experienced fuel vaporization a few times), and you may start to see why I found running a 260 as my sole car an increasingly challenging option for the long-term. Of the other 260 owners in France whom I met, I was the only one to use it as my only car. Lest I be accused of “wimping out”, I had run a series of V8s in Paris from 1999, but gradually the net has been closing in and this year I finally decided it was time to change.

Thanks to all the advice I found on the Two-Sixties forum and the excellent service I received from Austin Garages my 260 was running superbly when I sold it on, and it had less than 47,000 miles on the clock. I would have loved to keep it as a second car for special occasions, but with just one parking space that wasn’t really an option at this time. As one of my friends on the forum said, sometimes you have to leave on a high and move on when you’re ahead.

What to choose?

I wish I could say that all my time behind the wheel was spent storming over the Alps or along France’s many wonderful back roads, but sadly this isn’t the case. I’ve had some great drives in the 260, but – like many of us, I am sure – much of my driving consists of routine motorway and main road trips, with a dose of city traffic thrown in. For what would be my only car, another 4-door, 4-seat saloon with a decent boot for holiday luggage and photographic equipment was my starting point. The MG accustomed me to a high level of standard equipment, so I was looking for a car with all the toys included. For my longer trips back to the UK or on holiday I wanted a good motorway cruiser. And since I still hoped to enjoy my driving, it had to have a decent chassis and, preferably, manual transmission. Last but not least, the new car had to have radically better fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (and in turn resale values) than the 260, which inevitably meant looking at diesel models for the first time. When Messrs. Barker, Meaden and Tomalin on Evo magazine are all driving oil-burners and even Harry Metcalfe admitted to liking a Panamera diesel, I knew times were changing. My budget was a maximum of £20K on top of the value of the 260, which in France ruled out the Jaguar XF and some of the powerful 6-cylinder diesels from BMW.

I started looking around this spring, but quite a few of the cars I viewed left me cold and just didn’t check enough boxes for me to give up the MG, which meanwhile sailed through its last service and “contrôle technique” (the French equivalent of the British MoT test). I was offered quite a decent deal on one of the final Saab 9-5 saloons, with a 2-litre turbo engine fuelled by bioethanol (which costs less than 80p per litre in France), but it was bigger than I really needed and I was wary of the long-term parts supply, with only 10,000 cars produced and no future for the model in any business scenario. As I have described elsewhere on this site I had comprehensively upgraded the infotainment system in my 260 and speccing up the German compact executives like the BMW 320d or Audi A4 S-line to a comparable level took their prices to £37/38K, with no discounts available, which effectively ruled out these models.

I bought my 260 from Soupizet in Le Mans and have always been impressed by their service and friendly attitude. Soupizet now manages dealerships for Mazda and Honda (and Daihatsu, but after one drive in a Sirion let’s not go there!), so I started looking at the Mazda 6 and Honda Accord, both of them available with diesel engines offering at least 180 bhp. The Accord Type-S impressed me on a short test drive near Paris and it felt sportier and of higher quality than the Mazda, so my mind was made up. Soupizet offered me a very good trade-in on my 260, which they have since re-sold to a local collector, as well as a decent discount on the new Honda. I doubt whether I could strike a deal like this again. And so I placed my order in May and took delivery five weeks later.

Taking a look at the Accord Type-S

The current (eighth) generation of the Honda Accord was launched in 2008 and mildly facelifted in 2011, when the Type-S was added to the range. Saloon and Tourer (estate) body styles are available. The line-up in France is slightly different to that in the UK, with two models taking different approaches at the top of the range. Here you can either opt for a Luxury model, which includes full leather upholstery, a glass sunroof and – with the Innova version – all the electronic gizmos, including lane assist warning (LKAS) and adaptive cruise control (ACC), but with the standard 150 bhp diesel engine. Or you can go for the Type-S with the more powerful 180 bhp diesel engine and part-leather/part-velour trim, but without LKAS or ACC. The Type-S gets a different design of alloy wheel and a reasonably subtle body kit.

Rear body kit

Honda is renowned for its high-revving petrol engines and was a latecomer to diesel power, which has never been popular for use in passenger cars in its domestic market. In several European countries you can buy a Type-S with the 2.4 i-VTEC engine and manual transmission, but in France this engine is only available with automatic transmission and the Luxury trim level, which seems a surprising combination. It develops 201 bhp but has far less torque (230 Nm) than either of the diesels. In any event, diesel models dominate Accord sales in France, accounting for 92% of all new registrations in 2011.

Outside Europe, the Accord as we know it is marketed as the Euro Accord in Australia and as the Acura TSX in the US, where it is also available with a 280 bhp 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine, which should make for an enjoyable drive. The US market Accord is a different and larger design, competing there with the Toyota Camry. Honda was actually the first Japanese manufacturer to launch Acura as a separate premium brand in North America, ahead of Toyota (Lexus) and Nissan (Infiniti).

Compared with the ZT, all Accord models have rather more chrome trim, as has become fashionable recently. These things are subjective: personally, I find the exterior styling more contemporary than the MG, but relatively bland. The interior, on the other hand, is a real step forward, with a much more modern and distinctive design, as you would expect from a car launched ten years later. Interior room is comparable to the ZT, if perhaps a little tighter for legroom in the rear. The boot is a similar overall size, but with a less regular shape and more restricted access. To give the Type-S a sporting look, there are aluminium pedals and liberal use of red accents: on the instrument dials, in the stitching for the steering wheel and gear knob, and – hard to see in the photograph – as a polka dot pattern in the seat upholstery. Fit and finish are generally excellent, inside and out, albeit a notch down on the elevated standard now set by Audi and the other German premium brands. In a couple of areas, however, the Accord falls short of the already high bar set by the ZT: there is a simple prop for the bonnet, for instance, and manual, not automatic, height adjustment for the front seat belts. Opting for the Type-S rather than the Luxury model also means manual, not electric seat adjustment, although as I am the only regular driver of my car, this doesn’t worry me unduly.

Interior

Levels of equipment in the Type-S are nonetheless high, with some sophisticated technology at work. The lighting system is a good example, with bi-xenon headlamps, active cornering lights and automatic switching from dipped to main beam. Inside, you get a full trip computer, with the usual functions including average speed and fuel consumption. The heating and air conditioning system is, unsurprisingly, much better than in the 260, with effective ventilation available even with the A/C switched off. When switched on, an additional vent allows you to cool the glovebox, so no more melted Mars bars! The satnav even “talks” to the air conditioning system, telling it to step up when driving in the direction of the sun.

Xenon headlamps and fog/cornering lights

So what about the satnav system itself? On the downside, the graphics seem a little old-fashioned and you don’t get a touch-input screen: this has been introduced with the newest Civic, but in the Accord the screen is in any case too far away. There is no Internet connectivity or Google Maps view either, where the German manufacturers have led the way, so it is slightly off the pace by today’s exacting standards. In the US Acura has introduced HDD (hard disk drive) data storage for 2012, but in Europe Honda sticks to a DVD-based system, with two (presumably single-layer) map DVDs covering Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe respectively. Compared with even a Mark IV DVD-based 16:9 system in the ZT, however, it is a clear step forward. The system offers all the routing and display options you would get with a current TomTom or Garmin device, but with the benefit of an integrated installation. The GPS even updates the clock automatically as you move time zones, which will be very handy for my trips back to the UK! Ergonomically, it soon becomes intuitive to use, with most operations being carried out via the large central “jog wheel”.

Centre console with jog wheel and satnav in day mode

You can also control the entire satnav, audio and air conditioning systems by voice. This goes way beyond what was possible with the BMW/Mini Bluetooth module I had fitted to my 260, which had a very limited range of commands. In the Accord there are more than 100 possible commands. Want to turn down the temperature on the passenger side, tune to a particular FM radio frequency or navigate to the nearest Italian restaurant? Your word is its command! Even here, however, the pace of change is unrelenting; the latest Microsoft Blue and Me technology used by Fiat goes further and will recognize MP3 tags (for album, artist etc.) so that you can select any of your music library with a spoken command. Honda has recently announced an agreement to use Apple’s Siri voice recognition software, so we should expect further advances in voice and touch-screen technology for the ninth generation Accord.

Both the Luxury and Type-S models are equipped with Honda’s premium audio system with ten speakers, and the sound quality seems superior to that of the standard (non-Harman Kardon) set-up in the ZT. One feature which I believe Honda pioneered with the Legend is the use of active noise cancelling technology, as used by Bose and others for their headphones, to cancel out background noise. Again, the audio system is easy to use after a brief period of familiarization.   Unlike the BMW systems fitted in the Rover 75 and MG ZT, however, there is no option to fit a TV tuner.

The iPod integration is much better than that provided by the Gateway Dension unit I had fitted to my 260, with easier navigation through the iPod menus and a clearer information display on the main audio/satnav screen. This screen is also used for the back-up camera which switches on automatically when you engage reverse gear; it comes in addition to the customary front and rear parking sensors, so there can be no excuses for bumping this car! It is the first car I have driven with such a feature, but you soon get used to it.

iPod display

On the road

On paper, the biggest difference between the cars has to be in their engines. Gone is the wonderful soundtrack of the Ford V8, especially with the Zero exhausts I had fitted to my car. Gone too the sprints away from motorway tollbooths, letting the engine sing its way up through the rev range. The top speed – a largely academic consideration outside Germany - is lower (136 mph vs. 155 mph) and the 0-60 mph time is about 1.5 seconds slower. But in many ways the experience is surprisingly similar: I have always enjoyed the lazy performance of a V8 and the Accord’s diesel is really quite alike. The usable rev range is narrower, but in the mid-range from 1,500 – 3,500 rpm the Accord is very strong indeed. The Type-S gets 30 bhp and 30 Nm more torque than the standard Accord, thanks to a bigger intercooler and revised turbo for its aluminium engine. Its peak torque of 380 Nm actually comes in at just 2,000 revs and since the car is 100 kg or so lighter than the 260 subjectively it feels just as fast. When a startled Jeremy Clarkson tested the car for the Sunday Times, he described it as going “like a scalded cock”! The engine is mated to an excellent 6-speed manual gearbox, with a precise shift which reminds me of the Mazda RX-8 I ran before the MG; changing gears is a real pleasure. The clutch is much lighter than in the 260, which makes Paris traffic jams easier to put up with. The Honda’s diesel may have a dull engine note, but it is very unobtrusive on the move: cruising at motorway speeds it is noticeably quieter than the 260. If you can’t listen to a V8, you might as well enjoy some music through the excellent stereo system!

2.2 i-DTEC engine; note the strut brace for improved rigidity

It has been fifteen years since I regularly drove a front-wheel drive car, so this was another big change for me. Until now, the best-handling FWD car I have “owned” was a Ford Mondeo V6 I ran as a company car in the UK back in 1995-96. It’s a little early to say how the Accord compares but first impressions are good. The Type-S has firmer suspension than the standard Accord and runs on 18-inch wheels with 235/40 Michelin Primacy tyres, a size up on the 260, but less performance-oriented than the Pilot Super Sports I had fitted on the 260 at the end. The balance between ride and handling feels similar to that in the MG, with a firm ride over the cobblestones you still sometimes find in Paris, but smoothing out well at higher speeds. I have been impressed by the crisp turn-in and lack of understeer; the car corners with little roll and – despite plenty of rain over the past month – I have not detected any significant problems with torque-steer. I have had no issues either with the electrically-assisted power steering, although these systems are sometimes criticized for their lack of feel. Testing the car for Fifth Gear, Vicki Butler-Henderson was taken aback by the car’s agility, describing it as having “pseudo-touring car levels” of handling. As you would expect from a modern design, the Accord has all the latest electronic safety aids such as traction control, stability control (ESP), brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency braking assistance. This is an area where the 260 shows its age, but at the same time its simplicity is a key part of its appeal.

18-inch alloy wheels with 235/40 tyres

I have left fuel consumption – one of the biggest reasons for my change – to the end. With the 260 I averaged about 23 mpg over 5 years and 38,000 miles; Paris traffic, warmer temperatures leading to more use of the air conditioning and higher motorway speeds probably pushed that down by 1-2 mpg compared with what I could have achieved in the UK, at least away from London. The Accord Type-S diesel has CO2 emissions of 147g/km, less than half those of the 260, but still some way behind the best-in-class figures achieved by BMW with their latest 320d,which produces near-identical power and torque, but emits just 119 g/km of CO2.  The latest Honda diesel engine in the 2012 Civic is also more fuel-efficient.  Even so, with trips to the UK and up to Normandy, plus some local journeys in the Paris area, I have so far averaged a highly creditable 47 mpg. The second tankful was in fact noticeably better than the first, returning over 49 mpg, as the engine has bedded in and I have become more used to its power characteristics. This is only slightly off the official EC combined figure of 50.4 mpg. With diesel at least 10% cheaper than unleaded in France my fuel bill has dropped by more than 60% overnight. Result!

Gear shift indicator and trip computer showing 48.7 mpg!

The Accord does not have an automatic stop-start system, but – like many recent cars – it does have a gear shift indicator, telling you when to change up or down. This is rather too eager, encouraging you to short shift at only 1500/1600 rpm and so dropping you out of the power band. I prefer to change up a bit later, which lets you enjoy more of the performance and doesn’t seem to be harming the fuel consumption. It should also keep the DPF (diesel particulate filter) in better condition, as these can clog up with too much low-speed work. Another benefit of this economy is the great range between fill-ups it allows: with a tank of similar capacity to the 260, I have been going over 600 miles between visits to the petrol station, this without the low fuel light coming on.

Ownership prospects

Honda has an enviable reputation for reliability, regularly reaching the top of J.D. Power surveys in the UK and France. The lower fuel bills and 20% cheaper insurance should make the Accord much less costly to run than the MG, and there isn’t much scope to fit any upgrades. With a 5-year extended warranty the Type-S should be a trouble-free ownership proposition. I only noted two small defects on delivery: incorrectly set tyre pressures and the tilt functionality for the passenger side door mirror when selecting reverse not working. The first was soon put right and the second may in fact be an error in Honda’s model documentation, as it was inoperative on the Type-S Tourer I test drove in Paris as well. In any case, I won’t be asking for a refund!

The Accord is an individual choice in France: just 285 were registered new here last year and nearly all sales are private rather than to companies. But – unless Honda revives the old Series VI Type-R Accord of 1999-2001 – it will never be an enthusiast’s choice like the ZT 260. The 260 was an entrance ticket to club and magazine events such as the Youngtimers Festival at Montlhéry and always received a warm welcome. It has the support of the best online car forum I have known: the Two-Sixties has provided a wealth of advice and a wonderfully friendly atmosphere. It even got me started writing on motoring topics, here and for Enjoying MG, the MG Owners’ Club magazine. With fewer idiosyncrasies to deal with, the Accord probably has less need for this kind of support and so far I have not found the same extent of knowledge on the two forums I have visited. The camaraderie of the Two-Sixties will be one of the things I miss most now that I have sold my V8.

Conclusion

Do I regret my decision to buy the Accord Type-S?  No, it does what it says on the tin and then some; purchasing it always felt like a sensible decision, but it is more enjoyable to drive than I expected.

Do I miss the 260?  You bet. I have had the good fortune over the past twenty years to own several V6 and V8 petrol-engined cars, even one (the Mazda RX-8) with rotary power, and for me nothing beats the sound and effortless power of an old-fashioned V8. The MG ZT 260 gave me that and more, thanks to the community that has built up around it and the interest it generated. Together with the Ford Mustang which got me started on V8s it is the car that has given me the most pleasure to own; I enjoyed it even when it was parked in the garage!

My decision was a personal one, based on my situation here in Paris, and even then it wasn’t easy. If your circumstances let you go on enjoying your 260, I certainly wouldn’t suggest you give it up. If you do have to change though, be reassured: life does go on, even without a 260! For my part, I hope that at another time I will be able to buy a second car just for fun. That might well be another V8, it could be another MG, or perhaps both together. I should be careful what I say here; I ended up buying back my Mustang two years after selling it!  There are some other V8-engined MG options too; now I think about it, I even wrote a blog about them once …

But until then I shall just say “Au revoir”, or should that be “Sayonara”!

MG Rover has now been gone for more than seven years. The cars live on but the numbers are starting to drop. What started as a trickle of cars making their way to the breakers yard is now turning into a flood and will, inevitably, become a torrent in the near future.

“Since the start of production in 1999, 137,000 cars have perished, that is about 12,455 per year. If this decline continues we will see extinction in eight years.”

Tim Hayton

A sobering thought.

The current clubs related to the Rover 75 and MG ZT have done a brilliant job of slowing the decline through providing a wealth of information and advice to help owners keep their cars on the road. The problem is that, for many owners, these cars are a means to an end. A whole load of car for very little money, far better value than the majority of vehicles available second-hand….but, being cheap to buy does not mean cheap to run! When the clutch needs doing or the manifold starts rattling, or the belts are due, then the sub £2000 price paid doesn’t stack up so well against a bill for a quarter or even half of that again! Of course, these things can be fixed for much less if one is willing to dig out the overalls and get stuck in. That said; when it is your daily driver and you need it back on the road for Monday morning…this may not be such an appealing idea! Alongside this is the attrition rate due to more general neglect, accidents and water ingress. Our cars, simply put, are not ‘worth’ enough any longer for most people to spend much money on them.

Yet, looked after properly, they will offer quality, comfort and reliability for years to come.

Given the right support they could still be a common sight on the roads in another ten, twenty years’ time. The fear is, that with the myth of parts being difficult to find becoming a reality, garages becoming unwilling to work on the cars, or insurance companies writing them off because of age / expense. The more difficult side of ownership is beginning to emerge – and in a harsh economic climate when people have less disposable income, an old, complicated and increasingly difficult to repair car becomes a liability and no longer a pleasure to own.

We are not quite at this ‘tipping point’ yet, that point where numbers on the road go into free-fall….but we are perilously close. If we leave it too much longer the list of NLA parts at Xpart or Rimmers and the like will begin to increase at an alarming rate. Equally, the current plentiful supply of cars being broken up will start to tail off as the numbers on the road reduce; at which point, second-hand parts prices will start to rise and even this avenue for keeping the cars going cheaply will no longer be open to us.

As Tim Hayton says;

“We are in a period of lower prices and good supply which I would suggest is the next stage of ownership; followed by increasing prices, poorer supply and specialists becoming the norm.”

If this all sounds rather grim and doom-mongering one only has to look at previous ‘popular’ models of cars over the last two decades to see that it is simply the nature of a car model’s life. At some point, the only ones left will be those which are owned by the real dyed-in-the-wool enthusiasts.

It is against this backdrop that 75 & ZT Enthusiasts was conceived.

The need to be doing more to ensure the long-term survival of the marque was uppermost. 75 & ZT Enthusiasts are an active, practical and supportive group that will be facilitating and putting funds towards the emerging (and much needed) ‘cottage industry’ of parts improvement / replacement, electronic research and development, parts sourcing / remanufacture and in the longer term, a parts repository and shop dedicated to long term ownership requirements. All this and the establishment of a national register of owners’ cars which can be used to negotiate small-scale parts production, discounts and other benefits to members.

The previous reliance on disparate members to do these things and fund the development in the first place is something that needs to change. The folk, who do what they do for the love of the cars, need and deserve more support and encouragement, better access to fellow experts and information, a source of potential funding for projects and a membership who are looking to the long-term future of the cars.

Some may say there is no need for such an undertaking, that things can carry on as they are for a while yet – they can indeed but the need to have something in place before things get difficult, before parts disappear off the shelves or sky-rocket and before the technical knowledge, know-how and experience drifts away is something that 75 & ZT Enthusiasts felt needed to be addressed today, to pre-empt future problems and to give us all the best chance of being able to continue to drive an icon into the future.

This all makes us sound terribly earnest – which we are, but only where the cars are concerned! Aside from this 75 & ZT Enthusiasts exists for its members, as a co-operative undertaking that looks after those involved as well as the cars. We have strong links with other interest groups and plan to hold a variety of events, alongside our partners, to raise the profile of the cars but just as importantly to meet up, be sociable and have a laugh.

Joining the 75 & ZT Enthusiasts is free. We are a donations-based organisation and contributions of time, expertise, fund-raising, practical support as well as cash are all welcomed.

Contact: Carl Dowling  on Zeb@75-zt.com

For further information go to: http://www.75-zt.com/about/

Over the course of a few years I’ve been monitoring the second hand parts market and have noticed the increased volume of parts with the corresponding reducing price. I’m referring to parts for the whole Rover 75/ZT production, not just the V8 of which I have a special interest; as a result of the laws of supply and demand I have observed the lowering second hand price range for car parts.

 The benefit of this is that we can buy things on the cheap and have the ability to obtain parts as and when we need them. But on the other hand, the decline in the number of 75s and ZTs is accelerating, add to this the disparity of the whole car value against the sum of the parts and we are left with an ever-growing decline.

This disparity has accelerated the reduction in the numbers, which will continue until the balance has returned. My concern however is that the balance is not going to improve anytime soon due to circumstances which are not applicable to other more modern car makes. The current economic situation and the trend towards driving more efficient cars will play a major factor in the length of the cannibalisation of the Rover 75 and MG ZT. Both these additional factors will, in my opinion, kill off a large part of the car population in a shorter time than in the past with other car populace.

The current reduction will eventually result in a balanced market again but with a far reduced car population and perhaps smaller than may have been if the current climate had not existed. This would obviously be a shame but conversely may accelerate the car to classic status with parts produced by the smaller specialist makers, which is what is currently happening with the V8.

The next stage to Sainthood

 We are in a period of lower prices and good supply which I would suggest is the next stage of ownership; followed by increasing prices, poorer supply and specialists becoming the norm. The length of this period is difficult to predict; taking into account the design, quality and the plaudits the Rover 75 achieved during the time MG Rover Group was in business, and since the demise in 2005 with Best Ride Quality from Auto Express in 2006 and Best Used Car Award for family car in 2007.

I suggest this next stage is going to be around four to five years with the approximate 238,000 75/ZTs built, the question is; how many are left now?

Using Government figures for vehicles currently registered on the roads of the UK, the figure is a surprising low 73,625 which would suggest a total of around 101,025, after taking into account an estimated 20,000 for exports and 7,400 as not currently registered.

Since the start of production in 2009, 137,000 cars have perished, that is about 12,455 per year. If this decline continues we will see extinction in eight years. In reality however the attrition rate levels off as the car becomes rare with the car enthusiast taking great care in looking after the vehicle.

 So how do we get to ‘Sainthood’? Simple really, make sure car enthusiast groups survive and flourish, that the car you drive is maintained, used and scrubbed up to look its best.

The likes of the classic MGs where there has been good enthusiastic support from clubs over the years means that the long term future of the Rover 75 and MG ZT is assured.

We just need to make sure there will be a responsibility to ownership; it’s not just about owning the car.

Reference:

Total production figures of the Rover 75 and MG ZT

1999: 53,581 from Cowley
2000: 28,388 from Cowley then 3,156 when the production line as moved to Longbridge.

2001: 33,883 Rover 75 –  3,510 MGZT
2002: 32,123 Rover 75 -  6,914 MGZT
2003: 30,449 Rover 75 –  8,011 MGZT
2004: 24,156 Rover 75 –  6,844 MGZT
2005 to 8^th April: 5,439 Rover 75 – 1,870 MGZT

How many left?

http://howmanyleft.co.uk/?q=rover%2075&p=0

As many of you will have read, MG Motor UK began offering tours of their Longbridge site in mid-March this year, as part of their promotion of the latest MG6.  Although members of the Two-Sixties have been privileged to enjoy specially organized visits to Longbridge in the past, this is a new opportunity open to everyone, with tours taking place every week.  I took the chance during a recent trip to the UK to join the tour on March 29; these are my impressions of that visit.

Practical information

Tours – which are completely free of charge – take place each Thursday at 1PM and last about two hours.  The visits start from the main MG Sales Centre which is clearly signposted on Lowhill Lane in Longbridge, a short distance from Junction 2 of the M42 on the southern side of Birmingham.  You can find full details on how to sign up here.  You may have to wait a while though … MG has been overwhelmed by the interest in these tours, with bookings already through to October.

The author's ZT260 outside the Longbridge site

Starting the tour

Visitors are met in the brand-new Sales Centre with complimentary tea and coffee.   On my visit there were about 15-20 participants.  The tour begins with a short PowerPoint presentation in the adjoining Lecture Theatre, which covers the history of the Longbridge site and the Austin and MG marques.  This provides a context for the rest of the tour and also sets the tone for the day.

MG6 sales display

Unusually the visits are hosted not by specialist tour guides or sales staff, but by senior managers from MG.  On March 29 our host, Steven Bunn, was a longtime MG Rover employee who had previously managed their paint shops.  Ian Pogson, the engineering manager who has been a good friend to the Two-Sixties (and who was still wearing his 260s lanyard!), was also on the tour getting ready to lead future visits himself.  Another participant was the head of the engine plant in China where the new diesel engine will be built (but I’m getting ahead of myself there!).

What came through right from the start was the pride which everyone involved with the new MG operation feels: in the manufacturing tradition of the Longbridge site and the MG heritage, but also the fresh start they have been able to make and the new cars they are developing.  For any owner of a 260 or MG enthusiast, this was a day to come back to where our cars were built and, just as importantly, to feel good about the future of the marque.

A slice of history

Across the road from the Sales Centre Lord Austin’s office has been re-created in its original form, with mementoes from his work at Longbridge and friendships with other motor industry leaders such as Henry Ford.  This is very well presented with a short video explaining the significance of all the items on display.   The tour then continues through a large lecture theatre showing continuous film footage of the old assembly plants at Longbridge, before coming to the museum.

A Rover 75 2.5 V6, the five millionth Rover built

This has a display of about ten cars which have marked the history of the Longbridge plant.  Probably closest to our interests are a Golden Jubilee MG TF from 2002 and the five millionth Rover built, a Rover 75 2.5 V6 in a distinctive aubergine hue.  Alongside the modern 75 is another 75-badged Rover, a P3 saloon from more than fifty years before.  No collection in Longbridge would be complete without a Mini and MG have four on show: one of the first Austin Sevens from 1959, a classic Cooper S and two newer “specials”.  The first of these is a high-performance model with a 16v head and BRM-style orange detailing, the other a leather-trimmed “Mini Limo”, equipped with a very early Philips “Carin” navigation system.   Two Austin-Healey 3000s complete the exhibit.   It’s good to be able to get up close to all the cars, but if I have a criticism, this is perhaps the weakest part of the current tour: the display area is rather cramped and the cars are not really shown off to best advantage.

21^st century MG

But so much for the past!  The next stage of the tour brings the history of MG right up to date, and even beyond!   Visiting MG’s Technical Centre was, I think, the highlight for everyone on the tour.  A large open-plan building houses many of MG’s 400 UK-based staff who work closely with their Chinese counterparts to develop the next generation of MGs.  Just seeing how their engineers work is interesting in itself; many members of the group were fascinated by the high-quality 3D printer which is used to model new components.

Right beside the open-plan offices a series of exhibits present the SAIC group and bring alive how development work is carried out.  On my visit you could see examples of the 1.8 turbo petrol engine currently fitted to the MG6 and the manual transmission which will be fitted to the new 1.9 litre diesel engine which is due at the end of 2012.  Alongside them styling sketches of the forthcoming compact MG3 and a resin model of the medium-sized MG5 (just launched in China) show the modern design language which MG is evolving for its latest models.

This is where the calibre of the tour leaders really shines through.  Whether they were describing the organizational structure of MG Motor’s parent company, SAIC, or talking about the development of new styling models or drivetrains, our guides were key members of that effort and could speak as highly qualified insiders.  Some of their incidental remarks gave a tantalizing glimpse into working with a Chinese company: for example, that the Chinese typically don’t tow or fit roof racks, so those were design considerations which the European team had to voice.

Back to the Sales Centre

Later this year the tour will go on next to the assembly lines but these were temporarily closed when I visited as MG gears up for the new diesel-engined models which will be key to the company’s success in Europe.   To understand just how critical these will be, 90% of cars sold new in the Focus/308/Mégane class in France today are diesel-powered.  All the MG staff on the tour were really enthusiastic about this new engine and what it means for their success.

For now though the visit concludes in the Sales Centre.   This is the best possible opportunity to compare different colours and spec levels for the current MG6 GT and Magnette models.  A couple of late-model TFs, including a rare 85^th Anniversary version, and a lovely 6-cylinder WA saloon from the 1930s complete the display.   Or very nearly … for any 260 owner it was hard not to focus on Brian and Paul Luti’s monstrous black and green ZT 520, which has recently joined the show!   Let’s hope that it will soon be accompanied by one of the MG6 racers which MG is running in the BTCC championship this year.

The Dreadnought ZT520

Next to the Sales Centre is the dealer training area and Ian Pogson kindly took me in there at the end of the official tour.  This is where the dealer technicians are trained up on the new models, with stripped down but still functioning cars showing how everything fits together.

MG6 dealer training car

For prospective purchasers of the MG6 it is possible to go on and take a test drive and on the day of my visit a couple of people did so.  All visitors come away with a goodie bag of brochures, MG-branded trinkets and a special offer card for visits to many tourist attractions around the UK.

The MG6 is getting off to a hesitant start in the UK market so I’m sure all of us wish MG Motor well; I would certainly like to thank Steven Bunn (the tour guide for my visit), Simon Bennett from the Sales Centre and of course Ian Pogson for the warm welcome they extended to me and all the visitors to the site.

Postscript: other sites nearby for MG enthusiasts

If like me you have travelled some way to visit Longbridge you may want to take in some other events and places for the MG enthusiast on the same trip.  The highlight for me would have to be the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon (just off the M40 between Warwick and Banbury).   This houses the most important collection of British motor vehicles in the UK; treats for the MG owner include many historic MGs in the new mezzanine sports car gallery, a cutaway MGB GT, the ADO61 and ADO70 sports car prototypes and a stunning orange SV.  Until 2 September 2012 a special exhibition of Motoring Record Breakers features a dramatic display of three MG EX cars.  Rover is well represented too, with the first 75 off the production line, the P6-based T4 gas turbine car and one of the Queen’s personal 3.5-litre P5B saloons.

MG record car display at Gaydon

Also nearby are the Coventry Transport Museum, which gives a fascinating insight into the motor industry in the Midlands, and – until its closure in September 2012 – the Jaguar Heritage Museum in Browns Lane, Coventry, which is home to some great cars from the company’s sporting past.   If you plan on attending the Classic Car Show at the NEC in November or the MG Show and Spares Day at Stoneleigh in February both these are short drives from Longbridge.

Introduction

Tout commence à l’automne 1998, avec le lancement de la Rover 75 au Salon de Birmingham.  Grande berline entièrement nouvelle, la 75 se démarque par sa ligne élégante et sa finition soignée dans la meilleure tradition anglaise.   Avec des moteurs développant jusqu’à 177 cv (en version 6 cylindres 2,5 litres) elle vient chapeauter la gamme Rover, composée alors des modèles 200 et 400 (rebaptisés par la suite 25 et 45).  Même si la 75 n’est nullement sportive, le public et la presse automobile lui réservent un accueil enthousiaste.  Mais le groupe BMW – propriétaire de Rover depuis 1994 – n’obtient ni le soutien financier du gouvernement britannique ni la rentabilité qu’il avait espérée de ses investissements outre-Manche.  En 2000 BMW cède donc le groupe Rover pour la somme symbolique de dix livres à un consortium britannique,  Phœnix Venture.

MG renait de ses cendres

Bientôt renommée MG Rover, la nouvelle société transfère la production des Rover de Cowley (laissant cette usine à BMW pour sa future Mini) à Longbridge et récupère en même temps le très réussi roadster MG F.   Les nouveaux propriétaires des deux marques ne tardent pas à exploiter tout le potentiel de l’enseigne MG.  Avec le concours du talentueux designer Peter Stevens – créateur de la McLaren F1 – une nouvelle gamme de berlines sportives est lancée dès 2001, des déclinaisons ZR, ZS et ZT correspondant aux 25, 45 et 75 de Rover.  Avec une présentation plus sportive, des suspensions raffermies et quelques chevaux de plus, ces modèles MG inédits donnent un nouvel élan à la marque bientôt octogénaire.   La ZT et sa version break ZT-T reçoivent une version du moteur KV6 portée à 190 chevaux.

Mais les nouveaux dirigeants de MG Rover ne veulent pas en rester là et affichent de grandes ambitions pour la célèbre marque à l’octogone.  Ils annoncent que deux versions de la ZT (et ZT-T) seront proposées avec des moteurs V8, développant 260, voire 385 chevaux ; un coupé très performant, le futur – et très confidentiel – SV serait aussi à l’étude.

2003 : la ZT 260 voit le jour

Il fallait cependant attendre la rentrée 2003 pour voir les premières ZT 260 débouler sur les routes anglaises, et pour cause.  La transformation n’était pas des plus simples : non seulement fallait-il remplacer le moteur de la ZT 190 par un V8 d’origine Ford de 4,6 litres de cylindrée, mais les ingénieurs de Longbridge se sont évertués à passer de la traction à la propulsion !   Confiée dans un premier temps au préparateur anglais Prodrive, la transformation est finalement assurée en interne, avec l’aide du spécialiste américain Roush, reconnu pour son travail sur la Mustang.  Sur le marché anglais deux niveaux de finition sont proposés, la SE offrant un équipement très complet avec sellerie en cuir, phares au xénon, changeur CD, navigation et même la télévision !

Peu de temps après le lancement de la 260, toute la gamme MG se rajeunit avec un léger restylage (notamment de la face avant), tandis que de nouveaux équipements sont proposés.  C’est cette deuxième version de la ZT 260 qui sera présentée en France au printemps 2004.  Hélas, la situation financière de MG Rover continue à se dégrader et en avril 2005 la société est déclarée en faillite.  Au total, 883 exemplaires de la ZT (-T) 260 – et de la rarissime Rover 75 V8 – seront fabriqués, dont environ 130 en conduite à gauche.

Mais quid de la ZT 385 ?   Son développement se poursuit pendant 2004, les chevaux supplémentaires étant obtenus par le montage d’un compresseur, mais l’histoire mouvementée du groupe finit par avoir raison d’elle.   Une seule 385 – en version break ZT-T 385 – sort des lignes de production ; elle est conservée aujourd’hui par l’un des responsables du MG Owners’ Club en Angleterre.

Moteur !

De l’extérieur peu d’éléments permettent de distinguer la 260 des autres modèles de la gamme ZT, hormis ses quatre sorties d’échappement, signe distinctif de bien des voitures V8 d’autres marques.  Mais sous le capot tout change, avec l’installation du moteur V8 Ford de 4,6 litres de cylindrée et deux soupapes par cylindre.  Par le passé – avec la MGB GT V8 des années 70 et la RV8 vingt ans plus tard – MG avait fait appel au moteur V8 d’origine Buick, celui qui équipait en son temps les Rover 3500S et autres Vitesse.  Mais en 2003, contrôle des émissions oblige, ce bloc arrive à la fin de sa longue carrière.

C’est donc vers Ford que MG se tourne.  Son moteur V8 est réputé pour sa robustesse  – d’autres versions sont installées dans les berlines Crown Victoria des forces de l’ordre et des taxis américains – et équipe depuis 1996 la Ford Mustang GT.  C’est cette variante du V8 « modulaire » qui animera la ZT 260, développant maintenant 260 chevaux (d’où son nom) à 5.000 tours et un couple impressionnant de 410 Nm à 4.000 tours.  Ce moteur est accouplé à la même transmission que celle de la Mustang GT, une Tremec TR-3650 avec une 5^e vitesse légèrement raccourcie pour favoriser les relances sur autoroute.

Suspensions et freinage

Deuxième transformation majeure de la 260, la ZT traction devient … propulsion !  C’est presque du jamais vu, seul Triumph ayant suivi le même chemin avec le métamorphose de sa petite 1300 en Toledo en 1970, mais pour baisser les coûts de production et non pour améliorer le comportement de la voiture.   Avec ce changement radical toute la partie arrière de la ZT est revue, avec une nouvelle suspension multibras, des ressorts Eibach et des amortisseurs Bilstein.   Ces dispositifs sont complétés par un différentiel à glissement limité Hydratrac d’origine Dana et des freins AP Racing.  L’ABS est monté de série et les 260 « phase 2 » (donc toutes celles vendues en France) disposent d’un antipatinage (déconnectable), mais ne cherchez pas d’ESP ni d’autres aides à la conduite !

Tous ces nouveaux équipements mécaniques n’entrent qu’au chausse-pied et nécessitent bon nombre d’autres modifications.   A l’intérieur de la voiture le tunnel de transmission plus large ne laisse pas de place pour un repose-pied dans les voitures en conduite anglaise.  Le système de chauffage n’entre plus et doit être remplacé par une nouvelle installation,  de conception plus simple et source de problèmes récurrents par la suite.   Dans le coffre la nouvelle suspension et la batterie (relogée pour l’occasion) empiètent sur la place prévue pour la roue de secours : les 260 n’auront droit qu’à des bombes anti-crevaison.

Dans une période difficile pour le constructeur MG, mal en point financièrement, il faut saluer le travail accompli par les ingénieurs de Longbridge.  La presse spécialisée apprécie en tout cas les résultats : la sonorité du V8, ses bonnes reprises, le comportement sain et équilibré du châssis et l’excellente finition de l’intérieur.  Les accélérations sont toutefois jugées un peu décevantes (à cause du poids conséquent de la voiture) et – le contraire aurait été surprenant ! – la consommation élevée.  Vous pouvez encore lire – et regarder –  quelques essais d’époque sur les sites (tous en langue française) de l’Automobile sportive,  Le Moniteur Automobile,  Automania et VodeoTV.

Les chiffres clés

La 260 aujourd’hui

En Angleterre la ZT 260, dernier fleuron de la gamme MG avant sa disparition,  jouit déjà d’une réputation de « futur collector ».  Un forum très actif, The Two-Sixties, affilié au MG Owners’ Club, réunit 40% des propriétaires des versions V8 et prodigue informations et conseils avisés à tous ceux qui s’intéressent au modèle.   Le forum a même repris la fabrication de certaines pièces spécifiques à la 260 qui sont devenues rares ou particulièrement chères (soupape et durites de chauffage, disques de freins etc.).   Les autres pièces courantes sont largement partagées avec le reste de la gamme Rover 75/MG ZT et leur distribution est assurée par XPart, une division du groupe Caterpillar, ainsi que par quelques spécialistes réputés comme Rimmers.

Bien que la ZT 385 « officielle » ne soit pas entrée en production de série, un préparateur écossais, Dreadnought Garage, propose une conversion très réussie avec un kit compresseur portant la puissance du V8 à 400 cv.  D’autres spécialistes du modèle assurent son entretien (citons notamment Austin Garages, au nord de Birmingham), le montage d’échappements sport en inox (de marque XPower ou Zéro) ou la mise à jour des composants audio (qui sont d’origine BMW) avec la navigation par DVD, la télévision numérique ou encore des connexions Bluetooth et iPod, sans dénaturer la présentation de l’habitacle.

La 260 en France

Déjà rare dans son pays d’origine, la ZT 260 devient une véritable voiture d’exception sous nos latitudes.  D’après le livre d’Adrien Cahuzac, MG, les sportives so British (ETAI, 2011), on ne recense que huit MG ZT 260 vendues et immatriculées neuves en France, dont un break ZT-T 260.  Rajoutons deux ou trois voitures arrivées ici d’autres pays européens et deux berlines Rover 75 V8 et on ne dépasse guère une douzaine de voitures sur le sol français.   Les « Youngtimers » devenant à la mode en France, la ZT 260 aura toute sa place au sein de ce mouvement.  La jeune revue KM/H a déjà consacré un reportage de six pages à la voiture dans son numéro d’avril 2010.

Pour celui qui veut rouler en ZT 260 en France, le plus difficile sera certainement d’en trouver une à vendre !  Mais une fois cette étape franchie, l’immatriculation et l’assurance du véhicule ne posent pas de problème : la voiture a obtenu son certificat de conformité européen et a été réceptionnée aux Mines.  La 260 est généralement fiable et ses caprices sont maintenant connus et relativement faciles à corriger.  N’espérez cependant pas trouver beaucoup de garages en France qui connaissent la voiture, même parmi les anciens concessionnaires de la marque.  Quelques notions d’anglais sont donc souhaitables pour profiter pleinement du soutien du forum et des spécialistes britanniques.

MG Motor UK has committed to building its new BTCC car – the MG6 GT model – to the Next Generation Touring Car regulations. These are leading to a greater number of bigger, faster, turbocharged machines on the BTCC grid for fans and media to savour.

Double Champion Jason Plato and emerging talent Andy Neate will drive for MG’s team which, with primary sponsorship from Tesco Fuels’ Momentum 99 brand and energy drink KX, will be called MG KX Momentum Racing. Triple Eight Race Engineering, one of the most successful constructors in BTCC history, will build and prepare the cars for what will be MG’s first foray as an official entry in the championship since 2003.

Gow, who made the BTCC a household name in the Nineties and who has led it through another boom period recently – it currently enjoys some 120 hours of coverage per season on ITV – commented: “This is fantastic news for all the fans who follow the BTCC, either in their hundreds of thousands trackside or in their vast millions watching on TV in both the UK and many other regions around the globe.

“MG is one of motoring’s truly evocative names so its BTCC campaign will, I’m sure, really capture the public’s imagination. This high-profile return to the forefront of competition in the BTCC is also certain to prove highly effective in terms of marketing for MG and all of its partners, as well as delivering some great results for them on the track.”

And added Gow: “This news has again underlined the great success of our NGTC regulations, enabling teams and manufacturers such as MG to embark on a major BTCC programme in a far more cost-effective and competitive basis than before – hence the reason we have such a fabulous diversity of makes and models in our championship.”

The MG6 stood out amount the other contenders by winning an award for its top-rated security system at the What Car? Car of the Year 2012 event last night in London.

The ceremony, which took place at the Grosvenor Hotel on Park Lane was attended by all the car manufacturers including MG Motors.

Chas Hallet, Editor-in-Chief of What Car? said: “This year, we were looking for a manufacturer that has demonstrated the greatest effort to improve security, either through a particular innovation or a sheer determination to design out crime.”

“MG’s new hatch stood out for us. The MG6 has been bolstered with the industry’s highest-rated alarm and immobiliser system, complete with perimeter detection. Meanwhile, body security has been fortified with first-press double locking, and vehicle identification enhanced with markings.”

The car has also recently won the five-star top award from Thatcham for resilience against theft of the vehicle and four stars in the ‘theft from’ category.

David Lindley, who heads a 300-strong team of engineers and designers at the MG Birmingham plant, accepted the award. He said: “What Car? honours are not given lightly so that makes this award extra special.

“We worked really hard on all aspects of safety and security for the MG6. It’s great to see that this has been recognized by the experts at What Car? who are very tough judges and set very high standards.”

Nice one MG!

I was given a Maserati Quattroporte as a courtesy car by my Swiss Lotus dealer for a weekend, and I thought it would be interesting to write up a comparison between this and my 2004 model ZT-T 260.

Admittedly, the Maserati’s price tag is very different from the MG’s, even when it was new, and it is more of an S-class and 7-series contender, whereas the ZT is slightly smaller than the 5-series and E-class. But they are both sports saloons with a medium-sized V8, and similar equipment.

The Maserati Quattroporte was a 2008 model, with a conventional (torque-converter) 6-speed automatic gearbox. Grey outside, black leather interior. When new it would have been about 145,000 Swiss francs (that’s about £100,000) compared to my two-sixty which was about 80,000 francs. The Quattroporte is fitted with a 4,2 litre normally-aspirated 32-valve V8, giving 400 bhp, torque is 460 Nm at 4750 rpm.

First impressions

Given its specifications and pedigree, I was expecting the Quattroporte to be sportier than my MG. It wasn’t.

First, the Maserati is heavy, very heavy, in excess of two tons. So the seemingly generous power has a lot of weight to carry.

Driving, it feels like a big, comfortable saloon. The delicious engine howl which was obvious to me when I encountered one passing by can hardly be heard inside the cockpit. Definitely more muted than the MG’s standard setup. I found myself opening all 4 windows when driving through villages listening to it.

The biggest surprises were the steering and brakes. The steering is very detached, not sporty at all, and gives little feedback to the driver.

The brakes also have less feel and bite than on the MG. The pedal has a sort of mushy feel to it. They stop the car very well though, and resist fading better than the standard setup on the ZT.

The car doesn’t feel any faster than my standard MG at cruising speeds. Throttle response is actually duller. It is only when you rev that Italian V8 well past 5,000 rpm to its 7,500 rpm redline that you begin to achieve real pace.

But between 1,500 and 4,000 revs, it is no quicker than the 260. It even feels slower. There is, in fact, less impression of torque, and even in second gear you feel it lacking in urge until the revs mount. To be fair, my fully standard MG has 106,000 km. So the engine is well run in, unlike that of the Maserati, which had 12,000 km on the clock.

But overall, the Maserati’s high-revving V8 can’t haul its 2.1 tonne body around at normal engine speeds with as much ease as the MG’s bigger capacity old-school lump. You need to give it some stick and when you do, it is predictably, faster than the MG.

 Equipment

Surprisingly, my MG and the Maserati are quite similar as far as basic equipment is concerned. Electrically operated seats with memory, Satnav, TV, and electronic climate control.

The Maser’s satnav is less user-friendly than the two-sixty’s, the map on the screen is more basic and the controls, to me, were less logical. The Maser was equipped with a Bose stereo system, which didn’t impress me. On the run, the Italian is a good deal quieter than the two-sixty, but the overall sound quality of its system is average. The same CD sounds better on my MG’s Harman-Kardon system despite the outdated Alpine CD changer it is mated to.

The climate control buttons are in a similar, low, not very visible position as in the 260, and the display is as small. At least they are separate from the other controls, unlike most modern S-class, XJ, or 7-series systems, where getting hot or cold air requires entering some complicated menus on the central screen.

Ergonomics are not as good as the 260, with lots of buttons and switches invisible behind the steering wheel or requiring contortions to reach. One is the trip computer button, hidden behind the ignition key, impossible to locate when driving.

Fit and finish is what you would expect from a £100,000 car. This car had alcantara roof lining, and an electrically adjusted steering wheel that recedes when you enter and exit. Some chrome detailing and leather on the dashboard and centre console, and a big refrigerated centre console cubby box. The general impression is of expensive luxury.

Very few bits put the MG to shame, however. The MG’s interior (mine is also black) with part-leather part-alcantara and chrome detailing is a nice place to be too. Only the plastic air vents feel cheap in comparison.

The really big difference between the two cars is the ride. The Maserati is much smoother than the MG. It glides, even on bumpy roads, and at 90 mph there is practically no wind noise (thanks, in part, to double glazing on the side windows). Yet when cornering, despite the weight, it doesn’t lean or lurch, as one would expect from such a big cruiser. To me this is the Quattroporte’s best quality.

Fuel consumption

Is a good deal higher than the MG. I suppose the weight has something to do with it, and the auto gearbox. Also the fact that to achieve decent pace, you have to rev past 5,000 rpm. I measured 18 litres per 100 km while my 260, at similar speeds, needs only 15 l/100. At saner speeds the MG would likely still be better, thanks to its ability to cruise in 4^th or 5^th at 1,000 rpm.

A driver’s car?

I did the same country-road drive of about 40 km in both cars on the same day, in the same driving conditions. My overwhelming preference went to the MG. It is much more responsive in every respect: chassis, steering, brakes, throttle. Despite its size and weight, it feels agile compared to the Maserati and you can place it by the inch in tight corners.

The fun moments in the Maserati are when you plant your foot down for overtaking on the straight bits: the gearbox drops two cogs, and the engine revs up to the 7,500 redline; whatever you were overtaking smoothly disappears in your rear view mirror while the ‘box changes up in a muted howl.

To sum it up, the Quattroporte is a comfortable cruiser which has the pace and soundtrack of a sportscar. But it is not entertaining to drive. I would rather be driven in it. The rear seats are where you suddenly understand its purpose; electrically adjustable, heated, with some controls mounted in an elegant, piano-black polished centre console. And there’s decent legroom even with the front seats fully reversed.

Aesthetics 

The front looks exotic and luxurious, an Italian Aston Martin. From the side, it looks like a large Alfa Romeo. The rear is understated but classy and has presence. Overall a very good-looking car, which I prefer to the four Germans (S-Class, 7-series, A8 and Panamera) by far. It doesn’t put the MG to shame, that being said. The ZT has presence, especially in ‘shooting brake’ ZT-T guise.

Summary

The interesting conclusion is that the 260 stands the comparison with a car almost twice its price when new. If I were given the choice for my daily commute (mostly country roads), I’d go for the 260. Of course, parked near the harbour at Portofino, the Quattroporte definitely looks the part. There is no doubt it is in a different class. But as a fast driver’s saloon/estate, the MG wins hands down.