MG ZT 260 v8

Confusion over the MG name may reign – is it Chinese, does BMW own it, are they still being made in Longbridge – but the ZT 260 V8 is arguably the finest car to wear the famous octagon badge. Combining the thorough engineering of the BMW-era Rover 75, with a purpose built rear wheel drive chassis and American V8 engine was a stroke of genius by the ailing car company engineers. The results of this unlikely alliance were plain to see – the ZT V8 is an old school driver’s car with grunty performance and the promise of reasonable servicing costs. Only 700-or-so MG V8s were built, and just over 100 Rover 75’s, so grab yourself a future classic while you can!

Originally launched in September 2003, the 256bhp ZT 260 V8 was almost indistinguishable from its more humble brethren – the only giveaways were the quad exhaust pipes and subtle V8 badge adorning the boot lid. Available in saloon and Tourer form (ZT and ZT-T), and in two trim levels – standard and SE, which came with sat/nav and full leather.

In January 2004, the ZT range was facelifted – single piece headlamp units, V8 badges on the wings, traction and cruise control for the SE, revised alloys and a more aggressive bodykit spice it up. The interior remained almost untouched, although blue instrument lighting and downgraded ICE weren’t universally applauded. Traction and cruise control was belatedly added to the standard equipment list.

Between the arrival of the facelift to MG Rover’s closure in April 2005, no further changes were made to the ZT 260 V8, although a couple of supercharged versions, (putting out 385bhp) were built by the factory, one of which escaped onto the marketplace.

The majority offered a five-speed manual gearbox, but if you wanted to combine the V8 power pack and an autobox, you’d need to buy the Rover 75 version, launched later in 2004. The differences between the ZT and 75 V8 were minor and revolved around the internal trim, suspension and automatic gearbox.

On the road

If you’re of the opinion that MGs are a breed of cars reserved for flat-cap wearing real-ale swigging old men, then a quick spin in the ZT 260 V8 will soon open your eyes to a very different reality.

From the moment you turn the key, and fire it up, the bespoke nature of this car shines through. The muscular V8 isn’t quiet, but it generates a glorious noise that will have you blipping the throttle at every opportunity. The driving position is good, aside from the cramped footwell, and although the seats are firm, they are also supportive – especially when trimmed in Alcantara. Visibility is a major bugbear, though – with the wide pillars and high dashboard they make shorter drivers feel hemmed in.

Once underway, you’ll appreciate the strong acceleration and prodigious mid-range torque. The ZT V8 will pull keenly from low revs in any gear making it an effortless touring car, and on the motorway, the tall gearing and effective sound deadening make it a hushed fast lane express. Wind rustle around the A-posts can affect some cars, though.

When it’s time to press on, pushing the long throttle and extending the engine towards its red line gets results. A 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph is proof enough. However, the engine does start to feel breathless at high revs, and this kind of treatment will punish you at the fuel pumps, with consumption dropping happily into the mid-teens far too easily.

The ride is firm, albeit well damped, and on broken surfaces, the ZT will constantly remind you that it’s been set up for sporting drivers. However, tight build quality means you’ll not be suffering from too many rattles and groans in the cabin, all of which adds to the impression you’re in a well engineered motor.

Handling is keen with swift steering and a neutral feel – although switching off the traction control in the Mk2s in the wet will prove to be an exercise in car control for confirmed petrolheads. The gearchange is heavy, and on some cars can feel notchy and laborious, although this is not always the case – proof that this is practically hand-built car.

Market impressions

The MG ZT 260 V8 doesn’t follow the same rules as other cars in this category – and for one very obvious reason. Following MG Rover’s administration in 2005, V8s ended up languishing on the forecourts, as dealers struggled to find buyers for a car produced by a defunct manufacturer. When it was new, the list price for the SE version was well north of £30,000, and although it was heavily discounted while current, nothing prepared them for the drop that came later.

In the immediate aftermath, unregistered examples with delivery mileage were popping up for as low as £13,000, while used examples soon threatened to drop below £10,000. However, the market for these cars has now settled down and values have become more realistic. There are still one or two unregistered examples floating around the dealer network, with the best of those – a ZT-T 260SE weighing in at £17,000.

Used examples with miles on begin as low as £8,000, although SE models command a useful premium – as buyers will pay the extra for the more opulent interior and nicer wheels. Values don’t seem as age sensitive as many cars in this sector, with buyers being attracted to cars that have led a cosseted life in the hands of an enthusiast. Out of the body options, it’s the Tourer version that’s worth the most money – usually commanding a premium of around £2,000 more, although the production run of 883 (of all V8 models – MG and Rover) means that it’s hard to generalise in this area.

Never has there been a better case of shopping around before buying to get a feel for the market.

Conclusion

This is a Q-car for aficionados, and one you’ll buy with your heart, not your head. Considering production ended just over two years ago, it’s already being considered as a classic in enthusiast circles – not bad when you think about it.

The car’s engineering is so sound that you’ll not lead a troubled life if you buy one, and parts are not the problem you’d imagine. Small niggles affect it, but nothing so bad that'll your regret buying a ZT v8.

Faults, flaws and fixes

There are a lot of myths floating around the trade that parts are like hen’s teeth, and servicing is exceptionally difficult. However, switched-on buyers have already seen past this, as XPart sells most ZT specific stuff off the shelf, including body panels, which many people assume are now hard to get. For additional reassurance, XPart has brokered a deal with MG’s new owners, Nanjing for a continued supply of new panels direct from China.

ZT 260 V8 owners are a community minded lot, and we’d suggest that anyone who takes the plunge joins the Two-Sixties group – because they seem to have licked all problems that have emerged in service.

Owners do tend to find that their cars are fundamentally reliable in service, although one or two have suffered electronic niggles, such as traction control errors – which can be caused by problems with the gateway ECU that marries the Ford EEC engine/alarm electronics with the Rover car system, and which is located behind the dashboard – replacements are available via XPart. Exhausts – previously these have been difficult to source, but are now available through the Two-Sixties group.

Typically, tyre, brake and suspension wear are higher than average – so take care there – especially with rear tyres. Make sure also that the rear suspension is in top order, as bushes are a weak link. Radiator heater hoses blow – heating system – and upgraded replacements are available through the Two-Sixties. Other faults to look out for are the fuel pump failing (replacements are off the shelf through XPart), engine belts – a Ford part, so no problems there, climate control problems (a standard MG Rover part and readily available both new and used, and leaks from the differential.

Apart from that, the ZT 260 V8 is just as reliable as the rest of the 75/ZT range – and well worth a punt at current market values.

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