The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - Test Cars, Prototypes & Development Vehicles

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Test Cars, Prototypes & Development Vehicles

Be warned this is a Picture Heavy thread

I thought it might be a good idea to correlate all the various threads on MG Rover test and development vehicles.

I have set the cars out by make and model or variant.

I will add other MGR cars I have later.

If you have any more pictures of any test and development cars please post the details up along with any back story about them.

MG 'Rexton'
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...rrexton_01.jpg
Reg. Unknown
Peter Stevens styled a Ssangyong Rexton 4x4 in 2004/5 in anticipation of a deal with SAIC to create an MG 4x4. The car still resides at Longbridge.

MG ZT-T's
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...36fc44720d.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...36f9dd349b.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...36fe1e4b62.jpg
VX08 OBW
A very strange car. Pictures taken at Austin Garages. The car has an emergency kill switch on the dashboard and a large air box.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...5300-Small.jpg
BF52 UGG
This ZT-T was sitting on Land Rover Freelander runner Gear and was as such a 4WD ZT-T. Intrestingly for a development car it was fitted with Monogram Red Alcantara seats. The car was retained by NAC after the collapse of MGR, the car is now kept with the SAIC Motor Tech Centre

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...KvfOtMZwQ_.jpg
BU03 BGX
A ZT-T V8 Development Car. The car was one of the Last Development V8's.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...rinPics002.jpg
X941 KOX
Owned by the forums own Tonybubble. It started life as a Rover 75 Tourer before being converted to ZT-T spec and being used by MG Sport and Racing. The car then passed to William Reily before Tony Dennis purchased it.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/untitled.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...abett/dggh.jpg
X706 UOK
This car is a real strange one. I know very little about it.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...CkBKmjMReJ.jpg
BU53 RNZ
An MG ZT-T V8 it appeared on ebay. Unsure of anymore of its history.

ZT's
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...uyKBK9Zmzc.jpg
BD02 HSE
A ZT Development car for the 1.8T Engine.

75 Tourer's
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...abett/rov4.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...ntrywise-1.jpg
X541 JOH
Possibly another 4WD development Tourer. After the MGR collapse it remained in the Flight Shed at Longbridge. It is likely to have been crushed.

75's
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...gevisit006.jpg
BX54 OPL
Was the unique Long Wheel Base Rover 75. It has now sadly been crushed according to aronline.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z.../rover75WR.jpg
VX58 LWC
This may well be the last ever registered Rover 75. It is believed to have either a G Series or JTD Diesel Engine.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/IMG_3430.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...abett/10_1.jpg
BX54 OOC
A 75 Development car fitted with the JTD Diesel engine.

Rover 45
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...r45tourer1.jpg
X586 JOV
This is a Genuine Rover 45 Tourer and was one of several produced before Honda put a stop to the program.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...r45tourer2.jpg

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...5tourer_01.jpg
http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/z...5tourer_03.jpg
T80 RER
Another Rover 45 Tourer. This car was written off and then rebuilt as a facelift Rover 45.

What a pity it has been reported that the final development cars remaining at Longbridge have finaly been crushed.. Around 60 cars, many unregistered fresh from the production line including three ZT 260's and a Pearl Black 75 V8 Tourer.

http://i41.tinypic.com/jua53c.jpg

I suppose the big problem is the tendancy to sue. If these cars were sold then, as it is from a commercial interest there could be comebacks. I wonder legally whether Brown and Gammons would have got away with 'Sold as Seen' if there was anything wrong with it - the norm is to sell them for spares.

In addition, as development cars they could have been hacked around.

And what about museums - well Gaydon sold off a lot of interesting vehicles that they had so obviously would not be interested in any of these.

But most manufacturers normally crush their development cars - I presume these have survived for so long because Rover went bust.

Hopefully Nic / Rincwind has photos from his days with Rover and will write a book charting the developments.

BF52 UGG the 4WD ZTT is definately still with us.
Currently being kept by SAIC Motor Tech Centre

What a fantastic thread ! I would have loved the option of a 4 wheel drive tourer . That moonstone tourer looks just like mine. Surely the factory would have spoken to our club or gaydon before just crushing these prototypes? I hope the coupe isn't next:sad3:

Iirc the coupe has a slight indentity crisis and cannot decide if its a ZT or not.

I would if time and money were available I would like to convert a ZTT to the Freelander running gear. How hard could it be ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick999 (Post 522863)

I'd have had those forked alloys for starters...

What an interesting thread.

With regards the LWB 75, excuse my ignorance, but a chap who lives a few miles away from me has a 75 LWB, or did about 3 years ago when i last saw it. Were these ever put into full production?

Note to myself, go past his address tomorrow to see if he still has the 75......

Hi Lewis. a very interesting compilation. any hard information on the crushed cars. what a waste!. they could have had a clearence auction [with all there secrets removed]. am sure of lots of bidders. well done Lewis. peter