Someone must have the answer....

[rab60bit]

Posed this question recently in another thread, the second time of asking as a member but never had a knowing/informed reply.
2004 - R75 Contemporary SE Hi-line 2.5L manual saloon (apparently almost 700 came off the Longbridge line with this spec. - but perhaps not all manuals!). There was an SE option listed as 'Sports suspension' and I'd dearly like to find out exactly what that gave the buyer for his extra dosh.
I know my car has a rear anti-roll bar and 17"x 7/7.5J (Meteor) wheels (this size wheel doesn't even feature in the handbook tyre specification/pressure section where the stated tyre size should be 215x50 - could be a previous owner change but mine has only ever been shod with 225x45 and as far back as previous owner history goes!!) but unfortunately I cannot decipher what the damper/spring specs. are because the rear underseat label is abraided/faded.
Some guru on here surely must know....

[Kearton]

Hi rab60bit,

the following represents the impression that I have gleamed from reading various documents on the 75 & ZT over the years, but I cannot claim it to be the definitive case.

The original 75s had a very compliant suspension set up (call it RV1). When the ZT was introduced, it had a much stiffer and sporty set-up - springs, dampers, brakes wheels & tyres. (Call it MG1.)

There had been criticism from some quarters that the ZTs suspension was too stiff, and the 75s too soft. So when the facelifted versions (Mark 2) were introduced around 2004, the 75's suspension was stiffened slightly (RV2), and the ZT's softened slightly (MG2).

I think it was at this point that the 75 Contemporary was introduced, being a 75 with a slightly more sporty interior, incl. plusher ZT-style seats, but still with RV2 suspension.

There was then a factory option to order the original ZT suspension (MG1) on ZTs (called 'Sports Suspension'). Given the 75 Contemporary's nature, it may have been an option on those models too, hence your 18" wheels, 225/45 tyers, and presumably larger brakes. (It is possible though that, the nominal Rover 75 'Sports Suspension' option might have just been the current ZT suspension spec., MG2, instead.)

Thus, to check the details (anti-roll bars etc.) of your 'sports suspension' set-up, you could start by looking at the spec. of the original ZTs.

I know that, around the time that they were developing the V8, MGR had been proposing two extra, more aggressive, levels of sports options (tuning as well as suspension & brakes) for all MGs, the most extreme being along the lines of track cars. But I'm not sure whether any of these actually materialised.

As a distracting caveat on the above points, under MGR's Monogram Programme, it was always possible to specify a 75/ZT to be built with any practicable combination of 75 & ZT options & features.

I hope this helps.

[rab60bit]

Thank you.
Mine were 17" Meteor (not 18"). Your back story perhaps explains why there appeared to be so many damper/spring options for what on the surface was the same vehicle (except for the M47 vs 2/2.5 KV6 vs 1.8 4 cylinder motors plus manual v auto) which obviously upset the balance/weight distribution.

[madeupname]

Hi Rab, I found that if I took a picture of the spec label under the seat, put it on computer and used photo editing to alter the contrast and brightness, I could get a clear image of heavily faded info.
Hope this helps

[rab60bit]

Thank you, didn't realise these editing programmes could do that sort of thing. I'll give it a go