Test Cars, Prototypes & Development Vehicles

Rabett_Rover · 12th May 2010, 21:32

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'

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

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.

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

BU03 BGX
A ZT-T V8 Development Car. The car was one of the Last Development V8's.

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.

X706 UOK
This car is a real strange one. I know very little about it.

BU53 RNZ
An MG ZT-T V8 it appeared on ebay. Unsure of anymore of its history.

ZT's

BD02 HSE
A ZT Development car for the 1.8T Engine.

75 Tourer's

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

BX54 OPL
Was the unique Long Wheel Base Rover 75. It has now sadly been crushed according to aronline.

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.

BX54 OOC
A 75 Development car fitted with the JTD Diesel engine.

Rover 45

X586 JOV
This is a Genuine Rover 45 Tourer and was one of several produced before Honda put a stop to the program.

T80 RER
Another Rover 45 Tourer. This car was written off and then rebuilt as a facelift Rover 45.

Nick999 · 13th May 2010, 05:53

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.

moonstoneboy · 13th May 2010, 06:34

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.

maintenanceman · 27th February 2013, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonstoneboy

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

Read the 50's history of MG Abingdon. Many interesting development cars were crushed to avoid import duty back then; crying shame verging on vandalism!

Great post - The 45 Tourer looks like some sort of USA 1980's car!

Brabus · 27th February 2013, 20:21

The 45 tourer would have been a great seller.Looks great, a real pity.

motmann · 28th February 2013, 18:49

hi guys! we had in the oldbury area for quite sometime a previous model rover 200 estate on a "r" reg in flame red with.... a later rover 25 bubble front end on it, looked like a factory job, paint and body gaps all correct.....another development car i wonder?

iga · 13th May 2010, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick999

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.

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

Monster3969 · 13th May 2010, 20:19

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......

Southside · 13th May 2010, 22:16

Few more from inside the plant. Few years old now

Cutaway cars for sales brochure photo's

Prototype KV6 TF

Crash test ZR

e668ecp · 22nd December 2010, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southside

Few more from inside the plant. Few years old now

Prototype KV6 TF

Thats not a prototype TF it was a test vehicle for the TF's slightly larger replacement... or so I am informed by an ex-insider

12th May 2010, 21:32	#1
Rabett_Rover This is my second home Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 5,895 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	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' 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 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. 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 BU03 BGX A ZT-T V8 Development Car. The car was one of the Last Development V8's. 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. X706 UOK This car is a real strange one. I know very little about it. BU53 RNZ An MG ZT-T V8 it appeared on ebay. Unsure of anymore of its history. ZT's BD02 HSE A ZT Development car for the 1.8T Engine. 75 Tourer's 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 BX54 OPL Was the unique Long Wheel Base Rover 75. It has now sadly been crushed according to aronline. 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. BX54 OOC A 75 Development car fitted with the JTD Diesel engine. Rover 45 X586 JOV This is a Genuine Rover 45 Tourer and was one of several produced before Honda put a stop to the program. T80 RER Another Rover 45 Tourer. This car was written off and then rebuilt as a facelift Rover 45. Last edited by Rabett_Rover; 13th May 2010 at 16:11..

13th May 2010, 05:53	#2
Nick999 Posted a thing or two Ex ZT160 ZS180 ZT190 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,018 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	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. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

13th May 2010, 06:34	#3
moonstoneboy Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Connoisseur SE CDT Tourer - naturally in Moonstone Green Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Surrey - near Gatwick Airport Posts: 1,316 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	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. __________________ Paul Unfortunately for you lot, we are now stuck behind a broken train. We'll be here for quite a while but I don't care, I'm now on overtime. London tube train announcement

27th February 2013, 20:21	#5
Brabus This is my second home 01 75 tourer cdt,1973 Rover 3500S,,1974 Rover 3500 Auto,1998 216 SE Coupe, 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: bangor/down Posts: 4,839 Thanks: 62 Thanked 184 Times in 158 Posts	The 45 tourer would have been a great seller.Looks great, a real pity. __________________ Regards Neale [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] 121st 75 Tourer to be made 15th 75 Tourer CDT Club SE to be made 36th 75 Tourer in Zircon Silver Metallic to be made Membership No 903 I was one of the 541

28th February 2013, 18:49	#6
motmann Loves to post Zt-t cdti 135 zt-t 120 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: oldbury Posts: 412 Thanks: 10 Thanked 67 Times in 55 Posts	hi guys! we had in the oldbury area for quite sometime a previous model rover 200 estate on a "r" reg in flame red with.... a later rover 25 bubble front end on it, looked like a factory job, paint and body gaps all correct.....another development car i wonder?

13th May 2010, 20:19	#8
Monster3969 Regular poster MG ZT V6 190 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chester Posts: 56 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	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......

13th May 2010, 22:16	#9
Southside Gets stuck in MG ZT Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tamworth Posts: 907 Thanks: 2 Thanked 75 Times in 43 Posts	Few more from inside the plant. Few years old now Cutaway cars for sales brochure photo's Prototype KV6 TF Crash test ZR