Well, what can I say...

ZT (Rover 75 based MG) - a bit big for my liking; great interior; looks great; plenty of grip; slightly unsettled ride but little body roll; smooth, torquey 190bhp V6; not spectacularly quick but not bad.

ZS (Rover 45 based MG) - <B><I>unbelievable </B></I> . You would not believe this car was originally a 45. Amazing grip, flat cornering (virtually no body roll); smooth, powerful (180bhp) V6 engine; superb turn-in; fantastically somehow manages to get excellent road-holding with a well fettled, refined ride; good at cruising as well as sounding great when pressing on.

Quite simply the ZS is the closest I've come to the Scoob in terms of fun - and that's praise indeed. Looks great, goes well (though needs yet more power ) and corners better than the Scoob IMHO. Less body roll, a bit more grip, just not quite as fast.

When the 200+bhp touring car special edition comes out next Spring, I'll be banging on their doors...

When I got into my MY00 afterwards, it felt a bit clunky until I booted round the roundabout, then I remembered why I love it so much

Anyone else driven these cars?

Richard

[This message has been edited by Bitten Hero (edited 03 August 2001).]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Bitten Hero:
<B>Well, what can I say...

ZT (Rover 75 based MG) - a bit big for my liking; great interior; looks great; plenty of grip; slightly unsettled ride but little body roll; smooth, torquey 190bhp V6; not spectacularly quick but not bad.

ZS (Rover 45 based MG) - <I>unbelievable </B></I> . You would not believe this car was originally a 45. Amazing grip, flat cornering (virtually no body roll); smooth, powerful (180bhp) V6 engine; superb turn-in; fantastically somehow manages to get excellent road-holding with a well fettled, refined ride; good at cruising as well as sounding great when pressing on.

Quite simply the ZS is the closest I've come to the Scoob in terms of fun - and that's praise indeed. Looks great, goes well (though needs yet more power ) and corners better than the Scoob IMHO. Less body roll, a bit more grip, just not quite as fast.

When the 200+bhp touring car special edition comes out next Spring, I'll be banging on their doors...

When I got into my MY00 afterwards, it felt a bit clunky until I booted round the roundabout, then I remembered why I love it so much

Anyone else driven these cars?

Richard

[This message has been edited by Bitten Hero (edited 03 August 2001).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'd love to try them out. There must be a dealership near where I work in Halesowen, as I see both a ZS & ZT (in WR-Blue) batting around once or twice each day.

They sound marvellous. The ZT looks better, but I'd certainly have a ZS. I hope there are some buyers for these new British cars, and that the tuning industry starts putting out some decent go/stop faster bits for 'em!

Apart from sticking on Scooby style spoilers, eh Mr.Stevens?

 

Tried the ZS yesterday, very impressed certainly with both the ride quality and lack of body roll. THe steering was well weighted and the brake feel much better than my MY99. The only down side was it did feel on the slow side although I would reserve judgment as the demonsrtrator only had 200 miles on the clock.

I will be driving again when it has mmore miles.

Oh and did not like the whiny sound of the engine.

Brendan

 

Yeh,

Tried the 25, good looks, goes the best of the lot.

45, best looking, under powered, good handling but not that good !!! Mondeos beeter.

75, heavy looks, heavy feel, big car.

Nice tries and they are on the right track, keep up the good work, but do you really think they are even in the same ball-park ????

 

It's about time the Scoob had some British competition! AWD is important to me though, so I won't looking just yet, although I might have been up for a ZS before I bought the Scoob.

JKJ2 - were they the "Rover" or "MG" badged versions you drove? - from what I've read the MG boys have woven some serious magic changing the 45 into the MG ZS.

Steve

[This message has been edited by millband (edited 04 August 2001).]

 

<B>Topic: MG ZS and ZT driven... </B>
Snigger!

 

Is that the same snigger Scooby owners got from the rest of the world back in '93?

"What? It's a bloody farmers car!"

 

Millband,

They had the MG Octagon badge on the car, and believe me there is no magic under the bonnets, (as yet). I see them more a progression from the GSI/ST 200, swiftish but comfortable.

 

"I'm not going to like an MG, I am not going to like an MG...."

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by JKJ2:
<B>Millband,

They had the MG Octagon badge on the car, and believe me there is no magic under the bonnets, (as yet). I see them more a progression from the GSI/ST 200, swiftish but comfortable. [/quote]


I haven't driven any of them, but the 45 based one - ZS?? is supposed to be a gem. I have spoken to a number of people who have driven it (all non-connected to Rover, and all *very* capable drivers) and they were all stunned by it. It needs more power, but they said it handles better and is more fun than any sub-25k saloon they have driven With a planned 250bhp+ it is going to be a cracker.

Same people described the 25 one (ZS?) as OK - average hot hatch, not in GTI-6/Clio 172 league, and the 75 (ZT?) as good, but not really a 'sports car'.

I have seen them all on the road, none of them look appealing - too much 'Halfords' accessory dept meets Max Power - especially the 75/ZT - I never have liked to look of it, but it just look terrible with spoilers and skirts.

BUT....regardless how good any of them are - they are still Rover's - AND look like it. Reason enough to discount

 

Went to see them at the local Hull dealer and no b@gger even came out to see me! Not good customer awareness. However I do intend to go back and drive them soon. Plus, I thought they all looked ok, especially the 45 based one.

All the best,
Mossman

 

Support British industry I say.

I'll be test driving one and making my own mind up.

 

The car's may be fantastic but the servicing we received (on several occasions - not emptying the oil before adding the next lot, not informing us of problems with suspension and tyre wear etc., etc., ) there is absolutely no way that we'd ever consider buying anything MG / rover related - the service just isn't up to the job. And once you've looked at build quality and reliability...

There's more to buying a car than the initial impression.
cheers
Andy

(previously owning MGF & Alfa GTV...)