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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - ZS Estate

Interesting car in the short stay car park at Birmingham International airport using airport transfers tonbridge, Rover 45, 5 door Estate.

Full 45 kit including headlight washers and alloys. Obviously a Honda Civic body modified by Rover including a very neat looking Rover badge on the tailgate. Appeared to be lower than a standard 45 with the tyres filling the wheel arches more than normal. Bright Bronze metallic paint which I don't think was a Rover Colour.

The grill was standard chrome 45 outer with the slates removed and a mesh fill fitted. A very interesting mix.

How good would this look as a full-blown MG ZS vehicle? It would be such an easy and cost effective way of expanding both ranges of cars, if only Honda agrees.

Anybody else seen this car about, or other versions on a similar theme.

Ray Carey

Shame you didn't have a camera handy Ray! Sounds an interesting 'special'
Rob Bell

Ray, what was the year letter on the registration number? Could it be a 400 Tourer with the new 45 bits on it?

Given that they are replacing the 45 soon, it would be a little odd that they are working on an estate version. Saying that, the tourer was already done of course, wouldn't take much to update that design.

On a similar note, had a poke around the 75 Tourer at the weekend, very nice. Also had a drive in a ZS :D - roadtest is on the site :)

Steve.
Steve Childs

Well, they have 2-3 years left to shift 45s before the 55 comes along, so maybe someone has been doing some feasibility testing? But I agree, there's not much time before replacement unless they do a 'Tomcat'- that is to say, keep the niche variants of the old model going with the introduction of the new car and delete them when new body styles on the new platform can be engineered.

BMW pursue a similar policy and how can one forget the Audi 80 convertable? That car lasted more than a generation after the expiry of the 80 saloon derivative...
Rob Bell

Sometime after MG Rover took over this was mentioned but I hadnt heard of anything since, mind you Honda did it couldnt MGR just licence it on the cheap?

Also www.autowired.co.uk state that MG Z sales are in the thousands thanx to the publicity from the ASA
Rob

Rob,
The sad part was I had a camera in my glove box but unfortunately at 6.25 am I only had the brain capacity available to get me there and home again.

Steve,
It was on a T plate and taxed just as a Rover with no other designation on the Tax disc. The number plates were from a local dealer so maybe its as you suggest, just a rethink on the 400 tourer.

Rob, Leeds

You would think that they could licence the design and buy in the mono-side, tailgate etc from Honda and have a ready made car quickly and at a keen price.

Ray Carey

The more interesting parking area is in the industrial unit the other side of the main Birmingham to London railway line literally 50 yards from the multi storey car parks at the airport.

One thing is clear and that cars which are used for these 'Ferry' jobs will not be used if they are not ready for them to be seen. All car companies are quite used to the 'motoring press spy cameras' that are likely to be near any of the company premises, certyainly near known development areas and headquarters. (International House being the building next the the airport, the other side of the railway)

Rog
Roger Parker

This thread was discussed between 12/08/2001 and 15/08/2001

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG ZR ZS ZT Technical BBS is active now.