MG ZT SE V8 260

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A lot of things could be levelled at the management at MG Rover, but being shy was definitely not one of them.

The BMW-developed Rover 75 was a very good car indeed and the opportunity came along for the board to sanction a flagship model which would not only prove their engineering skills but also bring in a new model on a budget. Launched in 2001, the resultant ZT 260 was effectively a totally re-engineered version of the 75, the front-wheel drive of the regular versions being ditched in favour of a more driver-focused rear-wheel drive layout. This being no easy task, the development work was handed over to the motorsport boffins at Prodrive.

The extra transmission tunnel actually added considerably to the stiffness of the shell, and there was just enough room up front for the 260bhp V8 4.6-litre engine from the Ford Mustang range. What a crazy idea! The result, however, was a cracking car that could sprint to 60mph in just 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 155mph and it is rather sad that just 883 found owners before MG Rover went bust in 2005.

Available in both saloon and estate form, the 260 combined good build quality with a well proven and simple mechanical package. The only real external differences to the regular model were some discreet badges and quad exhausts, making the ZT an ideal Q-car.

This particular ZT 260 is number 388 of the 883 made and has had just two owners from new. It comes with a large history file including the original bill of sale when it was acquired by its first owner from Reg Vardy of Stockton in February 2005 for £20,223. Pearl Black with a black leather sports interior, it has covered 97,700 miles with a good service history comprising 10 stamps to date, the last at 94,663 miles in December 2013.

The vendor acquired the car in 2010 and has maintained it carefully. Being a ZT enthusiast he has also carried out modifications to cure the few problems that these cars routinely suffer from, in particular modifying the sun roof drain tubes so they work properly (rather than dumping water into the carpets and floor pan!), having the orange fuel clip replaced and carrying out a black olive heater valve upgrade so you can not only have hot or cold air but everything in between too!

The rear differential was rebuilt at 66,459 miles, new rear discs fitted at about the same time and all new brake pipes at 79,646 miles. More recently the car has been 4-wheel aligned with many of the adjustment bolts etc. replaced and a K&N air filter and a new set of Avon ZZ3 tyres have also been fitted within the last 5,000 miles.

In good condition throughout, the car is said to drive well, although the vendor points out that there is an intermittent metallic scraping sound that occasionally occurs when cold and is possibly a loose heat shield, according to the vendor’s local garage. As this can’t be heard inside the car and doesn’t affect the performance, the vendor has never got round to having it properly investigated.

MOTd until May 2015 with no advisories recorded, this thoroughly sorted MG musclecar comes with its original owner’s handbook and service book and is ready for a lucky third owner to drive away today.