Quote Originally Posted by scoubix View Post
I'm not the one who took that picture, as explained previously, so no we were not on the same trips ;-)
Didn't know you used to work for MGR. I never did
There was no SDV numbers on the 75 V8 development cars, as they were production MG cars straight out of the production line with proper SARRX VIN plates, and then being worked on in the Flightshed where the changes, such as suspension, automatic gearbox, etc...was carried out. This was confirmed to me by Rob Oldaker and several members of the V8 engineering team.

FYI, my own research on the V8 program has turned up with the following cars being 75 V8 development cars out of MG cars :


  • #160 was BU53RXJ (RHD Tourer, now scrapped)
  • #161 was BU53RXK (LHD saloon, now in Sweden, owned by Olof over here)
  • #185 was BU53RXP (RHD saloon, yours)
  • #186 was BU53RXL (LHD saloon, now in Spain, don't know the owner)
  • #190 was BU53RXR (LHD Tourer, mine)
  • #192 was BU53RXT (RHD saloon, this one has yet to be confirmed as being a 75 V8 car but its VIN and reg follow the pattern of previous cars)


And then of course, we can add #215 to that list, the actual first properly-dressed 75 V8 which was the Geneva show car, and which was also born as an MG ZT 260.

Here's the very first 75 V8 development car, #160, when scrapped. Evidenced as being a 75 V8 development car by the same 17'' Mirage wheels as other 75 V8 development cars, Rover-badged tailgate, Rover bumpers, chrome lines...
Sorry, I jumped to the wrong conclusion, I did get that you hadn't taken the photo but thought you might have been there anyway. :-)

I didn't work for MGR either, but ran the company that delivered all of MGR's outsourced engine management system calibration work apart from the V8 (some K4 models, completion of 2.0 R75 KV6, MG ZS180, ZT 190, ZT160 and their OBD calibrations for all K4 and all but the 2.5 KV6 75). I have some very happy memories of those days, where I too was based in our company's office in the Flight Shed.

Many thanks for all that interesting detail on the various V8 development cars. I wonder whether between all the people on this site like you, there doesn't exist more information than in the books that have so far been written on the 75 and ZT(T) models. I was told a while ago on this site that mine was the first development car, but clearly it wasn't. The photo of #160 is a really sad one, but thanks for the history lesson which was great!