Tag Archives: 75

Turbo PKD – MG6 TSE GT Turbo

The MG6 was announced by SIAC Motor, owners of the MG brand and much of the MG production facilities, which have been shipped from Longbridge, England to Pukou, Nanjing, China, in 2009.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Apart from sharing it’s front sub frame with the Rover 75 and MG ZT the MG6 design is a restyled version of the Roewe 550, the latter which is confusing rebadged as the MG 550 in Chile and is based on the MG Rover RDX60 project which was being developed when MG Rover went bankrupt in 2005.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

In China two power units were initially available normally aspirated 133 hp and turbocharged 158 hp, in Britain only the 158 hp was initially available until a couple of weeks ago a 148 hp diesel was announced with vehicles already entering the UK dealership network.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Both the Stying and Engineering for the MG6 was carried out at the MG Motor UK Technical Centre in the UK.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Initially only the hatchback ‘GT’ body style was available but this has been joined by a conventional saloon / sedan known at the MG Magnette. The 2011 car seen here has the top of the range TSE trim option which includes 18″ alloy wheels instead of the standard 17″ items.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

All MG6’s for the UK market are assembled from partial knockdown kits (PKD) at Longbridge in Birmingham where the last of the MG Rovers were built prior to the companies collapse.

MG6 TSE GT Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

It will be interesting to see how the MG Marque fares over the coming years, concepts for a smaller hatch back MG5 and super mini MG3 have already been made public and it obvious that SIAC are looking to build a long term future for the MG marque.

Wishing all GALPOT Readers and Contributors all the best in the year ahead !

Thanks for joining me on this “Turbo PKD” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Championship Clincher – Talbot Sunbeam Lotus (Type 81)

In 1977 the European division of Chrysler launched the Chrysler Sunbeam hatchback which was financed with Government aid that was part of a strategic plan to keep jobs at Chryslers Linwood factory in Scotland where the Hillman Imp production had come to a halt in 1976.

The new hatchback used the floor plan of the Hillman Avenger, another model manufactured at Linwood, of which sales were falling and which was to be discontinued in 1981.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

In 1978 Chrysler commissioned Lotus to develop a competition version of the Sunbeam hatchback, which appears to have shared the same type number ’81’ as the Lotus Ford ’81’ Formula One car.

Incidentally this appears to be the third of two completely unrelated projects have shared a Lotus Type number, I have read suggestions this occurred because some one lost the book in which the Lotus projects were recorded, I have also seen suggestions that what ever Lotus type numbers vehicles have now, they were not necessarily the same as those that appeared on the original Lotus drawings.

The Sunbeam Lotus was produced with a 150 hp for road trim and 250 hp for competition rally trim both versions using variants of the Lotus Type 907 motor first seen in the Lotus 62 sports racing car and later in the Lotus Elite, Type 75, road car.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

The Sunbeam Lotus was first seen in early 1979 but by the end of the year Chrysler had sold it’s European operations to Peugeot for US$1 (One US Dollar) which came packaged with all of Chrysler Europe’s debt. For 1980 all of Chrysler Europe’s models including the Chrysler Sunbeam Lotus were rebranded as Talbots and all of the road going Sunbeam Lotus models appear with Talbot badges.

In 1979 a works Chrysler Sunbeam Lotus team entered selected World Championship Rally events in anticipation for a full scale onslaught in 1981. The following year the now Talbot entered team scored three wins two for Henri Toivonen one on snow and the other on gravel, while Frenchman Guy Fréquelin partnered by Jean Todt, since of Peugeot and Ferrari management and now president of the FIA.

In 1981 going into the final rally of the season the RAC Rally Guy and Jean led the World Rally Drivers Chanpionship and Talbot the manufacturers championship despite only managing to score one overall victory. For some reason Guy never got to grips with his second RAC Rally start and he retired while Ari Vatenen his only challenger finished second in a Ford Escort behind Hannu Mikkola in his Audi. After Henri Toivonen also retired the manufacturers championship was clinched for Talbot by Swedes Stig Blomqvist and Bjorn Cederberg in the #14 Swedish Dealer Team entered Talbot which carried the registration/license plated LAC999V.

However I can’t be sure that the car shown in the two photos above is the same car because all thought the car above carries the LAC999V plates it is painted in the factory Talbot Sunbeam Lotus colours which were not the same as the colours carried on Stig’s car in the 1981 RAC Rally.

Thanks for joining me on this “Championship Clincher” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Rolls Royce. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Hot Rover #2 – MG ZS

The MG ZS was the second prong of Rover MG’s three pronged attack on the market for hot vehicles launched in 2001 alongside the MG ZR I looked at last week.

MG ZS, Goodwood Revival

The ancestry of the MG ZS can be traced back to fifth generation Honda Civic, the floor pan of which Rover used to build the Rover 400 model which when face lifted became the Rover 45.

MG ZS, Goodwood Revival

The ZS was made available with a range of tuned motors from the Rover 45 and a tuned 175hp version of the 2.5 litre / 152 cui V6 from the larger Rover 75.

MG ZS, Goodwood Revival

The 2001 vehicle seen here at the Goodwood Revival last year is the model topping ZS 180 with the 175 hp V6 that gives the ZS a rest to 60 mph time 7.3 seconds and top speed of 139 mph. The ZS 180 has larger brakes discs and brake calipers than all of the other ZS models.

MG ZS, Goodwood Revival

The Honda based chassis pan with double wishbone front suspension and multi link rear suspension proved eminently adaptable to switch from optimised for comfort settings required for Rover 45 customers to optimised for handling settings required for MG ZS customers which along with the ZS steering came in for praise from press when launched.

MG ZS, Goodwood Revival

The large rear spoiler was standard on ZS 180 models up until 2004 when the model was face lifted with a much smarter body kit.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hot Rover #2” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

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Awaiting TLC #2 – Rover 75 P4

The Rover P4 range of vehicles was introduced in 1949 to replace the interim out dated P3 vehicles which had been rushed into production in 1948 as the Rover company sort to rebuild itself as a vehicle manufacturer having spent the years during World War 2 manufacturing aircraft.

Rover P4 75, Atwell Wilson MM

Drawing inspiration from the 3rd generation Raymond Loewy designed Studebaker Champion launched in 1946, at the request of the Wilkes brothers who owned Rover, Gordon Bashford was responsible for what was known in the factory as the P4. The original P4’s came fitted with a central spot lamp mounted in the grill, but this feature was dropped early in production which eased the difficulties keeping the engine cool.

Rover P4 75, Atwell Wilson MM

The P4 was continually being upgraded and from 1954 a distinct MkII version was available that was then restyled again into the form shown in these photo’s in 1957, a Mk 2.2 if you will.

Rover P4 75, Atwell Wilson MM

Because of material shortages immediately after WW2 these vehicles incorporated a high percentage of aluminium content and were to be seen in competitions of the day including the 1955 Mille Miglia in which Lando Barsotti brought his #347 Rover 75 P4 home in 271st place. The 75 seen here was powered by a 2.2 litre /136 cui 6 cylinder motor featuring the same overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valve design as had been a feature of the earlier P3.

Rover P4 75, Atwell Wilson MM

The final MK II P4’s were produced in 1959 with 9,974 Mk II’s produced over it’s five year production run.

I spotted this particular vehicle at the back of the Atwell – Wilson Motor Museum. I am not sure what they planned to do with it, good working examples of the type tend not to fetch more than £ 2000 so the cost of restoration would appear to be a little prohibitive.

Thanks for joining me on this Awaiting TLC edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Interim Model – Rover 75 P3

In 1878 the Rover Company was founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry which by 1885 had developed the template for the modern bicycle in the form of the Rover Safety Bicycle.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

From 1904 still using the Rover Marque brand the company started building motor cars and motorcycles.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

After World War 2 Rover moved to it’s Solihull factory where it had engaged in building aircraft for the war effort, since it’s car plant in Coventry had been wiped out by bombing during the hostilities. The interim P3, launched in 1948, was Rovers first post war model.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

The Rover 75 version of the P3 was powered by a novel new six cylinder motor that featured overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves that had been developed prior to the commencement of hostilities in 1939.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

The styling combined elements of the pre war Rover 12 and 16 but only the Rover 12 wings and bonnet were carried over from the narrower earlier designs.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

The unitary monocoque design, requiring no independent chassis, featured independent front suspension and hybrid hydraulic / mechanical brakes.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

This the 75 body style seen here was known as a light six saloon and cost a relatively expensive £1106, £ 26 more than the similar 4 cylinder ‘Sports Saloon’ known as the Rover 60.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

From 1948 – 1949 7,837 Rover 75’s were produced before the all new P4 vehicle was introduced.

Rover 75 P3, Atwell Wilsom MM

The engine and gearbox of the P3 formed the basis of the very first agricultural all terrain ‘Land Rover’ conceived in 1947. Note the vehicle above built in times of material austerity features a cyclops third head light but only one wing mirror.

This particular P3 can be seen at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum in Calne.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘overhead and side valve’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’, I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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