All-new MG Noses In

By Craig Cheetham

02nd March 2005

One eagle-eyed reader also spotted images of the car on a noticeboard at a company that's carrying out development work for the British firm, proving further that MG Rover's future plans are quickly gathering pace. The sightings have fuelled speculation that a cash injection from a proposed tie-in with Chinese manufacturing firm SAIC is ready for the go-ahead.

Our amazing images show how the sporty new model will look when it arrives in dealerships late next year. Both three and five-door variants will be developed, and they share a dramatic look. The bold new face draws inspiration from MGs of the past and present, including Rover's 2002 Geneva Motor Show concept, the TCV.

The curved nose and swooping grille vents echo the hi-tech carbon fibre front end of the SV sports car, while the stacked headlamps are similar to those featured on the concept model. The Rover variant, as yet only seen from behind, is expected to retain a conventional chrome grille. It will debut a few months ahead of the sporty model at the Geneva show next year, in a bid to differentiate between the two brands.
At the rear, the MG gets a pair of chrome exhaust pipes and a boot spoiler, as well as a deeper bumper and side skirts that lead out to flared wheelarches. The basic structure of the two cars will be the same, however, as both are being developed under the firm's Medium Sized Car Project.

Power will come from engines carried over from the current MG line-up, with K Series units upgraded to
meet strict Euro IV emissions regulations. The new range will comprise 1.8-litre petrol or 2.0-litre common-rail turbodiesels, both developing around 130bhp, as well as a 2.5-litre V6 which will produce at least 180bhp.

The MG will have an emphasis on performance and dynamic ability, while the Rover focuses on luxury and refinement. The steering will be sharper and the suspension stiffer, and revised anti-roll bars will add further to the model's responsiveness.

Inside, the MG is likely to get a sporty interior, with a leather steering wheel and gearknob and racing-style bucket seats, while the Rover 45's traditional wood trim will be replaced by carbon fibre dash inserts. Set to be assembled at the firm's Longbridge factory alongside the new 45, the next ZS will appear in showrooms in autumn next year, although it will debut at the all-new British Motor Show at ExCeL in Docklands, east London in July. The three-door version could also be unveiled at the same event.

The successor to the 45 looks set to appear at the Geneva exhibition 12 months from now, and will be the first of a five-strong range of new models expected to be presented by MG Rover over the next five years.

This pair will be followed by a replacement for the 25 and MG ZR, then a new 75 and ZT, and finally an all-new luxury estate, destined to serve as a Rover-badged flagship.