The last MG Rover cars were produced in April 2005. So now only young timers of this brand are for sale. But what do you get when you buy a car from an English brand that has not existed for years? That turns out not to be as difficult as it sounds. The most tragic part of the MG Rover story turns out that the brand has been making quality cars in recent years.
High-quality cars – that was allowed once. For decades, MG and Rover have taken the time to make all the possible mistakes that exist in automotive construction. If we check the classic catalog on it, we can easily point out some models that you definitely shouldn’t have. By the time the last MG Rovers were built, the model range was severely outdated. The advantage of this is that the teething problems had pretty much disappeared from those cars by then. In addition, the English have had the people of Honda around since the 1980s, followed by an invasion from BMW. You can learn something from those companies when it comes to quality and reliability and it appears that the British have taken that opportunity.
Where at Saab, that other vanished brand, you never have to search long to find enthusiasts, the flame for MG Rover in the Netherlands has almost extinguished. Of course there are still a few enthusiasts and ex-dealers who take care of the heritage, but you do not have to count on a lively culture. Fortunately, Great Britain is never far away thanks to social media. There are still enough owners with knowledge to be found. Moreover: a MG or Rover of the last construction years is not difficult to put together, so a lot of specialist knowledge is not required. The advantage of so much past glory is that a Rover or MG is for sale today for little money. We take a brief look at the models with which MG Rover went down one by one. When you consider that these cars are all at least 15 years old, we can generally say that there is not much more or less wrong with them than models of the same age from any other brand. Moreover: to boost the difficult sales and justify the high prices, the cars were completely crammed with accessories. Always nicely dressed!
The full line up of MG Rover at the very end. The black car is the MG X-Power SV. The board thought it would be a good idea to launch a sports car for the happy few for a factory where people are eager to fill the production areas. It was hardly in production when it went bankrupt. In this story we leave it out of consideration, just like the CityRover never delivered in the Netherlands and originating from India, which is completely in the background.
Rover 25, Streetwise / MG ZR
Rover 25
Traces its origins to the Rover 200 from 1995. In 1999, with the arrival of the 75, renumbered to Rover 25. The appearance changed slightly and the safety features were improved. Built on a shortened platform from the Honda Civic, but that’s where the Japanese interference stops too. This model was developed entirely in England and falls between the B and C segment. Driving experience is reminiscent of a Ford Fiesta. Available with 1.4, 1.6 or 1.8 liter engines. The latter (115 hp) is always linked to a CVT automatic transmission, except for the MG ZR, in which the 1.8 engine delivers 160 hp. In addition, there was the IDT diesel. The Streetwise came in 2003 and is a revised version, which is a bit higher on its wheels.
Rover Streetwise
With today’s knowledge you could call a Streetwise a crossover. With this car you drive it in the most modern way for Rover standards. The 25 / ZR / Streetwise is available as a three- and five-door.
Rover 45 / MG ZS
Facelifted version of the 400, which dates from 1995. Also given the name 45 from 1999 and for sale as a sedan and hatchback. Technical base of the Honda Civic, but the Rover 45 and MG ZS are only available for sale with K-series Rover engines. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder Honda engine from the Rover 400 is replaced by the 2.0-liter V6 from Rover. For the MG ZS came the 2.5 V6. Also for sale with the 1.6, 1.8-liter and a diesel engine. Furthermore, the 45 differs from the 400 by seats from the 75 and improved handling and steering. Like the 25 and 75, the 45 will be facelifted for the last time in 2004, with major changes to the front and rear. If you take a closer look at those latest changes, it looks more like a cutback. A pre-facelift is therefore preferred. The MG ZS is known as the most successful transformation to MG of the three Rovers.
MG ZS
A Rover 45 in war outfit and often with a bright color. Then you are dealing with an MG ZS. This is the strongest, with the 180 hp 2.5-liter V6. Due to a twist of fate, there is now another MG ZS in the showrooms, but that is an electric SUV.
Rover 75, MG ZT
Developed under BMW direction and on the market in 1999. Loosely based on BMW technology, but with front-wheel drive. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder, 2.0 and 2.5-liter V6 are all Rover engines. The diesel comes from BMW. In 2002 the 2.0 V6 is replaced by a 1.8 turbo; perhaps the nicest engine for the 75. In 2001 the Rover 75 Tourer was added, a station wagon. The MG ZT and the ZT-T, as the station wagon is called, will follow shortly afterwards. The Rover 75 is a very comfortable limousine, the ZT a moderately successful sports sedan. A barely sold long-wheelbase variant will follow in 2002. Special are the MG ZT 260 and the Rover 75 V8, with a 4.6-liter from Ford. Those variants have rear-wheel drive. Less than 900 copies of the ZT 260 and 75 V8 have been produced together.
Rover 75
Hyper rare: a Rover 75 V8. At the time of writing, we find one for sale in the Netherlands for five grand, although it is not the world’s most beautiful. You see: driving a MG Rover really does not have to be expensive.
MG TF
Further development of the MGF from 1995. The TF is quite different in appearance and technically. The biggest change is the disappearance of the hydragas suspension of the MGF, which means that less specialist knowledge is required for a TF. Great driving roadster with a mid-engine, which has the Mazda MX-5 as its closest competitor. The placement of the engine makes maintenance a bit more complicated, but a good specialist has no problem with it. The risk of overheating due to the placement of the motor is virtually solved with the TF. The TF 120 has a 1.8-liter coupled to a CVT automatic transmission and, together with the 115 hp 1.6, it is not the most attractive variant. The TFs with the 135 or 160 hp 1.8 already look a lot more like it!
MG TF
Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive and without the technical quirks of the MGF. An MG TF is great fun and won’t cost you your head. But preferably with an engine that has quite a bit of power.
What should you pay attention to?
Pektron
Electronics in English cars is notorious. In recent years, MG Rover used the Pektron Unit to control it. It does not last a long car life, although you can always be lucky. Is your MG or Rover showing weird electronic problems, such as a spontaneous alarm, one window that does not work or one position of the windshield wipers that does not work? Then the Pektron Unit behind the dashboard is the prime suspect. Fortunately, they are easy to overhaul and a new one is not much more expensive than that. However, you are a few hundred euros in reverse with it.
K-Series
The designation of the Rover engine. Many think the latest Rovers have Honda or BMW engines, but that’s a misconception. Only the 75 / ZT diesel has a BMW power unit and the 75 / ZT V8 has a Ford engine. The K-series engine dates from 1988 and has cylinder capacities from 1.1 to 1.8 liters over the years. In addition to Rovers and MGs, the K-series is also used in models from Lotus and Caterham, from which many possibilities for tuning have arisen. Because these are enthusiast cars, it will be lucrative for a long time to continue to supply parts for the K-series and that will also benefit the MG and Rover drivers. When the Rover boys are talking about the KV6, it is the V6 variant that you will find in the 45 / ZS and 75 / ZT.
HGF
‘Head Gasket Failure’, or: broken head gasket. The K-series engine is notorious for it. Usually this is easily the case; after 60,000 kilometers is no exception. So be careful if you have your eye on a car with a low mileage. Sometimes the packing pops in one go and you are treated to a spectacular white cloud. Sometimes it is gradual and the car loses a little more power each time and coolant has to be topped up. Repair costs a few hundred euros – not an amount on which you can write off a nice copy. There are two options for this repair: you have everything restored according to factory instructions, then you have the same problem again after a few tens of thousands of kilometers, or you have the gasket repaired with an extra reinforcement in between; the specialist knows how to do this. This means that the discomfort will never return and the K-motor is very reliable. It is a pity that you cannot see from the outside how the head gasket has been repaired. So that remains a gamble when buying a used car.
X-Part
The support and support of today’s MG Rover driver. This company is responsible for the parts supply. Just about everything is still for sale and the prices are very reasonable. The parts are sold from Great Britain. The most obvious parts are quickly available. When things get more difficult, there is a clear waiting time, although it has not become shorter since Brexit. Difficult parts, such as rubbers for sliding roofs, are no longer available. You have to rely on the hobby circuit for that.
A lost cause
In 2005, after 101 years, the Rover brand comes to an end. How did that get this far? In 1994, when BMW takes over Rover, it is actually already a lost cause. In a world where scaling-up is becoming the norm, a brand that produces middle-class cars in relatively small numbers is doomed. Rover only sells cars in Europe, while for the brands that can survive, the whole world is the hunting ground. BMW is looking for economies of scale and sees bread in the brand. With Rover, the parent brand can continue to operate in the upper class and the British brand must continue to serve the lower segment. For example, the 25 and 45 should be succeeded by a car that competes directly in the VW Golf class. Evil tongues claim that the then BMW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder is only after the rights to Mini because he is a distant descendant of Alec Issigonis, the man who invented the classic Mini. In addition, Land Rover was also part of the Rover Group at the time. With the SUV trend on the rise, BMW sees opportunities and the Germans are also acquiring the knowledge to build their own 4x4s. The development team of the first X5 makes good use of it.
Partly due to the high level of the British pound and the outdated model range, it is not possible to sell Rovers. The 75, which was developed under BMW direction, is only moderately successful. Many a BMW leader has stumbled over Rover and in 2000 the company is split up and sold. Land Rover goes to Ford and BMW itself retains the trademark rights to the Mini and the factory in Cowley, where the New Mini is built. For £ 10, the remainder of Rover will be sold to the ‘Phoenix Four’, four businessmen who must have once wanted the best for the brand, but eventually went down in history as creative bookkeepers who mainly secure their own pensions and leave a trail of unpaid leaving bills. Their greatest achievement is the expansion of the MG brand. Until then, there was only the TF roadster, but in 2001 the ZR, ZS and ZT based on the 25, 45 and 75 will also follow.
Ultimately, the bankrupt estate, including trademark rights, ends up in China, at SAIC. That is why it is possible that MGs are still being sold to us today, albeit this time in the form of electric or hybrid SUVs.