The V8-Powered British Cult Performance Car That Time Forgot – CarBuzz

The British sports car industry was on its knees at the turn of the 21st century. The disastrous British Leyland era had killed off pretty much every manufacturer that built them by the time it fell apart in 1986, while the likes of Lotus, Jaguar, and Aston Martin had all been snapped up by foreign brands. TVR, which built some of the craziest cars ever, remained, while MG-Rover offered the MG-TF.

Related

One Of The Rarest British Cars Ever Made Was Inspired By The Fast & The Furious

MG’s wildest car was powered by a Roush-fettled V8, and its looks call to mind the Saleen Mustang from the F&F sequel.

The latter was beginning to fall into serious financial difficulties though, so as a last-ditch effort decided to design a halo sports car – probably not the soundest financial decision at the time. Utilizing some Italian connections, MG-Rover hoped the model would bring some much-needed good press to a brand being rapidly being left behind.

The SV Was Part Of MG’s Plan To Rediscover Its Sporting Pedigree

MG Racing And Performance Programs In Final Years:

• British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with the ZS sedan
• Sports-car racing with MG-Lola EX257
• Claimed record for world’s fastest wagon with special ZT-T
• DTM program planned before the company’s 2005 collapse

MG was once one of the main British brands that sold sports cars, the marque having found significant success not only domestically but also in the US during the mid-20th century with models like the TC. It had long fallen off that particular horse though, and newer cars like the 1960s MG B and the TF had failed to restore its previous sporting heritage to the levels it had been used to post-World War II.

Discussion

What’s the most overrated sports car ever made?

Everybody loves a good debate, and no matter what anyone says about a car (or just about anything else), there’s somebody who vehemently believes in the polar opposite side of the opinion. With that in mind, what car makes your skin crawl when you hear somebody profess their love for it? For me, it’s the 8N Audi TT. If it wasn’t for the styling – and I love the styling – would it be remembered for anything else? As far as I’m concerned, it’s a two-door version of the most luxury-focused Golf until that point, it’s heavy, and it’s slow. It’s not very well-balanced, drinks fuel whether fitted with the GTI’s turbocharged four-cylinder or the R32’s narrow-angle V6, and sends most of its power to the front wheels most of the time. The TT had its little niche, but it’s not nearly as special as its fanatics suggest, and that’s why it doesn’t even exist anymore. I’m convinced of my opinion; what’s yours?

It went hard in trying to establish itself in motorsport, spending lots of money to ensure the MG brand was visible to as many race fans as possible. It entered the BTCC in 2001 with a V6-powered ZS sedan, as well as sports-car racing with an MG-branded Lola LMP675 prototype where it took on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It even looked to enter the German DTM touring car series in 2005, though it didn’t get that far.

Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.

Desperate to establish MG as a true sporting heavyweight as the new millennium began, the company looked at developing a new V8-powered halo sports car for the road alongside its racing exploits. MG-Rover had acquired small Italian sports car brand Qvale, which built a car called the Mangusta between 2000 and 2002, in 2001, and it planned to design its own model based on the underpinnings of the Mangusta. Having gone from a clay model to a full production car in just 100 days, the resulting SV made its debut in 2003.

The SV-R Used A V8 From A Mustang

Acquiring the Mangusta platform proved valuable for MG as it meant it didn’t need to waste time and money developing its own, and could simply design a new body and slap its own badges on. The Mangusta was even homologated to be sold in the US, so MG could offer its model, called the SV, across the Atlantic. The SV utilized the steel-box frame used on the Mangusta, which also came with a roll cage that helped to reinforce the body.

It also retained the same award-winning 4.6-liter modular Ford V8 from the Mustang, and five-speed manual gearbox that was used in Qvale’s model. Combined with a full carbon-fiber body, which meant it weighed only 3,295 pounds, the meaty engine powered the SV to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds and onto a top speed of 165 mph. These figures came as a result of the powerplant’s 320 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque.

Related

The 10 Most Powerful Versions Of Ford’s Modular V8 Engine

Ford’s modular V8 engine is omnipresent within its ranks and has been for years. Here are the most powerful models to ever used the modular V8 enigne.

The body wasn’t just light, as MGs design team, led by McLaren F1 exterior designer Peter Stevens, ensured that an intricately designed front splitter and rear diffuser produced enough downforce to help keep the car stable at high speeds. The SV was also graced with full double-wishbone independent suspension all around, which was tuned to make the car agile as well as exploitable by less experienced drivers. The cherry on top was a Brembo braking system.

The SV-R Model Turned The Dial Up To 11

In 2004, MG also introduced an R version of the SV. It came with a larger 5.0-liter Ford V8 that bumped power to 385 hp and torque to 375 lb-ft, which allowed it to sprint to 60 mph 0.4 seconds quicker than the standard variant. While retaining the same transmission and suspension setup as the normal SV, the SV-R Brembo brakes were beefed up. It also received more aggressive styling, as illustrated by the downforce-boosting rear spoiler.

The MG SV Wasn’t Exactly A Bargain

While the SV featured some impressive features, such as the full carbon body, these enhancements did come at a price. The base SV cost around $85,000 when it launched in 2003, which is around the same as a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S cost at the time. The SV-R set buyers back around $108,000 when it hit the market, which is only around $8,000 less than a brand-new 911 Turbo would have cost.

They weren’t crammed full of interior refinements either, with leather and Alcantara Recaro seats and a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob as far as it went from a luxury perspective. It got the basics such as power windows and heated power side mirrors. Compared to rivals like the 911, which came with climate control and other gizmos, the SV was pretty bare. Given that the Porsche had more power, was better built and more luxurious, and had a better badge, the MG wasn’t stellar value.

The SV-R Still Fetches A Fair Amount On the Used Market

Unsurprisingly, given its high cost, MG only built 82 examples of the SV and SV-R before production wound up in 2005. As a result, they are still worth a fair amount on the used market in 2024. According to Classic.com, which collates auction listings from around the world, the average sale price for the models is a shade over $60,000. The most expensive was a green SV-R, which secured $85,000 when it was sold in Illinois in mid-2024, while the cheapest was a silver SV-R that went for $41,808 in the UK back in 2021.

The SV Was Cut Down In Its Prime

While its high cost was one of the main reasons MG could shift just 82 examples of the SV in two years, more would have likely been sold had the company not been on the precipice of its demise throughout the car’s production run. Ultimately, it became a victim of MG-Rover going bust in 2005. The company’s push for relevance had been a complete failure, and its racing programs had done little to boost sales.

With its already tight cash reserves finally running dry, MG-Rover had no other choice but to call it a day. The SV would never get the chance to be further developed and truly take on its international rivals. Given the impressive package MG had managed to cobble together despite having so little money to hand, the SV could have been something great had the brand’s strategy worked out long-term.

Sources:
MG
,
Classic.com
.