Background
The MG Sport and Racing works team was founded in 2001 to support MG Rover’s motorsport aspirations.
Initially the team comprised of three cars and their teams: MG Lola Le Mans Car (EX257), MG ZR Rally Car (EX258), MG ZS BTCC Saloon Car (EX259).
Rob Oldaker, MG Rover’s director of product development gained a second hat, as Managing Director of MG Sports & Racing Limited and took responsibility for the new motorsport brand MG X-power.
MG Sport & Racing developed several MG ZRs to be used in club and national rallying. MG Sport & Racing signed Gwyndaf Evans, Tony Jardine and Natalie Barratt to compete in a number of Internal rally events.
This Car
BU53 RVT formed part of the MG Sport and Racing works team founded in 2001.The rally car entry was to be a Super 1600 driven by Gwyndaf Evans (1996 British Rally Champion).
Technical difficulties with the Super 1600 meant that for the 2003 season BU53 RVT was built and converted to LHD by the works team so that it could driven by Gwyndaf Evans , with Co-Driver Claire Mole, in the British WRC round on the Wales Rally GB.
The Group N MG ZR rally car went superbly well against far more expensive machinery. They secured a class win in group N3 and a 27th place overall.
In 2004 the car was a works entry in the Artic Rally 2004 where it was driven by Tony Jardine and Co- Driver Kevin Piper. Tony Jardine brought the car home to a splendid 37th overall from a field of 81 starters. From here the car was sold to Speedy Motor Sport Hungary. It was, in March 2004, their entry for the Group N3 championship. Its suspension was changed to tarmac spec and engine power increased. It competed in some 23 events over several years for the Speedy Motor Sport Team driven by Szijja Csaba and for the Titania ASE Team by Gyuszu Laszlo. It best results were a 2nd in class in Szombathely Savania Rally 2004, Veszprem Rallye 2004, Michelin Budapest Rallye 2004 and the OMV Rallye Veszprem 2006 when it was entered by the Titania ASE Team.
From 2007 to 2016 the car competed in a number of rallies under for the Ba-Ro Motorsport and Speed Rally Team SE driven by Bimbo- Juhasz Laszlo and Vanko Zoltan.
Technical specification
Engine: 1.80ltr, 4 cylinder, 16V, DOHC
Induction: Naturally Aspirated
Transmission: 5 speed dogbox. FWD
Suspension: Coil lovers with Leda adjustable shock absorbers
Power output: 160 Bhp