MG ZR 160
ENGINE 1798cc/4-cyl/DOHC POWER 158bhp@6900rpm TORQUE 128lb ft@4500rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 131mph 0-60MPH 7.4sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 34-42mpg TRANSMISSION FWD, five-speed manual MoT 12 months from sale ODOMETER 17,627 miles
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
This is no fast but detached powerful hatch; it really is a blast to drive – crisp, taut and responsive. The power piles on smoothly and goodness me does this thing shift when you stick your foot down. 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds is the official line, but the car seems even faster than that. Being a late model, this car boasts a better positioned clutch pedal and sharpened steering. The handling is excellent and there’s a lot of power in the upper rev range. Certainly, there are no signs of hesitancy or misfiring that might suggest a sick cylinder head gasket. The gearchange is as it should be and we could find no evidence of worn ball joints or other signs of sloppiness.
BODYWORK CHECK
The black paint gleams factoryfresh and really suit the car’s lines. There’s hardly so much as a stone chip to behold on the paintwork, body panels or mouldings, the latter being completely free from cracks. The car looks immaculate underneath, too. The wheels look as though they have never turned and the Hankook tyres are in good order. The headlights show no signs of fading and all the glass is good. There is a small amount of light surface rust in the inner lip of the rear wheel arches – a common scenario with these cars – however, which should probably be caught sooner rather than later.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
The interior is as standard as the rest of the car. The two-tone seats are excellent apart from a minor blemish on the driver’s squab, but again this can be dealt with quite easily and was the only fault we could find anywhere. Even the steering wheel is unmarked and the dash board is as-new, with all
the dials and all other controls working as they should. The electric windows work, too. The car is extremely comfortable and has a genuinely high-quality feel to it.
UNDER THE BONNET
Yet more good news to report. The engine compartment showed not a single sign of leakage or contamination even after our extensive test-drive, including a blast up the A1. The coolant is clear and the car shows no signs of any cylinder head gasket problems, though Trophy Cars replaces these on all of its K-Series cars before sale anyway.
THE CCW VIEW
Oh dear, this is very tempting. No-one would pretend that this car is on offer at a bargain basement price, but it’s a rare, top of the range 160 with a full service history and low mileage. The car is an utter joy to drive and be in, with superb performance and a real sense of fun. We reckon that pristine ZRs could well represent sound investments, and you won’t find better than this one!
PROS First class example, strong performance
CONS Strong money, slight wheel arch corrosion
BUY IT FROM Trophy Cars, Northbound, Great north Road, A1, South Witham, Lincolnshire NG33 5LN. 01572 767777, trophycars.co.uk