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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - When do we get the diesel versons ?

I recently borrowed a ZS 180 from our local dealership as I was running a major MG event. Great car but an easy way to get lots of points on your licence. Performance and handling - great. Did not like - lack of boot floor (put a box in and the carpet sagged into the well. Large spoiler - reduced rear vision of following cop cars ! and looked a bit boy racer. The wife found the seats very tight on her thighs and she is not over weight.
I remember that when the cars were coming up we were told there would be diesel versions. There is for the ZR but not for the other two despite there being Rover versions so powered. I do a lot of miles and tow my racing MGs so a Turbo Diesel version would do me fine but the K series versions are not good tow cars as the torque is too high up the rev range.
When, or are, the diesel versions coming out.
Geeman

Of course we do Graeme, but need at least 130 HP & ask who can/ is willing to supply it? Renault have just announced the most powerful French diesel at 150 HP
(We have several discussions on this subject in the other threads )
andrew

grahame, if the car came with a spare wheel (spacesaver) then the boot floor wouldn't sink - yours probably had the ims system instead so there would be no support under the carpet.
large spoiler - well you could ask for the low spoiler instead which sits just off the boot lid, easy to see over.

Rob
rob

The ZS TD is available in Europe only at present according to info I have, and for the forseeable furture.
Neil Turner

Confirm your statement Neil-ZS TD available in certain markets only (eg Belgium)
However this 2 litre diesel has horrible Press reviews because of noise etc
What we need is the 118 HP BMW diesel from the ZT uprated to its original 130 HP
andrew

Yes, that is confirmed. Basicly cos of the amount of Diesel sales in Europe.

As for the BMW unit. The Rover uses a Common Rail version, wheres until last month the BMW 320d used a normal injection system with 136bhp. The 320d now has the same common rail system as in the Rover, but giving 150bhp, and reponds even better to chip tuning..... Come on MGR, how about an MG ZT180 CDT.......!!!!

Neil
Neil Turner

I would already be happy with 150 HP Neil and wonder if one could go as high as 180 on the
4 cylinder unit.If you could,would be great ,but that might kill off ZT petrol engined sales in continental Europe !
andrew

180bhp.....No problem.

My Seat Leon 1.9TDi 110 is chipped, and ran @ 154bhp on the rollers. The new Common Rail VW 1.9TDi's have 130 & 150bhp, if you chip the 150 version it ups it to 185-190bhp, with 300lb/ft torque @ 1900rpm.

The chip for the BMW 320d (136bhp version) takes bhp from 135 - 168, and torque from 206 - 256.
The Rover 75 CDT sees increases of 115 - 152bhp, and 191 - 243lb/ft.

Going by these figures I suspect the 150bhp CR unit to see figures of: 185-195bhp @ 270-280lb/ft torque :-)

Neil
Neil Turner

For heaven's sake Neal,if its that easy and the European dealers want it, why don't MGR DO IT !
andrew

Reliability!
ProMGR

Reliability not such an issue on Diesels, they are very over engineered....
e.g, the VW Diesel engine started life as a 64bhp Diesel & 75bhp IDI Turbo diesel, then 90bhp TDI, and then gradually gained 110, 115, 130 & finally 150bhp.
A few years back in 1996/97 VW ran a few Golf TDi's with 190bhp in the rally championship, using stock engines, and 100% reliablitly.

Gearboxes are the problem, Vw's 5speed has a 210lb/ft rating, hence why they have 2 different torque ratings for the 115bhp engine depending on gearbox used (210 or 229lb/ft), the 6 speed cures this upto the high 200's lb/ft.
Neil Turner

Wait for a press release sometime about Jan 30th. MG Rover seem to like that date - day BMW bought them, Day BMW said they were selling - I only remember cos its my b-day!

Rob

>>>For heaven's sake Neal,if its that easy and the European dealers want it, why don't MGR DO IT !<<<

Emissions, not just now but when the engine has 50 and even 100k miles under it's belt.

Screwing 130 bhp out of the Rover lump is a matter of pump adjustment. Adding another 20 bhp is a little more involved, but includes increases in engine revs.

Aftermarket tuners have to comply with a less restrictive range of parameters than the manufacturers, hence they can provide conversions that seem to easily raise the power. They will also claim to meet emission requirements, and they probably do, but these are still not as strict as the combined emisions and other operating requirments that are needed for type approval for new cars.

It does beg the question for the old Special Tuning type of approach where cars once bought and registered by owners can have such tweaks done.

Rog
Roger Parker

Be very very careful when reading up on VW diesels. I just found out from my friend from Halewood that the "130 HP" diesel tested by Autocar was infact a 150 HP job. No doult that when they test the 150 diesel it will be a 180.

I see Autocar kicked Skoda in the balls over the Octavia RS, the fact that it had 225 BHP not 180!
Nice one Autocar!
Mega

I recall some years ago that one mag would include a run on the rolling road to get some idea of the power deleivered. Being the same rollers, regularly calibrated and all measurments with correction to STP and there is a very good cross reference check.

Rog
Roger Parker

Yes Rog i like that idea but, the cost and time would rule it out for the likes of Autocar. When they published there results for the Skoda, i and God knows how many people faxed them to complan!

At lest in this weeks copy they put the boot in BIG time!

On the subject of Fuel cost, i just ment a chap with a ZS 180. Sliver NICE (he hates the seats). He is about to have a Duel fuel (GAS) rig put in. I will let you know how he gets on.
Mega

My Leon now produced more noticable smoke, i.e it can now be seen without following headlamps, although no where as bad as some other standard new Diesels.

As for the AutoCar Octavia RS, unfortunatly Autocar are not the best at getting there facts right. The octavia had a chip fitted, rated at about 195bhp, to obtain the 225bhp from the Audi TT requires a K04 Turbo (replacing the K03) and the Audi TT twin intercoolers, I doubt Skoda would go to this extreem.

Roger, On the suject of modified Diesels, that vibration problem I have is getting worse, what started as a 5th gear, and sometimes 4th gear problem when warm is now a 3rd, 4th & 5th when cold also, and starting in 2nd also now. Standard chip going back in to see it it does it still. Luckily some SEAT dealer (inc mine) are ok with mods if you delcare it, mine even offers the mods, so I hope it will be sorted....

Neil
Neil Turner

Time to dump the Leon Neil!!! :-)
Kelv.
Kelvin

Thanks for the advice Kelv, cheers "mate" :-)
Neil Turner

This thread was discussed between 16/12/2001 and 26/12/2001

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical index

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