First of all to clear up something that was posted earlier. EX257 is NOT A
FORMULA ONE CAR. The author who stated that obviously has either never seen
an F1 race and / or Le Mans. One is a open wheel race series, the other a
closed wheel race with more classes and fewer restrictions... not to mention
a great difference in the number of cars that run in either.
Just so Bill Spohn isn't alone, because we grinches have to stick together,
I agree with him about EX257 not sharing much in common with our MGs (except
the badge). But this is greater than just EX257.
Has anyone ever been able to purchase an MG Estate (Station Wagon) before?
Well you can now... how about a pre-riced MG economy car? Yup that too. To
give credit to John Towers though, he doesn't exactly have much to work with
(car wise or money wise). Tower's claims a completely new range of MG
vehicles by 2003/2004 though... we'll see.
The X Power program is interesting. As part of the program, they've stuffed
the turbocharged motor of the EX257 into an MGF... yes 450+ hp in an MGF.
No, it isn't forsale... it's a promotional vehicle. And right there we have
the key word in all of this, PROMOTIONAL. This is all about marketing. The
retro craze is working... thus the MG name is profitable and chic again. So
they cobble together a few performance oriented models to make believe these
MGs are inline with the heritage of MG's past.
MG, under anyone's ownership, hasn't produced a real sports car since the
MGA TwinCam (also in agreeance with Bill on this). It is sad to think that
in a 20 year span that MG had a production car producing 110ish hp... and at
the end of the next two decades had a car producing 69hp.
Personally, I like the retro craze. I like the differentiation in styling
that it is causing... I also will enjoy seeing previously missed marques
(Bentley, MG, etc) at Le Man's this June. Even if they aren't tradionally
representative of thier heritage or maker.
And just to give everything a bit more credit about new MGs not being MGs...
just consider that MG Rover has been in negotiations lately with Fiat for
engines. Then we'll have formerly German cars, facelifted by the English
using Italian drive trains. Yah, that is a real MG.
Kai
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