MG Rover - The Lost Prototypes and Survivors

In this video we look at the prototypes and test cars of Longbridge (MG Rover) and investigate their fates, some of which being the MG TF GT, RDX60, Rover TCV and various other models such as experimental Rover 75s and MG ZTs. Some of these cars were hailed as the savour of MG Rover however they came too little too late and were subsequently in some cases destroyed needlessly.
ARonline is the best source for everything: www.aronline.co.uk I referenced them and their respective sources within this video, nothing however beats reading their informative articles so please visit their site.
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[@stephencox2341]

A couple of corrections..the TCV was a clay buck and weighed around 2/3 tons. I know because I had to move the car out of the way. It was behind the stage in the exhibition hall along with various other classics which had been bought by MGR. The TCV didn’t steer and had to be moved on go-jacks, it was beginning to deteriorate to, cracking etc. VX08 ZTT was purchased by an employee from NAC for £500 and he then registered it and tried to get it working properly, failing in the attempt due to the unconfigured ECU which gave many problems including with the ABS system. The employee then mashed-up the grill design using a “premium” front end to create an MG, it was actually a Rover 75 Tourer. All that was in 2007. The V8 LWB Rover 75 was utilised by the MD of NAC as transport to and from home and to collect VIPs from the airport. I think it was scrapped in 2008/9 along with all the other development cars which were non compliant and gave the legal eagle company solicitor nightmares in case they escaped. The V8 LWB was actually a compliant car and shouldn’t have been scrapped. I know this because I worked for NAC/SAIC during that period ans was trying to buy the second production spec 75 Tourer (LHD) which was languishing on the parking lot.

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Stephen, these sort of comments are what keeps me making content, I’ll pin this for reference

[@SixAppealWheelGroup]

Thanks for your valuable information..it's sad to see even clay mock ups degrading in car park...hopefully gaydon might have some influence to save some if not all. Obviously if this video is seen it may lead to the company disposal of them even faster? I hope not... British motoring at its best, destroyed by media and strikes!😢

[@philipsheldon5975]

Hi you making content about rover cars,the rot there goes deep why car's didn't get off the ground etc etc. You would be better trying to find out what happened to all the money.

[@mickc7388]

Still after all these years it makes me sad & angry about the demise of MG/ Rover.

[@mfitzy100]

The only good thing you can say is parts of it survive and are strong like Mini and Land Rover

[@jonnymayne4321]

Great video and videos Tom. I worked at a MG-Rover dealership in Service and Parts from 1999 to 2003. Made a few visits to Longbridge, in your video you asked about the work culture of MG-Rover, as dealership staff there is often (certainly with other manufacturers I worked at) an us and them feeling. At MG-Rover we were always made very welcome and treated as a any other colleague. It was always a treat to go to Longbridge. I expressed my passion for motorsport during a conversation with one of the lovely ladies at the visitor centre (embarrassed that I can't remember her name) who sorted me a day at Thruxton with the BTCC team which was mega! My biggest regret is one Saturday at the dealership I had to sort and throw out the old microfiche. I binned thousands of Austin and Rover parts catalogs etc. AND a skip load of out dated parts! We had no idea how good we had it before it all fell apart in 2005. Keep up the videos Tom.

[@zeewin]

Thanks for creating this episode. Original Rover was indeed very much ahead of time. What a shame that nobody cared about their sedans until now. 75s and ZTs are still ageing well these days. My dream is that Rover can be bought and brought back to the UK one day for a complete reborn.

[@damoshort76]

We should leave Rover where it sadly died. Along with MG. I've been a Morris fan (Oxfords and Itals) for the last 40 years. If Morris came back, it just wouldn't be the same. A totally different company making cars that don't like.

[@andygreen1a]

That MG TF GT is beautiful, wish it had gone into production. Looks fantastic

[@skynet1.044]

Been waiting for this one, so many interesting prototypes and so many “ what ifs” too sadly, would be interesting To see how many could be tracked down and do reviews on!

[@tomdrives]

I hope this video leads to some reviews maybe, that'd be great to see them in more detail

[@ThePolaroid669]

Awesome video as always! If only Rover was still around 😞

[@tomdrives]

Thanks John! And yes I wish! Then we’d have some manufacturing still over here as well

[@klutchcustoms2428]

Poor Peter Stephens . Imagine having just days to make a Ssangyong Rectum look palatable!

[@jonnyc429]

Unfortunately his initial idea of a can of petrol and box of matches didn't get the go ahead

[@stw7506]

I used to work at Longbridge so thanks for this video. My last job was working on the fit and finish on the Rover 75, I also occasionallly worked on the 25 and 45. In early 2004 I was part of a team who travelled to Bristol docks where the City Rovers were were brought into the UK. The fit and finish on these cars was quite frankly awful. We had to get them to a condition fit for sale. I have driven a few City Rovers where at one time I have one as a courtesy car whilst mine was being repaired. Unfortunately I have to say it is probably one of the worst cars I have ever driven. It was noisy, unrefined, vague to say the least. The interior was also extremely cheap and nasty. It was a shame that this vehicle was placed alongside the other Rover vehicles in the range. I beleive the 25 replacement eventually became the BMW 1 series which hasn't been a bad seller. Any videos on this?

[@stevensarson482]

Unfortunately your experience with the CityRover is now commonplace and built-in. Everything from giant rigs to Wind Turbines need re-fitting and this is preferred than building them ‘better’ here.

[@paultaylor9652]

Very sad times, those Phoenix lot never did get their comeuppance, my father in law had many company car's over the years and for covering motorway miles he said the 75 was the best car he'd had.

[@admiralalcatraz6080]

I am surprised you missed the S Reg development Rover 75 (S525OVP) that was rescued from Longbridge in circa 2012 (??), by the 75/ZT owners club. Was used in development of the 75 and in some dealership media, then was used in quite a few police dramas as a police car, before being used by Longbridge security during the SAIC era. They threw MGZT bumpers on, and then it sat for a good long while before being rescued. Great video though.

[@tomdrives]

OVP is one of my favourites I’d absolutely love to see it, OVP deserves a video to itself

[@julianadams3738]

I had a Rover 75 as a company car, the most comfortable car I had, loved it.

[@dipeshpankhania]

Great video. I love hearing stuff like this. I used to work with a load of people that worked there, was fascinating to hear the stories

[@Life_Of_AL]

I’ve always said the RDX60 was sold to General Motors, and was later released as the Signum. Far too many similarities to go unnoticed. The V8 ZT at 17:40 😢 I had a few conversations at POL and various other places with Mark from KMAPS. Some of the stories I’ve heard from people who worked at Longbridge, you could write a book.

[@oliverstemp9132]

The Signum was probably more inspired by the FIAT Croma ‘comfort wagon’ thing, that was also based on a Vectra. There was a GM Opel /FIAT joint venture at the time so must of been aware

[@jamieeedden777]

I thought as much as some of the parts looks like those from a Vauxhall Vectra

[@oliverstemp9132]

@@jamieeedden777 the Croma was pretty much a Vauxhall Vectra

[@simonhodgetts6530]

The TF GT is a beautiful thing - it’s a crying shame it didn’t reach production!

[@tomdrives]

It’s a stunner

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

Before the Ssangyong 4x4, a Tata (dang, I can’t remember the model name) medium-sized SUV was evaluated. I had fleet driving/mileage accumulation privileges alongside my day job in Homologation so I bagged it for an overnighter. As expected the licence-built Peugeot 1.9 XUDish turbodiesel was flexible, sweet and punchy but the rest of the package was irredeemably substandard to be considered for the UK market. My written report on it included this: “presumably the bastard offspring of a brief back-alley liaison between a Land Rover Series III and a Peugeot 405 taxi. Quite, quite horrible”. If you want a lolcow video, try the Qvale Mangusta to MG SV-R (or whatever it ended-up being unsuccessfully marketed as) debacle which was the final straw for me, proving that what money could be scraped together was being spent on vanity projects rather than the sorely-needed new medium car. I left MGR shortly afterwards.

[@philiptownsend4026]

That was a great enthusiast video. Thanks for doing it and please do more. I subscribed.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Thanks for this Tom, very interesting and insightful. Such a shame that many of models and prototypes have been destroyed. An absolute disgrace. I hope you get to see a few survivors at some point. Joseph over at Lloyd vehicle consulting might be able to help you with a Cityrover or Boaty/ project Nigel. They are looking for one.

[@tomcole020]

Really interesting to see all these prototypes from unreleased cars to emissions testers, It’s criminal that the green RDX60 prototype was scrapped that definitely should’ve been put into a museum. I didn’t know the MG TF coupe made it out alive though would be great to see it at a show like POL or MG Live one day

[@r25limousine]

I really liked this and I could definitely watch more and go deeper. It’s a story that fascinates me. I’ve been fortunate to go around the Range Rover design studio and factory and the amount of prototypes is unreal!

[@poplaurentiu4148]

MG also had a supersport prototype that got lost & forgotten over the years but it was recently found : MG EX-E Concept

[@Lot76CARS]

Thanks Tom, great video! I knew about a few but not all of these so please crack on with a video on the TCV. Ahead of their time with many of these, look at the Streetwise for example!

[@tomdrives]

Thanks! And yes definitely just need to do some more research. The Streetwise was definitely very forward thinking, I’d love one

[@RichieRouge206]

The RD61 and 62 look so like the Vectra C - more specifically the Signum! Very cool video

[@georgepreston8173]

Great video with some interesting information!

[@neilmustow368]

Great vid Tom The MGTF GT sad it didn't make production

[@oliverstemp9132]

That RDX90 is very nearly an SUV. The MG Rover team were incredible.

[@beardsandbangers]

Very interesting video Tom. The RDX60 is very Vauxhall Signum like and the headlight clusters are familiar but from where, I don't know!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Problem is, it’s all a bit Mk4 Astra, with bits of Vectra C thrown in. RDX60 wasn’t really MG / Rover enough, especially compared with the fantastic 75.

[@matthewc.419]

That what's I thought but couldn't remember the name of it

[@jeremywentworth1833]

I was a metrology technician quality engineer for west Yorkshire Foundries, obviously an ex Rover Foundry for 15 years or so. To say we were entitled to staff discount and when offers were on cars could be half price ish, not many took up the offers other than Rover 75s and MG ZT. Why did some of the development cars that were finished destroyed why on earth didn't they go to a museum. Shame TF GT didn't go into production I may well have bought 1, actually there was 1 or 2 TFs , when rover went we did as well we didn't just supply Rover, the company closed the plant and other work went to sister foundrys in Austria and Hungry.

[@neilmartin5341]

Recently subscribed loving the video's

[@tariqmahmood6497]

Stumbled across your channel mate, glad I did 👌👍binjing on your vlogs lol, wish you success with your channel mate, God bless 👌👍

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Tariq, I’m glad you’re here!

[@devilmahon666]

Hi Tom, Fantastic video pal. So sad to see these cars that could have saved Rover. That MG 4x4 Mock-up of the Ssangyong I wonder if it’s still around somewhere as according to the DVLA records it’s actually on SORN which would mean it hasn’t actually been scrapped unless DVLA records are incorrect. There was also another Prototype 75 that you didn’t mention. Rover had to find away of getting rid of the BMW Diesel engines as it was costing a fortune in royalties back to BMW for its continued use. They used the Fiat 1.9 JTD engine in one as a test rig. That car did actually escape the flight shed as it was for sale a few years ago and I went to have a look at it. The garage that was selling it was quite upfront about it being a prototype and said they couldn’t warrant it because of this. It was a silver 75 Saloon in base classic specification, 99% sure it was on an 06 Plate. I believe there was more than one of these that did escape from Longbridge.

[@tomdrives]

Someone has messaged me who owns a 75 with the JTD engine. The Rexton is believed scrapped someone sent me a photo of it that confirms it

[@seancooper9138]

I did some contract work at Longbridge around 10 years ago and the MG rexton was abandoned near to the security office with flat tyres and had gone green with moss, along with the ZT fire response car which had also been used by security

[@michaeljohnson1006]

It's such a shame some of these test cars could not have gone to gaydon, Coventry transport museum, haynes and beulie

[@6643bear]

Hi great informative video, damm shame with demise of mg Rover , I own a 54 plate Zs 180 + in firefrost, great car build quality not great especially the door handles !!, keep up the great work . Regards mark

[@philiptownsend4026]

I had a Trophy 160 that I did a lot of work on. Two things about the beautiful TFGT. 1. I wonder how they managed to squeeze the bulky V6 into it? We just about fitted a turbo to the K series in there but it was a very tight fit. 2. To work on the engine from above the soft top could be folded forward and a large plate underneath the parcel shelf carpet could be unbolted and removed. I wonder how the TFGT provided access to the engine from above? 3. The suspension and radiator came from the Metro and I'm wondering how those rudimentary low powered hatchback shopping car parts would have been upgraded for the potential weight power and speed of the V6 engine. They were pretty marginal in my Trophy. Incidentally, half of the Metro CV joint found it's way into the MGF and just rotated there redundant adding to unsprung weight. When under the car I would often muse about the possibility of a 4WD MGF!!! 4. At the same time I was also working on a Rover 25 turbo conversion using a VVC engine but with solid inlet cam with Kmaps to do the ECU for me. I was looking at getting hold of an old Mk1 Freelander to assess the feasibility of putting it's entire transmission and back axle under there... But that never happened as I sold all the turbo conversion parts and scrapped the rest upon retirement, cancer, and emigration. 5. I once drove a hired City Rover from South Coast to London then full circle round the M25 and back south again. It was an experience I been trying hard to forget ever since.

[@carlosalher5797]

1:40 Cars shown from this minute on reminds me of Opel / Vauxhall Insignia and Astra (the new generation at late ‘90s) 😮 Surprisingly!

[@darrenmitchell5262]

I followed MG/Rover’s concept cars and new model plans in car magazines and was really impressed with them, had they all seen production, it would have been a new dawn for the brands, though I think dumping the Rover name and using MG would have been the best direction to take, aiming the brand at a younger audience. It still makes me sad the whole lot collapsed. Though it’s great that MG are selling cars again.

[@RoverAddiction]

AROnline states on the MG ZT Countrywise "The SMTC UK employee who sold the car to John has a colleague at Longbridge who worked on the original project - John hopes that the Engineer concerned will be able to assist him with the electrical problem-solving which remains. John reckons that his ZT-T 4WD has done around 5000 miles - the Service Indicator suggests that one is due in 10,000 miles - and the immaculate condition of the car’s interior reflects that. However, as the Land Rover Freelander transmission sits slightly higher and further forward than in a standard ZT-T, John has fitted a cloth insert made of sound-deadening material as a temporary solution." Meaning he sold it to someone who originally worked on the Countrywise. "Ironically, that prompted John Newey to suggest that he might fit Rover Streetwise-type wheel arch surrounds and a Matt Black wrap across the bottom of his car - that would, after all, probably create a pretty accurate impression of what a production MG ZT-T Crosswise or Countrywise might have looked like back in 2005."

[@markhuckercelticcrossbows7887]

i had a prototype mgf trophy, y369tlc, some drunk driver, wrote it off! some one rebuilt it and put it back on the road last year

[@DavidJohnson-gh3si]

Thanks for the video. It might be painful but perhaps you could trace what happened when Rover became Roewe in Shanghai and MG went to Nanjing then the companies merged. I might be able to help with that if you’re interested

[@williammcphee7439]

Love this video

[@tomdrives]

Thanks William!

[@hamster639]

The rdx60 green MG is still at Longbridge I believe for now at old press garage. The black rover one I found in an office that never was used in CAB2 around 2016 I think that has been scrapped now

[@matthewc.419]

Fascinating thank you , I think B.L should be brought back all the models Very interesting regards the brand clashes !!!!! I thought that looked like a ssaouynyong ( bad spelling ) rexton + rodeous, don't forget that ( thing ) !!! We had both on hire fleet @Arnoldclark !!!!!! The gear box 📦 !!!! That lifestyle estate well looks like that vaxhaull big 5 door hatchback thing , they dropped it only a few years in That TF GT !!!!!!!!! Well cool 😎 I'd like a 75 with a v8 in it 😋 , that's why B.L should be brought back

[@philtucker1224]

The reason Rover could not survive is because the public refused to buy them! Nobody else’s fault I’m afraid…(I’m also a fan by the way)

[@dirigentmaarten9381]

I agree. Although lots of things went wrong there (or were done wrong)by BMW, Phoenix and others)... When MG Rover collapsed people were angry, sad or both. But when the company was still alive and built cars... they didn't buy them. So I have a bit of a problem with people who cried about what happened to MG Rover, but disguised the cars when they were still for sale, and never bought one. It'still a great loss. Here in the Netherlands, my son and me, we do what we can: saving MGs and Rovers (which are very cheap now) from the scrap yard or banger racing. By the way, we own a MG ZT-T 190, a MG ZS 180 and a Rover 45 hatchback (march 2005..) Oh yeah, and... an Austin Montego....

[@MotorTorq_ZA]

If all these cars went into production and I had to choose one it would either be the mg rexton or the rover tcv. I really like them and I wish they made it to production

[@byronjones8454]

The MG tf gt was still at the factory along with various other cars in the museum behind the sale's centre, I've got pics of the cars .

[@peterlee44]

Great video didnt all the cars left get sent to the auctions at Measham from the factory i do remember going to the auctions and you couldnt move for new unregistered Rovers

[@NUHUH-12345]

15:19, that's a prototype for an MG version of the CityRover, that was one of the last projects at Longbridge from what I know.

[@Packz0121]

That 75 limo is still in Longbridge just in the car park of the conference center and roundhouse you can see it from cofton park

[@y9art]

I was at Longbridge on the day the last ever MGTF came off the production line, I have a number of still images if they are of interest ?

[@tomdrives]

They definitely are, are you able to email me them? [e-mail] if possible

[@harrymartin684]

Damn, that GT-TF looks nice, it's a shame it never saw production.

[@tomdrives]

I agree, I love it

[@darrenball4620]

A company called Retro Sports Cars Ltd have just built a TF coupe I believe - I'll have to see if I can see any pics of it anywhere.

[@scrapyardwarriorvlogging]

I would have loved to have saved X541 JOH the green tourer. That was fitted with a 4x4 system from a Freelander I believe. It sat in the flight shed and was then crushed years afterwards.

[@terryjames5109]

Thanks Tom👌

[@robertbills4290]

It's a crying shame what happened to Rover. It's true what they say about Britain. We make something good then sell it abroad and they get the jobs and the money. Funny how our country can find money for all the world but not for us

[@tomdrives]

There’s a reason the German car industry no matter what sort of a predicament it gets in won’t go bust, the same with what’s the remaining of the US industry

[@goodfes]

Were they really made well though ? The only quality Rovers I ever owned & really enjoyed were re-worked Honda's under the BAE stewardship. Over 40 years some of the models had the potential but the quality or volumes were never quite there sadly - think SDI. Too many lost opportunities.

[@RichieRouge206]

Yes definitely more history of the lost cars and if you hear anything from current owners!

[@mitch5806]

What happened to the 75/zt coupe concept

[@skimmingstoness]

RDX60 was a dead ringer for what became the Vauxhall Signum, it's a handsome car.

[@tomdrives]

I don’t know why the signum wasn’t more successful I’ve always liked it

[@skimmingstoness]

@@tomdrives £4k list over the equivalent Vectra and thirstier engines

[@philtucker1224]

The headlight clusters look like 03 Vectra.

[@jamieeedden777]

That rd62 kinda looks like it shares some bits with a Vauxhall Vectra like wheels and lites looks so strange

[@pavloarmand4070]

As an owner of 3 Rover 75's and a MG ZT the demise of the brand by a group of hooligans/wide boys was a real shock. Sadly, they were the harbinger of things to come in British society. What I call the Johnson effect.

[@markp6982]

Wide boys include ukgov allowing those criminals to get their hands on it.

[@Golo1949]

I see you have an original wheel from the 827 Vitesse, great cars I had two.

[@tomdrives]

I’ve got an 827 Vitesse it’s been on the channel a few times

[@TimHayton]

LWB V8 BX54OPL was crushed by SAIC in 2010. Vin was 0353. Came off the production line 18/3/2004.

[@Mondeoman]

Geoff buys cars has just put up a video from Longbridge and show the green rdx60 still very much alive and in one peice plus various others no mention of the unlimate fate of these cars but definitely need to be in a auto museum.

[@tomdrives]

My most recent videos cover it in more detail

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

MG TF GT is a beauty.

[@harvymckiernan93]

Is it me, or does that Rd61 bears a close resemblance to the Vauxhall Vectra Signum from 2003

[@_Ben4810]

In all the chaos leading upto the closure of Longbridge, & the subsequent SAIC, Nanjing NAC & receivers' contractors & personnel all having access to the various gates & factories, there must have been a few sharp folks (esp. security) who managed to get free cars out of Longbridge....🤔🤫😉

[@StiggysGuitarLoft]

Most of these cars seems to have the vauxhall insignia and Ford fusion style headlights

[@samueltyrrell4329]

I love your sailor moon shoes, where did you get them?

[@tomdrives]

Vans a collection they did a while ago

[@paulb4uk]

Shame so many of these prototypes are gone forever

[@DIYPanda1]

I see vauxhall signum when I look at that updated 75.

[@timhubbard8327]

I currently own the 08 registered 190 SE ZT-T which has now covered something like 130k miles! You'd be more than welcome to come and have a nose around it! I'm in Greater Manchester

[@benhooper1956]

I hope the RDX60 is still out there, if someone would make a roadgoing continuation I would buy it

[@tomdrives]

I’m in contact with someone who says the green one may have survived

[@benhooper1956]

@@tomdrives That's a relief, hope it leads somewhere

[@richardpinson1234]

I think the yellow city rover ended up at kennings Lichfield when I worked there

[@minijosh1340t]

I own 3 V plates metros that managed to escape (possibly slightly earlier than the period your looking at)

[@ambivalentonion2620]

mk1 metros?

[@stevenlawrence278]

It amazes me that the idiots that sent these cars for scrap, didn't have the common sense to think "These will be worth a bit of money in a few years".

[@williammcphee7439]

God I'd love a TCV 😮‍💨

[@tomdrives]

Same here, I think it could’ve been the next chapter for Rover! Sadly not to be

[@jameskellard5075]

BX54OPL had an MOT and tax until 1 April 2009

[@jamieeedden777]

The mg rexton must be about or could have been recently as checked gov site and was a logbook issued in 2011 would be cool to se the car in the flesh I've had one of the realised versions of the rexton use to use for towing cars and trailers good towing vehicles also my first propper car was a rover 600 as grandad worked at Longbridge before he worked for jaguar use to remember him bringing the rovers home I'm soon to be getting another 600 been sat 8 years in dry storage I'm only paying scrap price so if worst comes to worst I'll break or scrap the car if it's to bad

[@jamesspeytebroodt7237]

Good god; the ssangyong story: Yeah Ii guess the security car was just a ssangyong rexton for people who didnt know the ins n out and the plans; I wander what engine? The mercedes motors?

[@KarlHamilton]

VX08OBW looks A N G E R Y

[@SixAppealWheelGroup]

Have you contacted gaydon heritage centre? I have sent an e mail with your report attached. These really need to be saved and not scrapped due to embarrassed executive decisions. Think it shows how little interest is found in new owners..😮

[@tomdrives]

Well I did call them yesterday and the lady seemed to think it was funny….

[@SixAppealWheelGroup]

@@tomdrives I get the impression they are just in a job Tom! Not enthusiastic enough..was stunned when I last visited to see vehicles outside with long grass growing around them! Then selling off some.😒

[@jonsnow6741]

MG should have made that 2 seater ev concept . there would have been a waiting list. Instead they made a shite 4x4.

[@KarlHamilton]

Oooh instalike!

[@charlier7548]

Its an absolute travesty that MGR was allowed to collapse and be sold to the Chinese. It should have been kept in the UK.

[@dirigentmaarten9381]

Nothing against Chinese people. But we shouldn't sell things to them, or buy from them. They take over the world economy. That's more dangerous than any other country including Russia...

[@malcolmcowan9554]

Looks like a vectra c

[@MickHurst65]

Flight Shed used til 2005 but demolished in 2001????? Now confused?????

[@tomdrives]

Demolished in 2011

[@davarosmith1334]

If only the four stooges didn't get there thieving hands on the Rover company it might be around today.

[@oakleygt]

God, MG made some shite cars didn’t they.

[@simonspider]

The Rexton was a hideous blob, maybe better they never sold it!!

[@mitch5806]

What happened to the 75/zt coupe concept

[@tomdrives]

I’ll be making a separate one on that

[@paulbarnett5837]

The TF GT is beautiful