The MG XPower SV - MG’s Muscle Car

There were a lot of letters in the MG XPower SV’s name, and almost all of them were invented by MG’s new management to convince the buying public they were definitely, truly, serious about making highly tuned sports cars. The SV was on the face of it an astute business decision to release an exclusive MG sports car and get cash flowing into MG Rover’s bank account. But now it’s an almost forgotten footnote in Anglo Italian engineering. So just where did this car come from? And why did it disappear almost as quickly?
TVR Griffith video from Johnny S: • TVR Griffith 500 REVIE...
Music: "Go Get 'Em Tiger" from the KZbin audio library.
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[@BigCar2]

At almost 14 minutes in I say "rear engine". Of course I meant "rear wheel drive". I've corrected the subtitles (I can't change the video unfortunately after it's released).

[@Meton12765]

The Rover V8 was originally developed by GM in the 1950's and released in 1960. Engine development doesn't happen over night. Especially not in case of it using new and at the time somewhat exotic materials, such as aluminium, especially when it's used in the block of the engine.

[@ridanann]

Anglo Italian what a turn of phrase given the anglos just kicked the Europeans to the gutter if quote British manufacturing doesn't start making cars I'd imagined Anglo automobiles will foreshadow the Fate of the Anglo people the lazy self-destruction. we Celts don't make cars we already invented the muscle chariot back in the day lol we don't need industry to survive we are an academic and artistic people if you care about that word Anglo I'd say manufacturing the very thing that truly makes the English stand out needs saving.

[@CaymanIslandsCatWalks]

Bostin sir

[@jordlc3480]

Wish you would do a alfa 159 story 😅😅😅😅

[@lukejenkins9341]

I was just wondering this lol

[@michaelharrison1093]

The styling looks like it is the offspring of a union between an Audi TT and a Ford Mustang

[@golfmother3141]

yes very TT around the roofline

[@mutestingray]

A touch of Mercury Cougar? I feel like I’m missing something else.

[@gogogeedus]

Well it's got 4 wheels if that's what you are referring to!

[@lotusgroup123]

What styling?

[@letzvisit1661]

Think you’ve got that spot on. I love the look of that car.

[@garymcavoy2506]

I remember parking near one of these in my old 2002 fiat punto and realised it had the same lights

[@esteban75lover23]

Haha

[@sequentialgear]

I knew it!

[@JoeDirt.WD-40]

Lol

[@clivebrackstone1896]

Fiat coupe rear lights to be precise 😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉

[@HGSuper]

My rover sd1 had the same as the esprit. They just turned them upside down.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

"The Fastest Estate In The World!" That they barely bothered telling anyone about. A world record for marketing failure as well as a speed record.

[@dcarbs2979]

Ferrari 456 GT Venice is probably faster.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@@dcarbs2979 "I think somebody does, or else there'd be no comment" Did you realise how dumb that comment was and deleted it?

[@dcarbs2979]

@@leftpastsaturn67 It isn't deleted. Nor do I retract it.

[@shebbs1]

@@dcarbs2979 Any number of HSV wagons from Australia, if you wanted something more affordable, had similar performance too. Those are history now too.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@@dcarbs2979 So, you didn't realise how dumb it was then. Quelle surprise.

[@JakePetrolhead]

I always loved the way this thing looked - ever since Clarkson road tested it on Top Gear. It's a shame MG Rover were allergic to doing well - the brand was something I always liked as a Motorsport mad child of the early 2000's. Through their BTCC, LeMans and S1600 Rally program, and this thing - MG was the single coolest brand to me as a small child. Unfortunately, small children can't buy cars.

[@lgz2006]

One of the most underrated muscle cars ever... I actually love it...❤️

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Good stuff. De Tomaso himself would be an interesting story.

[@viiviketomaki7284]

He seems like quite a character based on what Marcello Gandini said about him.

[@Largeone1968]

My mate has just bought a Pantera. I had no idea such a beast existed. Italian looks but dependable proven Ford engine seems a winning combination in the useable super car class.

[@Matchewfitz]

Donut media just released a podcast on him

[@viiviketomaki7284]

@Munshat RahmanHere's an interview with Gandini all about him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHrMqmqharF1bKc

[@traviswalker8933]

​@@viiviketomaki7284 Gandini himself lost his touch in the 1990s with weird designs.

[@YegoYTP]

the Mangusta looks like a Fiat Coupe thats had a stroke.

[@ABrit-bt6ce]

My thought exactly.

[@BuddhaOfDarkness]

I was thinking the same.

[@nigelwolfe6150]

A very poorly rendered Miata/rx7 ...like they just built from first sketch without THINKING

[@torstenscholz6243]

Or like a cross between a Miata and an Austin Healey Sprite with mumps - it's even got the Sprite's frogeye front!

[@colinwhite5355]

Can’t believe a renowned designer could come up with anything quite so ugly as that Mangusta. How did management ever see fit to give it the green light? As for the MG, perhaps best forgotten. All that effort and for what?

[@rorymacve]

Another super video! :D The MG XPower SV is one of those interesting 'what were they thinking?' moments, like the Aston Martin Lagonda of the 1970s and the Rolls-Royce Camargue. On paper it was a good idea and it had some meaty performance, but it would have suited better a company that was a bit more financially healthy rather than creating an expensive, niche sports car when the coffers are practically dried up.

[@torstenscholz6243]

I agree. A great car that would have deserved a better fate and certainly would've found its market but was released at the wrong time in the wrong way. It also suffered from strong competition from Germany, America and Japan, as it was released at a a time where cars like Audi TT, BMW Z3, Mercedes SLK and Nissan 350Z were strong sellers, and Ford was just about to release its brand new Mustang V. So no one would turn to already troubled MG to buy an exotic muscle car.

[@alan-sk7ky]

Bad Obsession Motorsport has one of the body shells... :-)

[@MontyPython12]

One of their future projects i believe, once Binky is done. Well, might be their kids project!

[@KLUTCHdot58]

We'll never live long enough to see that done.😉

[@robertwoodliff2536]

@@KLUTCHdot58..... Yes....but it will be beautiful!

[@germaineliew2012]

Knew someone is gonna bring this up.

[@MrMatthewleavey]

It will have some of the most beautiful brackets

[@paulrobinson3528]

14:19 That is MG Rover's old press cars workshop at Longbridge. My ramp/work station is where the first car on the left is. The building is now EH Smith Builders Merchants.

[@incognito96]

i was an apprentice then, always wanted to stop in press cars, worked with some good guys in there, and loved spraying. was martin cox manager then.

[@paulrobinson3528]

@@incognito96 Martin Cox does not ring a bell. Pete Robinson was the press workshop manager, can't think of the name of the Press Cars Manager,. Do you know Phil Mitchell, Becky Mathews, Neil Robins, Rob Moseley, all apprentices?

[@incognito96]

@@paulrobinson3528 i was there at canley, worked in presscars martin cox was presscars manager i didnt stay in there as i was in the old rig test alot. there was a black fitter called clive. aso noel holback

[@markrainford1219]

@Mike J After leaving what? lol

[@projectno5]

Styling wise, it always looked like a early 00's vauxhall astra coupe that had a £500 Halfords gift card.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Yeah, or like a Vauxhall Astra coupe that has been heavily tuned on Need for Speed.🤣

[@ritamano83]

Anyone else think the mangusta looks alot like the fiat coupe?

[@Ametisti]

It absolutely does, at least at the front.

[@SaraSpruce]

Fun fact, the Fiat Coupe is also where the XPower SV’s taillights came from.

[@Ralph2]

Yes, but sadly like the Fiat's less good-looking sister.

[@bjoernaltmann]

Also the rear wheel arches are similar.

[@pinut187]

I remember seeing it on the cover of Top Gear Magazine and I was very impressed by its aggressive styling and the possible 975bhp. I really liked it. Shame it was quite a disaster at the sales department. Would be nice to pick up one today.

[@JonGallon]

It looks like something you got after lots of tuning in Need For Speed Underground 1 and 2, specially the front. It screams 'I WANT TO BE AN EXTRA IN THE FAST AND FURIOUS FRANCHISE'

[@willm687]

Front reminds me of a VZ commodore or any of the early 2000’s commos

[@1973Gerhard]

@MrBigCar, I watched so many car related KZbin videos and channels but yours are truly addictive. The amount of research and the quality is really extremely good. Yes, you get Clarkson and Co, Needell and the likes, but the way you present it is excellent. I watched your videos of cars I don't even like or liked in the past and still learn something interesting. Thanks for putting in so much effort, this is much appreciated.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like them Gerhard!

[@paulrobinson3528]

9:40 Rover were going to do Extreme versions of the MG ZR/ZS/ZT. Us MG Rover employees waited eagerly for these "extreme" versions but they never came to fruition. They closest that came to that was the ZS180 with the body kit, still love those now!

[@DystopianOverture]

When I first saw this on Top Gear as a kid I loved how mad it looked. The car was a mad man and I wanted one.

[@mikeyboy2820]

Such a beautiful car

[@CSmithyPx]

I have recently been watching these video's and I miss MG Rover. :(

[@tonylee-UK]

Looking forward to this. Got myself a large Metaxa and settling down... ...Superb as usual. Thank you.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

It’s a pity that Gandini had left his glasses at home when he designed the Qvale Mangusta - it was a bloomin awful looking thing! Peter Stevens improved the styling immensely, but, it was the wrong car for MG Rover, which badly needed a 400 series replacement, not a halo model......

[@AH-cn5li]

I have to agree with you there, the front end looked rather crosseyed and beady eyed, that's the problem with looking at your own baby, you will always think it's beautiful :P

[@gerardmontgomery280]

looks like a Vauxhall Tigra that's melted in the sun.

[@skylined5534]

@Simon Hodgetts Well said and the Towers shower did the opposite of what they should have, ie developing new models. All that money wasted with this unnecessary flagship model and all the motorsport willy waving should have gone towards developing new vehicles. Crossover SUV type things and people carriers were hugely popular at the time and both would have maybe changed Rover's fate.

[@sbomorse]

I really loved the look of this car when it was released. It's a superb piece of design.

[@robertwoodliff2536]

It looked like a well finished kit car.

[@r3h4n786]

Same, looks different to the usual, and still does 👌

[@raypurchase801]

"MG" stands for "Morris Garages". MGs were always intended to be sports cars created from items in the Morris saloon parts bin. The Midget (Sprite) was an A35/A40 in running shoes, the MGB was an Oxford/Marina with a different body shell. And so on. There are many reasons why the SV failed. It would have been wiser for MG Rover to rummage through their parts bin, or do a deal with Honda. But by that stage, saving MG Rover was like trying to bale out the sinking Titanic with a thimble.

[@johndoyle4723]

Thanks, I have only ever seen one in the wild and it looked amazing. I have owned several MGBs ,such a shame to see how it all ended.

[@nautaki]

Looks fantastic to me. Nothing like this on the road, would love to have one. Unfortunately prices have been going up, the cheapest I saw one going for was £30k 2-3 years ago. It has been going on for more since then (if you can find one that is).

[@timtec3000]

Love the bloopers at the end! Superb work as always, I really appreciate your work.

[@BigCar2]

I work hard to make all those mistakes!

[@carlarrowsmith]

The Longbridge factory was only a few miles from me. The local press covered the XPower SV very well but it never seemed a desirable car, sort of had a kit car look to it. Everyone knew the writing was on the wall for MG Rover with a drive by of the factory, there were more Citroens parked outside than MG Rovers. They had great success with the R8 200/400, lots of my neighbours and friends parents had them, but it went downhill from there. I'd love you to make the Corolla story, but how about the Bricklin SV-1. A fascinating story from the mid 70's that not many people know and several years before the DeLorean.

[@MicrobyteAlan]

Interesting, never knew about these cars. This was a good video to watch during a company video conference. Thanks

[@BigCar2]

😂 I know what you mean. Glad I could make a boring conference call less boring.

[@bokhans]

I remember seeing this car in a car show in Stockholm many years ago when it was brand new and that was it. It just vanished, not even my English car magazines wrote about it. Very interesting to see the story now!

[@viiviketomaki7284]

As awkward as the Detomaso looked I can't blame Gandini. The chasis had extremely weird propotions which didn't give him a lot to work with. It's tall, wide and short. You can see it in all the three designs, people trying their hardest to make the weird proportions work and just falling flat on their faces.

[@Richard_Turner]

Knowing the Italian link, now I understand the Fiat Punto headlights!

[@stevehankins513]

My brother & I used to work for Will Riley for a short while. He was certainly a colourful character to say the least. Awesome machine. His demo car was a 520 but actually pushed out 587bhp on the dyno

[@Celicarz11]

Loved the styling of it when it came out. Sad story for all MGs I loved them all.

[@NeoRambler]

Yes! This is my favourite car of all time! Thanks for making this story! 😊👍

[@MaxtheFinger]

Just when I thought I knew everything, this comes along! 😀 Thank you!

[@mach1mustangguy992]

I love my dohc 32v 4.6 I’ve modded it to the hilt. This motor loves to rev and will scream! It lives it the upper rev range and still has lots of torque

[@JoshuaC923]

Yet another awesome history lesson, thank you!

[@BennysBenz]

Good show! Per usual

[@captainzoll3303]

Bad obsession Motorsport has a never assembled shell of one of these. I can't wait for them to start working on it.

[@robfrith103]

Great video once again. I love these stories about weird low number sports cars. I'd love a video about maybe Lambo's & Bugatti's dodgy ownership before being bought by VW. Also Vector Cars from the US. Maybe even Spyker and their ownership of Saab.

[@JURASSICDIVERUK]

Awesome review. Would love to see you do the Hillman Imp one day!

[@grahamnutt8958]

Excellent content as always. Glad to see you left some bloopers in 😆👍

[@BigCar2]

Is it a good or a bad thing that I made enough mistakes in this video to include them? 😃

[@grahamnutt8958]

@@BigCar2 Neither good nor bad. It adds to the entertainment value so, on balance, good 😆👍.

[@wheatleysworkshop]

Fantastic looking motor!!

[@thetreblerebel]

Thanks for this one!!

[@missionDan]

Second time ive been suggested to watch here and now im a sub, great content and to the point, no chit chat. Perfect

[@BigCar2]

Finally all my pestering worked Dan! 😉

[@everydaybiker]

Excellent, thank you

[@paulrobinson3528]

9:23 i have driven that actual MG ZT V8. Your Gran could have driven it up to 3000rpm ( if she could press the clutch) after that, all 500bhp was at hand. That car always had the white leather interior but many colours it came in, 5 to my knowledge!!!!

[@paulshepherd1348]

Sad... very sad. It could have been so different, MG have always known how to make a stylish iconic car. The MGTF still looks great today.

[@rickybryan1759]

I totally forgot this existed!

[@Spoonersoutings]

I just went past a green one of these just out side of Birmingham 5/9/21 on the motorway looks cool in person 👍

[@darrensmith6999]

Great Video thank you 🙂

[@peterjennings8258]

We (Sp Systems) supplied the Carbon materials to DPS in Bookham in Surrey and they made the first prototype panels.Belco Avia in Italy moulded the production carsets ..they moulded the panels in carbon moulds cured in autoclaves..... btw thats me driving the black car in to Monks brook... that is on the dodnor industrial estate where SP systems and now re branded as Gurit have their uk plant. Though they no longer are involved in Automotive Manufacuring.

[@MaxxVelo]

I just discovered and read about this thing the other day. Needless to say I was truly surprised.

[@metricstormtrooper]

The Bad Obsession boys have a body shell.

[@chrisfloyd7316]

love the bloopers

[@Anomyzer24]

I cant stop seeing those frontal Fiat Punto Lights

[@doczooc]

I remember thinking that MG/Rover wanted to convince interested Chinese buyers that they were still a company that knew how to design and make European-quality cars, giving a potential Chinese buyer that badly needed know-how. Of course, this was well beyond their capabilities, since they had only built cars designed by Honda or BMW for decades. So the best they could come up with was to take one of their cars and put an American V8 and a lot of spoilers into it. The whole thing looked like an 18 year old had put 10.000 pounds into customizing an MG 75. The Chinese were not impressed.

[@-POISON-]

Yes ! Thank you!

[@gerardmontgomery280]

I still think this car looked amazing. I remember a mate in work showing me one in Max Power, finished in grey and (apparently) fitted with the fabled 1,000bhp nitros oxide kit.

[@KLUTCHdot58]

Them headlights were bugging me. Glad you told us where they were from!

[@markfox1545]

*those

[@mikebell2750]

If MG truly wanted to enter the North American market they should have found a way to create another MGB or a MG Midget as those were the cars that we here in Canada and the US recognize as MG's A rebodied Mazda Miata (just like what Fiat has been doing) with a unique engine and other finishing touches might have been the ticket for them.

[@BigCar2]

They already had the MGF that was supposed to be competing in that market, and I'd bet it would have been a lot of work to homologate it for the US. Plus the market just isn't big enough to fund a whole car company the size of MG Rover on.

[@liverush24]

I saw one of these parked in Wrexham town centre. It must have been early/mid 2000s. There were other MGs parked alongside it.

[@christophetardivat234]

Great video, Nice to see that Gandini also has bad days, even very bad days:)

[@ryanmaceachern2005]

I really enjoyed this vid, always wanted to know the story behind it. The styling always caught my eye..unsure if I love those side grills or hate them.

[@boogiemeister9581]

This car screams early 2000s and it looks gorgeous, I love it

[@olivermansfield8341]

There's one for sale on autotrader as we speak, it's £40k. Feel like these cars were better financial decisions than all those bmw z3s in the day, which are now worth 1500 quid.

[@benmatheson1189]

Its a beautiful looking car

[@paulrobinson3528]

0:01 Bad Obsession Motor Sport are going to be building one the these. They will need a lot of help so anyone watching who own's a MG SV, needs to get in touch with them. I worked on these when i worked for MG Rover at Longbridge. They axle tramped like made lol

[@STKSOUND]

still looks rad

[@cornishrider]

Another fantastically researched video (where do you get the footage!?) Not a car I knew much about but very interesting, back in the day I only had eyes for the Jaguar XKR! Would love to drive one today so as to compare with the Jag. Please keep more of the same coming.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you liked it!

[@jesuschristpose896]

Beautiful car ,SVR, I would love to own one

[@mikehiggins9055]

Stunning car

[@grahamsmith2022]

This "British" story has an all to depressingly familiar ring,whether it be motorcycles,cars,aeroplanes or ships.😦😔

[@markfox1545]

*too

[@TegusChromis]

I went to Stoneleigh kit car show (I think that is correct) and there was someone there who claimed they were going to produce a pastiche of a big Healy using the chassis of a MG SV. He had a car there, but I don't know how complete it was. No idea what happened to it in the end.

[@dcarbs2979]

Was there ever a time that either MG or Rover had plenty of money and actually spent it well?

[@incognito96]

i worked in r&d and we had a metro k series turbo for brake test and upper management said they will not produce it against the xr2, xr3 because rover was above chav mobiles. that was the beginning and end.

[@neildempster2827]

Not that I can think of.

[@manofweed1]

Around 1955.

[@Kj16V]

@@incognito96 Rover upper management: "What, make something [wrinkles nose] _popular!?_ No, no. Let's keep making cars for middle-class Oxfordshire pensioners who only buy one car and keep them for 20 years. That's where the *real* money is."

[@incognito96]

@@Kj16V you guessed it.

[@automotiveaffairsshorts]

So much good information here... thank you for doing this video 😊

[@BigCar2]

You are so welcome!

[@jvtiii3909]

Angloitalian engineering. Never have I heard something so promising yet so scary

[@c0smoKram3r]

Front end looks very similar to the early 2000s Holden Commodore, especially the HSV versions

[@MillerCorner]

Never realised the headlights were from a Punto!

[@glennpowell3444]

It surprises me just how many parts were shared with Rover.I guess it was all about cost cutting in the end? They were simply building cars by buying parts from the world and his wife!

[@hirundine44]

Got the hope's up; when the "flashing ahead" sign... good looking ladies too. But no, just lights... sigh

[@Gwril76]

I remember visiting the Longbridge site in the early mid 2000's and seeing one of these motor's outside there x power unit whilst picking up a new 75 for delivery. I was always fascinated with what was going on at MG/Rover when visited the site before it all went wrong.

[@markfox1545]

*motors *their.

[@Daivycos]

It's great what you do it's good your videos 😉

[@BigCar2]

Thank you!

[@chrisdunn2177]

Love MG cars even the rover derived ones and this SV would and should of been amazing such a tragic shame.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

I had an MG3, it was my first brand new car in my early 20's, they sold like hotcakes so I'll ever understand how Rover went bust, it was a great little cheap car for the time but 18 months into ownership they went bust and I handed it back to the finance company under the mid term get out clause as they were no longer honouring the 3 year warranty. It got slated in the press but it was a good looking car at the time and I didn't know any better as a youngster but it got many admiring looks from young women in gun metal grey!

[@insert_name_here]

Any link between the mangusta (however u spell it) and the fiat coupe? Very similar looking

[@ZacLowing]

7:26 watch the guy on the right do a huge eye roll

[@BubbafromSapperton]

Sweet car! 🤗

[@LMCarneiro]

Too much money for that front end. I didn't know the car. Now I do. Great video as always.

[@sotirismp2883]

The best looking thing about it are the mk2 punto headlights

[@FujiwaraBunta]

Looks..... Interesting.

[@rwd323]

Another great video, would you ever consider doing Australian cars? Both the Holden and Ford both have long and quite interesting stories

[@BigCar2]

I’ve thought about it, but unfortunately my mostly British audience doesn’t seem to watch videos about cars they aren’t familiar with.

[@ericgeorge5483]

I remember seeing this car featured on Top Gear years ago and I loved it. Shame that they are rarer than rocking horse crap.

[@sputumtube]

13.58 - Rear engined TVR? I'd definately like to see one of those!! Lol.. ;)

[@johnnodge4327]

Informative, although at 13:58. TVR made front engine, rear wheel drive sports cars.

[@andysimpson8974]

"Let's put some Mk2 punto headlights on it" The rest is history...

[@CaymanIslandsCatWalks]

I’d like to know more about the rear engined tvr muscle cars... @ 13:59 even the subtitles weren’t correct. Great work though as your subtitles are usually spot on and funny at times. Not enough content producers take the time to do subtitles .

[@qx4n9e1xp]

6:53 This design is good. The grille is a little high up, but good everywhere else and a major improvement over the first iteration. It's a design that would have aged very well and probably have made more sales than the boy-racer design they ended up with.

[@konstantinpetrov3182]

Story on the Alfa Romeo 145/146?

[@johanwejedaldesign]

the main problem with this car was the lack of wow factor, when it comes to styling. I always thought it looks too cheap, dull and uninspired, escpecially compared to (any) TVR.

[@elbecko7969]

I agree. The Griffith used Cavalier tail lights and Citroen CX wing mirrors, yet looked classy and bespoke.

[@johanwejedaldesign]

@Bobby Friday , I´m sorry, but no. Less so now than before, even...

[@johanwejedaldesign]

@Bobby Friday :D

[@johanwejedaldesign]

@Bobby Friday I like many of the later models, like the new Griffith, the new Tuscan, the Typhoon and the T350 for example. Watching Harry´s Garage I realised they drive great too kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaa3mZSZgbmWhLc

[@skylined5534]

@@johanwejedaldesign You ever seen and heard on in the flesh? I've seen a couple including a supercharged example running at Santa Pod. Plenty of wow factor, trust me!