MG In Line For A Guinness World Record
Published: 18th September 2003
In 2002 Nick Stephenson, deputy chairman of Phoenix Venture Holdings, himself an accomplished drag racer in the UK, together with MG Rover design director Peter Stevens, of McLaren F1 fame, decided to build a 200 mph estate derived from the forthcoming MG ZT-T V8.
Their reasoning was four-fold: to leverage MG’s illustrious Bonneville history which dates back to 1951 and a string of records; to demonstrate the fundamental qualities of strength and safety inherent in the MG ZT range; to halo the introduction of some exciting new V8-powered MG models and to support engine development work for the planned ultra high performance versions of MG’s XPower SV sports car.
"This is not just about setting world records, this is about testing MG's vehicles to their limits, in some of the most extreme conditions you can find in the world. The added challenges of meeting strict technical and safety regulations which are set by the Southern California Timing Association make our achievement of 225.609 mph with a virtually stock MG ZT-T all the more satisfying," says Peter Stevens.
MG can trace its land speed racing roots back to the early 1930s and its Bonneville roots back to 1951 when Lt. Col AT 'Goldie' Gardner ran a streamliner powered by a crank-driven supercharged production 1250 cc 4-cylinder MG TD engine. Goldie planned an assault on numerous records, both in a straight line and around a specially surfaced 10-mile circular course. Despite rain cutting short the attempts, at the end of the week he had accumulated a total of 16 records with a fastest run slightly over 145 mph.
Famous names such as Stirling Moss and Phil Hill have set records driving for MG in the harsh and challenging environment of the Utah salt desert. Daily temperatures of more than 100 degF/38 deg C, the high altitude and the low grip surface of the smooth salt have always meant that high-speed record breaking at Bonneville is never easy.
So in 2002, MG Rover approached the legendary, California-based, So-Cal Speed Shop to build and run the car. Custom car specialists So-Cal are professional land speed racers, well known for their Bonneville achievements in the late-forties and early-fifties.
