I used to enjoy watching rallycross on ’World of Sport’. A great collection of Escorts, Minis, Porsches, and the occasional Porsche-engined Beetle. Lurid power slides, incredible transitions between mud/gravel and tarmac, loads of overtaking and fabulous commentary by the great Murray Walker made for a proper adrenaline fix.
So, things were better in the olden days? Well, as a child I didn’t think it would get better. But as a student, a group of us piled into my first car and had a weekend away at Brands Hatch. Rallycross gone mad, with 4-wheel drive, turbos, superchargers (sometimes both), and real entertainers behind the steering wheels. Group B rally cars on steroids. Heaven! Watching them launch off the line defied belief (although it seems a shame that most new EV production cars can do the same when the traffic lights go green).
But one of the best races was a field full of Minis (and most of them seemed to end up in the fields either side of the track at some point during the race). Limited traction, limited power, lowish speeds, but seeing a gaggle exchanging paint into every corner guaranteed nail biting all the way to the chequered flag. A one-make series that delivered close racing at a reasonable (for motor racing) cost. And we as spectators loved it.
Working at MG Rover and then SAIC has provided a few race car experiences to go with the pleasure of developing road cars. I’m always proud to see the ZR and ZS race cars that grace club motorsport in such numbers. Whilst many have performance upgrades, some run in standard production classes and really do provide a chance to get into ‘affordable’ motorsport.
Time goes on. The MG ZR was already getting on a bit when we launched the MG3. Wouldn’t it be good to launch a one-make MG3 race series? We tried a few times to garner interest, but the lack of straight-line performance would make it difficult get drivers to leave a sprightly ZR190 for a rather portlier MG3 1….05. Various options were discussed (and demonstrated), but the powertrain cost always escalated.
I’ve previously mentioned that I drove a standard MG3 at Prescott just after the press launch. (Thankfully) I was just pipped on the last run by a friend in his bellowing MG SV. But the nimble handling was a delight. We tasked our SAIC apprentices and graduates to build a cost-effective race MG3, suitable for a one-make series. Great fun (for me at the Castle Combe press day) and incredibly well-pedalled at Silverstone by the Ginetta works race driver – thanks Mike. His corner entry speeds and technique gained places at most corners, only to go backwords at each straight…… Thankfully, options are now available in the market to extract a bit more performance from the engine.
There seems to be a growing interest in using the MG3 in MG races, with a handful now appearing or in build. Good job then that VHS Ltd offers a selection of bolt on suspension improvements. Lowering spring kits, Bilstein monotube dampers and ride improvement packages will enhance your MG3 for road use, track days or even full race excitement. Call us to discuss your requirements.
So, no longer a need for the ZR and ZS? Well, think again. The ZR can now be maintained in fine fettle as a standard road car (or fun on the track) by ordering our ‘OE’ specification front struts and rear dampers. Another batch is being made for us by Bilstein, due in early 2026. And we continue to offer our Bilstein monotube damper kit for ZS, which transforms the ride quality whilst maintaining the body control you would expect. Oh, and we still have ‘Xpower’ lowering spring kits. One-make options? The choice is yours.