M O D E L S :   M G F   E x t r e m e

E x t r e m e   M G F   s h o w s   t h e   w a y   f o r w a r d
(MG World, Issue 24 Aug/sept 01)

This one-off MGF XPower 500 offers the best clues yet to what the updated MGF (due at the end of this year) will be like, reports David Knowles.
The so-called Extreme MGF uses a much-modified MGF monocoque and carries the AER MG Lola XP20 engine, which produces up to 500bhp and drives through a six-speed sequential X-Trac competition gearbox.
The body is seam-welded and has a fully integrated roll-cage. Front and rear subframes are modified to accommodate the new powertrain and handle the greater power output.

Furthermore, the Hydragas suspension has been abandoned in favour of a more conventionally sprung racing wishbone setup (which we are told, will eventually find its way into the updated production 'F).
The track has been widened by 100mm at the front and no less than 150mm at the rear, while four piston AP Racing brakes ensure highly effective stopping performance. Tyres are 225/35 R17 at the front and 265/35 R17 at the rear on stylish MG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels.
Covering this huge wheels and extended track has involved some radical changes to the styling. The wheelarches are flared and connected by sill-mounted side-skirts. The front end is completely revised and shows links to the MG Lola Le Mans EX257 race car. The new headlamps give the clearest hint yet to the appearance of the 2002 model-year MGF.
Engine cooling is optimised by an increased radiator capacity, fed by a larger intake aperture in the front bumper and exiting through vents in the bonnet. The side air intakes are also enlarged to feed cold air to the engine.
MG Rover says that the MGF X Power 500 is not for sale, but has been developed to be outrageous fun. 'In this respect,' says the company, 'it sets the scene for what is to follow, as the Extreme treatment is revealed on versions of the MG ZT, MG ZS and MG ZR models, each a one-off purpose-built demonstration vehicle.'
At Le Mans it was confirmed that there had been significant interest in the car from some wealthy motorsport enthusiasts. And the idea of a grid of MGF XP500s to complement the MG-Lola factory effort at Le Mans 2002 was not rejected out of hand.

more pictures of the Extreme.

P r e s s   R e l e a s e -- added later to this page

MG XPOWER TF 500 - UNVEILED AT LE MANS

MG reveals the first in a series of Extreme cars, announced today (June 15), on the eve of MG’s assault in the Le Mans 24-hour race. MG Extreme vehicles are one-off demonstrators, not intended for series production, and will each be outrageously powerful and road legal.

The MG XPower TF 500 is first, and powered by a race-bred 500Ps engine and 6-speed sequential transmission in what is a much modified MGF monocoque structure, fabricated around the UK’s best selling roadster.

The links between the MG X Power motorsport programmes and the MG XPower TF 500 are evident throughout the car. Power is courtesy of the MG Le Mans XP development engine, mounted transversely behind the cockpit and driving the rear wheels via an X-Trac competition gearbox.

While externally MG XPower TF 500 appears radically different from the standard car, much of the original structure remains. The body is seam welded throughout and has a fully integrated cage. Front and rear subframes are modified to accommodate the new powertrain and handle the 3-fold increase in power output.

The track becomes 100mm wider at the front and 150mm at the rear. Four-pot AP Racing brakes ensure effective stopping performance. Wider tyres are specified for the task of managing the extreme power available – 225/35 R17 at the front and 265/35 R17 at the rear on MG multi-spoke alloy wheels.

Covering these huge wheels and extended track has involved some radical changes to the exterior style of the car – the wheel arches are flared and connected by a sill-mounted side-skirt. The front end is completely revised and is clearly influenced by the MG Lola Le Mans EX257 race car, and styled under the leadership of Peter Stevens, MG Rover’s Product Design Director. At the rear a high mounted wing-type spoiler balances the high downforce front end to ensure the car remains ‘glued to the tarmac’ at speed.

Engine cooling is optimised by an increased radiator capacity, fed by a much larger aperture in the front bumper and exiting through vents in the bonnet. The side air intakes are also enlarged to feed cold air into the engine bay.


click to enlarge

Inside, race seats and competition harnesses ensure the occupants remain firmly in place despite the very considerable g-forces the MGF X Power 500 is capable of generating.

The MG XPower TF500 is not for sale, but has been developed to be outrageous fun. In this respect it sets the scene for what is to follow as the Extreme treatment is progressively revealed on versions of the MG ZT, MG ZS and MG ZR models; each one a one-off purpose-built demonstration vehicle.

Rob Oldaker, Product Development Director, commented: "The MG XPower TF 500 is proof that MG will be sensational and outrageous, and this is only the beginning. It can also compete with the best in the highest echelons of the performance car scene. MG is a fast moving bold brand with an appetite to thrill."