M O D E L S :   MGF Super Sports

[MGF Super Sports, the story]
MGF Supersports in chromoflake
Super Sport's for sale

--- part one ---

Rover has used the Geneva Motor Show to unveil a Supercharged MGF concept car. The styling of EX254, or MGF Super Sports has recieved a mix reaction, but the prospect of a road going Supercharged MG has got everyone excited. Rover have said that no final decision has yet been made about the production of a road going Supercharged MGF. But that said, it is no secrect, that such a car is on the way, (rumours suggest by the year 2000) the supercharged version of the 1.8 litre K series engine produces something like 200bhp

M e c h a n i c a l
Supercharged 200Ps K Series engine
Uprated race-spec suspension
Eight-spoke alloy road wheels
210/605 R16 race tyres - front
220/640 R17 race tyres - rear
AP Racing brake equipment

E x t e r i o r
Spyder-style windscreen for improved aerodynamics
Rear spoiler/bootlid extension
Rear bumper diffuser
Twin race spec alloy fuel filters
Twin alloy exhaust system outlets
Chromed engine air intakes (cooling and supercharger)
Chrome forward tonneau vents
Chrome rear view mirrors (o/s door centrally high mounted)

I n t e r i o r
White leather seats, fascia and door casings - with red stitching
Grey 5-point seat belts with MG buckle
Map reading light under tonneau, for optional passenger use
Alloy accelerator, brake and clutch pedals, including driver's foot rest
Drilled alloy floor plates
Gear lever
Instrument binnacle
Console
Roll cage
Cable trunking

 

M o r e   P i c t u r e s
Click on the thumbnnails to enlarge

                                         

 

P r e s s   R e l e a s e   - March 3rd 1998 - Geneva Motor Show

MGF Super Sports - The Weekend Race Car

MG Cars has unveiled a stunnin new 'spyder' design study built around the highly successful MGF. The MGF Super Sports follows in the footsteps of famous racing MGs from the past, capturing the true spirit of the MG marque in a thoroughly modern interpretation of a classic weekend race car.

Inspired by the historic exploits of MG in road races around the world, the MGF Super Sports makes its first appearance at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show (Tuesday 3 March 1998) alongside an historic MG K3 Magnette - chassis number 001. The K3s competed successfully in the 1933 Mille Miglia, achieving a class win and the team prize; the first time a non-Italian team has done so.

With the Super Sports study, the MG design team has built on the great strengths of the MGF production model to create a single minded vision of a modern weekend race car - a lightweight, but exquisitely finished sports car that is equeally at home on road or track. In true MG tradition, the Super Sports is powered by a supercharged engine - a version of the K-series 1.8 litre unit producing 200Ps - and utilises a race specification suspension tune developed from the 1998 MGF Cup UK race series.

Its muscular exterior styling accentuates the already purposeful stance of the standard MGF through the use of lightweigth flared front and rear side panels which accomodate a wider track, larger wheels and tyres - 210/605 R16 tyres at the front and 220/640 R17 at the rear. The deep red bodywork and full length white tonneau, with chrome embellishments, conjure up memories of typical racing MGs of the past. A chrome engine air intake, feeding the supercharger, rises in classic style above the mid-engine installation.

The driver's cockpit is set within a full length tonneau moulded from carbon fibre composite and features a fast rake, low drag, spyder-style racing screen. The seats, fully trimmed in white leather with red accent stitching, are purpose-built within an overall interior exploiting the white and chrome theme.

The MGF Super Sports was developed in just three months under the experimental project number 'EX254' - the latest in tradition extending back to the 1920s. The Super Sports name itself, as well as epitomising the character of the design study, was the first ever used on an MG car in 1924.

Under the leadership of the MG team - Project Director Chris Lee and designer David Woodhouse - the model was produced with the assistance of Mayflower Vehicle Systems, which also builds the MGF production bodyshell. The design study explores a number of ideas relevant to the development of lightweight sports cars, including the use of aluminium body panels, carbon fibre composites, and high power small capacity engines. Key to the success of the project was the passion within the team for MG, a passion that has helped the marque to flourish over many years.

Chris Lee, Project Director, said: "For nearly 75years MG has been one of the world's great sports car marques, producing cars which capture the imagination both on and off the race track. The MGF Super Sports is an exciting and thoroughly contemporary evocation of that tradition. A car in the true spirit of MG."

 

--- part two ---

Two years after the public met the Super Sports Californian style (see part one), the Geneva Motor Show was again the opportunity for MG Cars to show what has been happening with the Super Sports idea. This time, a more civilised version of the weekend racer was presented. The black MGF derived car is still a Supersports, but received a windscreen and lost the impressive tonneau from the red and white Super Sports. Would this be a sign that the Supersports was reaching a production-ready state ?


MGF Supersports at the Geneva Motor Show 2000

It looks like the project has died in silent. Many newspapers and magazines had pictures and a few words about the Supersports, but only a few drove the car. Some said the car would have been too expensive for the MG-public (what ever that may be) and we may not forget that in those days MG and Rover were still ruled by BMW. BMW was launching their new high-end roadster, called the Z8 and were still selling an rather expensive M-Roadster.

The car itself kept its mpressive look, but I don't really fancy to have it on the road as a daily runner. I never saw in the real life, so I could be completely wrong.


It must be said, the back of the car is
a bit more aggresive than ours....

Later on, this Supersports got a new interior and a new body color, being chromoflake green. I am very happy that after the 'break down' of MG Rover, the car was bought by a real MG enthusiast, happy to send me some pictures of his very special MG.

More pictures of this fabulous car in the section 'MGF Supersports in chromoflake'.

 

[MGF Super Sports, the story]
MGF Supersports in chromoflake
Super Sport's for sale