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| Modify your ZS |
| Wednesday, 16 March 2011 16:45 |
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It’s the 10th anniversary of the MG Z trio and a triumphant return for octagon-badged saloons. Here’s how to take the fine-handling ZS and make a good car better
Handling was superb, thanks to the double-wishbone front suspension inherited by the ZS. Under the skin, the platform was shared with the Honda Civic, and very closely aligned to another front-wheel drive handling hero, the Honda Integra Type R. The ZS is a car that begs to be modified, despite being a good package to start with. The chassis can certainly handle more power and upgrades needn’t cost the earth. The trick is to provide genuine benefit rather than ruin the excellent basic set-up with unnecessary meddling.
ENGINES Like the MGF that we’ve already covered in this series, there is much that can be done to the four-cylinder K-series engine to extract more power. With more space around the engine and a forward location, it already comes with manifold and breathing benefits compared with the mid-engined F/TF, and as a first step for petrol engines, an ECU remap is the way to go.
Z+F Tuning offer a remap service, performed by former Rover engineers, and the benefits are not just increased power to brag about down the pub. Feedback across the world of internet forums suggests that driveability is improved – this is not just a top-end hike. The standard tune is quite soft, not least because MG Rover didn’t want a K-series pumping out as much power as the KV6 and the settings are designed for smoothness and emissions. Tweaking the parameters can boost power by 10% in a way you’ll feel right through the rev range. And because efficiency is improved, economy gets a boost too. Expect a remap session to cost £249, though savings can be achieved with group bookings – handy if you’ve got a few ZS chums. But don’t just go and buy the cheapest performance chip on eBay. These tend to work by fooling the engine into thinking its cold, so it over-fuels. This is not good for the engine.
CONTACTS Forums and specialists Brown and Gammons 01462 490049 MGOC Spares 01954 230928 Moto-build Racing 07956 451470 Rimmer Brothers 01522 568000 Rover Ron 0845 539 3970 Vulcan Racing Z&F Tuning 07928 196856
To read more about this project see the April 2011 issue of MG Enthusiast. |
The year 2001 saw the welcome reappearance of the MG badge on a new range of saloons and hatchbacks, as the Phoenix Consortium sought to raise the profile of the newly-named MG Rover. That MG Rover was able to put fresh life into a design which was already five years old is a credit to the styling work done by Peter Stevens. Bold colours and smooth body kits created the next generation of MG family machines. ZS engines ranged from a mere 1.4-litre K-series (for Ireland only, 1.6-litre everywhere else) through larger four cylinder versions to the formidable ZS180 with KV6 power. There was even a turbo diesel, for those after performance mixed with economy.
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