Standard 48mm Body p/n MHB000080
160PS 52mm Body p/n MHB000261
Available from Rover, PTP, Mike Satur. Expect to pay between £100-£120 excluding
fitting.
It's a straight swap for the existing unit, so you have to remove the air filter
hosing, and exchange the TB off the side of the plenum chamber. You have to
watch the alignment on the plenum chamber though. Shouldn't take longer than a
couple of hours as long as the alignment's OK!! It's also good practice to reset
the throttle body once installed (ignition to position 2, then fully press
accelerator 5 times).
TOWARDS the end of the 1930s the
MG car company's profits were falling. Heavy investment in racing and the great
economic depression that hit the world at the time weren't helping matters.
A new direction was required. Instead of building
low-production specialist sports cars, with their tiny jewel-like overhead-cam
engines, a higher production rate was required, with engines and parts taken
from other parts of the motor corporation, thus helping to reduce costs and
revitalise profits.
Introducing the 1936 MG TA, the first in a long line of
'T' types that would bridge the war. The TA was the first MG to be fitted with
hydraulic brakes and a Morris engine, marking a turning point in MG's turbulent
history. With the BMW saga behind us, the MG name has emerged from a similar
period of change.
Profits need to be increased if the ageing Longbridge
plant in Birmingham is to continue car production, and again the powers that be
have used the MG sporting heritage to boost their profile.
In the same spirit that launched the TA in 1936, MG has
launched the MG
F
160 Trophy. A sports car based on a previous model, but with the attention to
detail to really attract the hardcore sports car enthusiast. 1996 saw the
introduction of the Lotus Elise, and a major turning point in true sports car
design, setting new standards of raw enjoyment.
If the MGF Trophy wanted to be seen in the same
light, then a lot of work was required!
But the boys at MG Rover have succeeded with the
Trophy; they have modified the MG
F
into what it could have been when it was launched. Build quality has taken a
massive leap forward, and to be honest I preferred it to the likes of the VX220
and Elise.
The recipe is perfect, pin-point steering, suspension
hard enough to rattle your fillings out and plenty of power to light up the rear
wheels and fishtail up the track. The VX220 and the Elise can do the same, you
say! I agree, and very well too. But the Trophy goes one step further.
Liveability.
The VX220 and Elise are certainly driver's cars, but
after a week of solid driving you become a little tired of clambering in and out
over those high sills, and getting your trousers wet, because the roof has
leaked. There is nowhere to stow your luggage for that romantic weekend in the
country. However, when all is said and done they are both success stories, but
more as second weekend fun cars than everyday motors.
The MG
F
160 Trophy takes this raw sports car concept into the realms of practicality. It
can do all of the above, but has a proper fabric roof that opens all the way. In
fact a very unique roof system. In my opinion, it remains the only convertible
roof that is better as a manual than an electric system. The manual system is
just too easy! The Trophy also has seats suitable for long journeys, proper
doors, luggage space, and all the cabin luxuries you would expect of a modern
car.
Sorry VX220 and Elise, prepare
to be led, not to lead! So the MG
F
160 Trophy is the best of today's sports cars, but how does it compare to its
uncle, the MG TA? Has the sports car really progressed in 64 years? Body work
trends have changed over the last six decades, gone are the long bonnets and
flowing wheel arches. Now we have aerodynamics and bodywork to suit, with stubby
bonnets to cheat the wind and bulging wheel arches to cover wheels and tyres
wide enough to roll a cricket pitch, replacing the TA's bicycle-like offerings!
These fundamental changes
transform the handling from the horse cart-like handling of the TA to the
go-cart like feel of the MG
F160
Trophy.
That huge steering wheel on the
TA, set close to your chest, is a necessity to prise the TA through the corners,
whereas the MG
F's
power steering makes easy work of the tightest of bends. However, both are
equally fun to drive, with the TA demanding more input, even though the speeds
are so much slower.
Both engines were originally saloon car engines. The
Morris 10 engine was used in the TA. A single-cam, push-rod engine with white
metal bearings, 1,292cc and a very long stroke.
This was a cutting-edge design during the 1930s. The
Trophy gets the Rover 25's 1.8 K series motor, developed in conjunction with
Honda in the 1980s, but with variable valve timing. An engine fit for the 20th
century, and used in various other sports cars. Engine layout too has changed
between the TA and 160 Trophy. The TA's is placed in the front of the car facing
north-south.
The 160 Trophy has built on F1 developments and has
gone for a mid-engined layout, with the engine siting behind the driver's ears
and in front of the rear wheels, facing east-west. Whip up and down the 160
Trophy's gearbox and you can soon forget about the past. The effortless changes
turn into habit rather than an act you have to consider very carefully!
Back in 1936 gearboxes were considered advanced if they
had two syncromeshes like the TA's, but gearchanges were to be compared with
surgery, to be operated carefully and very slowly! Hills have to be planned well
in advance, based on the fact that second gear can only be selected at a brisk
walking pace!
What goes up, must come down, as the saying goes.
Building up speed in the 160 Trophy is a breeze and bringing it back to a halt
is an equal joy. The huge discs and racing-red callipers are as sharp as you
like, one could even say a little too sharp! Building speed in the TA is again
an enjoyable task, but progress is based on mastering that gearbox.
The tappets rattle and the gearbox whines as you
progress up the road with a motoring rawness that no modern car could ever
match, that's what makes it so much fun to drive! The TA was the first of a new
breed of MGs to be fitted with hydraulic drum brakes.
Both of these MGs satisfy the vital sports car
criteria, despite being manufactured in different eras. The TA makes the grade
because it's so crude compared to today's standard of engineering, making it a
breath of fresh air to pedal round the country lanes. But the MGF 160 Trophy can
be praised even more, because it possesses the rawness that so many other
socalled sports cars lack. Ask me to choose between the two and I would have to
say . . . I want both.
A new body-coloured hardtop is now
available on new and existing MGF
sports cars, MG announced today (31st October). The hardtop permits owners to
operate a two in one capability (coupe and roadster styles) and creates a new
exterior appearance with all year round protected motoring. The body-coloured
hardtop features electric rear window demist, headlining and an integral design
that can replace or be fitted over the existing soft top.
From October until 31 December 2001, the body-coloured hardtop will be available
to customers at an introductory retail price of £795, a customer saving of £500
(including VAT) from the normal price. The offer excludes the current black
hardtop and Heritage hardtop and is only available as a factory fitted option on
new vehicles.
The body coloured hardtop is available in a full range of bold and stylish
colours including Platinum Silver, Tahiti Blue, Anthracite, Solar Red, British
Racing Green, Sienna Gold, Copperleaf Red and Old English White.
MGF
continues to lead the way in the UK roadster market with sales in the first ten
months exceeding 6,000 units, which is already above the full year 2000 level.
Sales have recently been boosted by the introduction of the new 1.6i, Trophy 160
SE and the latest Freestyle SE derivatives, plus the extension of the MG dealer
franchise.
BOOKING
a soft top to test-drive in Britain in October may not sound the
wisest move ever. But
when I called MG Rover staff back in the summer, that was the
first date they could give me for a loan of the new MGF
Trophy.
One of the
reasons, if not the main reason, for wanting to drive the Trophy
was to feel the summer breeze blowing through my hair and enjoy
the feeling of freedom you can only get driving topless.
This is
something I had a very brief but enjoyable experience of one
sunny morning back in March during a press launch of the Trophy
in Warwickshire.
So, of
course, after the convertible was delivered to the office last
week guess how many times I was able to take the roof down? Yes,
that's right, a big fat zero. But thankfully, there's so much
more going for the Trophy than the fact that it's a convertible.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say the top-of-the-range 160 SE is
one of the most exhilarating and involving drives I've ever had.
When I
previously drove the Trophy, I only had a limited amount of time
behind the wheel and didn't get to appreciate fully the
capabilities of the sports car. And it is a sports car in every
sense of the word - because the Trophy 160 is based on
competition MG
F
race cars.
Every time
I took to the road in my bright yellow racing machine, it was a
fun-filled, adrenaline-pumping experience, even on the shortest
of journeys.
The
enjoyment starts as soon as you turn the key in the ignition and
squeeze the accelerator. You're greeted by a fantastic, deep
growl from the sports exhaust which has twin, wide-bore
tailpipes. I'm usually the sort of person who loves the radio
blasting out while driving but I made an exception in this case,
and kept the volume levels low so I could enjoy the addictive
sound of the Trophy as it powered along the road.
The
heartbeat behind this MGF
is a lightweight 1.8-litre K-Series engine, with power output
increased to 160bhp (hence the name Trophy 160) and, in true
racing car tradition, the Trophy has a mid-engined layout.
Fitting
the engine behind the two seats provides for excellent weight
distribution and makes for a car with impressive grip and
handling.
Continuing
the racing theme, the car is also rear-wheel driven and, such
was the confidence I had in the capabilities of the Trophy, I
found myself powering into bends that I wouldn't have
contemplated in other cars. The Trophy's steering is a joy in
that it's pin-sharp and demands driver involvement. The
slightest move of the wheel left or right and the MGF
responds like no other I've driven before.
When you
do feel you need to come to halt, even without ABS, the Trophy's
braking capabilities are also very reassuring. There aren't
really that many negatives. If I were being picky, driving the
car on pot-holed roads is a jarring experience. But, then again,
the MG
F
is a sports car with a stiffened suspension dropping it low to
the road.
Inside the
Trophy is fairly basic but well styled and comfortable. One
thing that could be improved is the cup-holders between the
driver and passenger - they were so wobbly they could have been
made from jelly. That said, it's the driving experience above
all that puts this car in pole position when it comes to
thrill-a-minute motoring.
Head
for MG Rover's Birmingham headquarters and you'll be greeted
with the kind of enthusiasm that's infectious. Despite the
hardships the reborn firm has endured since it split from BMW
last May, all talk is of the future, not the difficulties of the
past.
Free of German management, the company is keen to show what it
can do - and the initial proof of that is here in the shape of
this reworked MGF,
badged the Trophy. Set to rival the likes of the Toyota MR2 and
the Mazda MX-5, the Trophy is the first of the brand new MGs
revealed by Auto Express in Issue 638. Over the next six months
the family will grow to include new versions of the 25, 45 and
75, as well as the forthcoming MG Tourer.
On
sale now, priced £20,995, the Trophy's exterior styling gives us
a good idea of what to expect. Painted in a head turning shade
of yellow that will be exclusive to the model, it sports
aerodynamic spoilers front and rear. There's a new set of
16-inch alloy wheels and a stainless steel wire mesh front
grille. On the inside, a garish new material clothes the seats
and door trim, and there are colour-coded inserts gracing the
steering wheel, dashboard and door handles. MG Rover is keen to
point out that the changes aren't merely cosmetic, and there are
some important alterations that have been made under the skin
that will make this car great to drive.
Firstly, the 1.8-litre VVC engine has been modified to produce
an impressive 160bhp. The rev limit has also been raised to
7,000rpm. Capable of sprinting from 0-60mph in only 6.9 seconds
and a top speed of 137mph, this is the fastest road-going MGF
to date. Although the five-speed manual gearbox remains
unchanged, the car's Hydragas suspension has been lowered to
improve stability, and the front wheels reduced in width to make
the steering lighter. Brakes are upgraded, but in keeping with
the car's sporting nature, do not offer ABS.
Fire up the revised powerplant and you'll instantly notice that
the four-cylinder unit is more vocal than before. Prodding the
throttle causes it to gulp air noisily and although it doesn't
seem any faster revving, it does sound more exciting. However,
head out on to the road and the first thing you notice is not
the extra performance but the lowered, firmer suspension.
Although the MG
F
has long been admired for its ride quality, the Trophy is now
the harshest riding car in its class. As you slow for your first
corner it's clear the changes to the brakes are much more
welcome. Bigger calipers offer greater feel and stopping power
than before, and even though the system lacks ABS, the extra
control means it is not hard to avoid locking the wheels. As the
surface becomes more demanding, it is soon obvious that this
roadster is a different beast to the standard motor. The extra
power is actually quite difficult to access as it is only
developed at 7,000rpm, which is the engine's rev limit. The
stiffer suspension also means the two-seater feels a lot more
nervous on bumpy roads, and needs increased steering input to
keep it on the intended line. The likelihood of the car sliding
sideways is greater than before, too.
At
a gentler pace, however, it's clear that the Trophy still offers
a certain degree of refinement. With the top down and the
windows up, there's little more than the rustle of the wind to
keep you company. The slick-shifting gearbox is easy to use and
relatively light. But despite this, drivers shouldn't
underestimate just how much the Trophy has been altered when
compared to the standard machine.
MG
Rover says it's aimed at enthusiasts who will put up with the
harsh ride and high revs for the extra power and improved
steering. However, we would hesitate to declare it better than
the normal car - it's merely different. On the other hand, as a
first step in the brand's development, the Trophy deserves our
applause. It suggests the company is keen its new wave of hot
motors will be more than pretty body-kits and loud exhausts. We
look forward to seeing the next offering.
The
MG
F
Trophy is £1,500 more expensive than the 1.8-litre VVC upon
which it is based, but it offers greater performance, a
driver-oriented handling bias and individuality. Unfortunately,
the sports package will not be to everyone's tastes. Some will
find the ride too harsh and the engine too vocal for comfort.
However, we say this is a good effort from Rover that bodes well
for future MG-badged cars.
At
a glance
MGF Trophy 160 on sale now, priced £20,995.
0-60mph sprint in 6.9 seconds, tuned 160bhp engine.
Site operated, funded and not least owned by Online Enthusiasts Ltd. Steve Childs and or Online Enthusiasts Ltd are in no way endorsed by or affiliated with MG-Rover Group, Nanjing Automotive or GB Sportscars Ltd. This site is run by MG-Rover enthusiasts for MG-Rover enthusiasts. Any content of the forums should in no way be taken as official statement or views of either MG Rover Group Ltd, Nanjing Automotive, GB Sportscars, Online Enthusiasts Ltd, their suppliers, their employees or their advertisers, unless otherwise indicated. Please do not take any content from this site without prior written permission from Steve Childs. Any reference to speed or driving styles either actual or inferred on the pages within this website should not be taken as encouragement to drive irresponsibly either within the speed limit or in excess of. Please drive responsibly. Terms and conditions of use
