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It was originally revealed as a show car, the MG X80, but it was considered too sedate. When the production model was shown, designer Peter Stevens had made the car very aggressive styling-wise. The conversion from a clay model to a production car, including all requirements, was done in just 300 days by the Swedish company Caran. The goal was also to get a street price under 100000 GBP, something that was successful when the final price landed at 70000 GBP.

The entry level MG XPower SV is powered by a 4.6-litre, 320 hp quad cam all-aluminium V8. Higher powered versions will follow, starting with the SV-R early next year and followed by even more extreme iterations which will include the 765hp Bonneville ZT-T unit. The SV range features an immensely strong box frame chassis allied to a uniquely constructed carbon fibre body shell which is instrumental in keeping the kerb weight to a competitive 1540kg and the centre of gravity as low as possible.

The range is aimed at individuals who share a passion for high performance sports cars and like to test a car’s abilities to the full. The MG XPower SV is an exhilarating, but above all responsive and well-mannered car that is equally at home driving to the race rack as it is performing on it.

The SV is an all-new design from the team led by Peter Stevens, whose portfolio includes many renowned sports cars, until now pinnacled by the McLaren F1. The steel chassis and double wishbone suspension are fabricated by Vaccari and Bosi in Modena in collaboration with MG Sport and Racing’s chassis development team.

In a bold departure from normal practice, a composite carbon fibre body using a ground-breaking process new to the motor industry, is used instead of more traditional steel or aluminium. With techniques developed by the UK based SP Group the body panels have the same stiffness as steel but at only 25 percent of the weight, a key requirement for a performance sports car.

On the entry level car, the 4.6-litre engine is mated to a 5 speed Tremec manual transmission with drive to the rear wheels via a BTR limited slip differential. An automatic gearbox will be available early next year on the MG XPower SV.

With leather and Alcantara clad competition seats each customer has a choice of six interior trim colours matched to a wide range of exteriors colours. However a bespoke interior or exterior can be selected via the customisation programme.

With new exterior styling the SV is more aggressive than the original MG X80 prototype with a front splitter, rear diffuser, side vents and a rear wing being available for all cars. This offers the driver the optimum balance of driveability and aerodynamics.

Extensive aerodynamic testing has been carried out in wind tunnels, on the high speed Nardo test track in Southern Italy and the Nurburgring Grand Prix circuit in Germany.

Standard fitment in every car is the latest Tracker system from Omitec which not only enables the car to be located and immobilised, in case of theft for example, but also links the vehicle to a central diagnostic control centre at Longbridge.

Rollover protection on every car is provided by a fully integrated tubular structure and every SV is fitted with unique dual function three point inertia reel racing seatbelts which allow the driver the full mobility of a seatbelt combined with the extra security of a full race harness. The system can be locked at the flick of a switch for more serious driving.

Standard fitment for the MG XPower SV are O.Z. split rim 8J x R18 wheels shod with 225/40 ZR18 tyres at the front and 10J x R18 with 265/40 ZR18 tyres at the rear.

The MG XPower SV-R will sport a new MG designed wheel manufactured by O.Z. The overall effect is a low and aggressive coupe, capable of extremely high performance.

Source: Internal