Visitors to the MGOC HQ in Swavesey near Cambridge will be able to view this stunning car courtesy of MG Sport and Racing. After it’s appearance on the MGOC stand at the NEC International Classic Motor Show, where it was the subject of considerable public interest, it will now be on display until Saturday 22nd November 2003 in the Club HQ display area.
      The MGF X Power 500 is powered by a race-bred 500Ps engine and 6-speed sequential transmission in what is a much modified MG TF monocoque structure, fabricated around the UK’s best selling roadster.
      The links between the MG X Power motorsport programmes and the MGF X Power 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 TF X Power 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.
      Inside, race seats and competition harnesses ensure the occupants remain firmly in place despite the very considerable g-forces the MG TF X Power 500 is capable of generating.
      The MG TF X Power 500 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.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:

Engine: Development Le Mans ‘XP2O’
Maximum power c500Ps @ 7000rpm
Maximum torque 380 lbs ft @ 5000rpm
Specific Output: 248bhp per litre
Power to weight: 500bhp per tonne
Installation: Mid engine, transverse, rear wheel drive
Valve gear: 4 per cylinder DOHC
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Induction: Garrett Turbocharger and charge cooler

Suspension:
Front: Independent, unequal-length wishbones, anti-roll bar
Rear: Independent, unequal-length wishbones, anti-roll bar

Braking System:
Front: Racing 330mm vented discs, four-pot alloy calipers
Rear: Racing 315mm vented discs, two-pot allay calipers

Gearbox: Six speed sequential manual
Ratios
1st - 3.000:1 - 7.4 mph/1000
2nd - 1.937:1 - 11.1 mph/1000
3rd - 1.556: 1 - 15.2 mph/1000
4th - 1:273:1 - 19.7 mph/1000
5th - 1.043:1 - 24.7 mph/1000
6th - 0.926:1 - 31.3 mph/1000

Final Drive Ratio: 4.21:1 Plate LSD
Weight: 1100 kg

Wheel & Tyres:
Front: 7.0.J x 18" Alloy 225/35x18
Rear: 8.5J x 18" Alloy 245/35x18

Performance:
0-60 mph 4.5 secs
0-100 mph 9.6 secs
Maximum speed: 160mph