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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - The Rover 620Ti should have been an MG

Does anyone agree with me that the Rover 620Ti should have been badged up as an MG? My Dad bought one recently and it is a fantastic motor car. Such performance... If only they'd given it the same treatment as the "Z" cars. I suppose BMW stifled it because it was a little too good..
John Hackett

Yes, AGREED. Said it many times including on this BBS. As the replacement for the Montego, the sporting Rover 600ti, underestimated from day one like the MG Montego it replaced, should have carried the MG badge. Might not have been so underestimated by Brit car buyers had it carried that badge from day one. I am aware of some of the reasons why it did not do so. These simply boil down to another missed opportnity for our motor industry.

A good number were produced and everyone I've spoken to who has a Rover Turbo 600/620ti is very enthusiastic, including those owners who have one but is NOT a motor enthusiast. Some of the well maintained earlier ones are now very affordable and an excellent buy. I suspect that our good old motoring media, still very anti-Brit anything when the 600ti appeared, through ignorance or whatever, deliberately over-looked this superb Rover.

John McFeely
John McFeely

AGREED,
A 620ti has replaced my ageing 'Montegos'

Kelvin
Kelvin

I avsolutely agree.

Who has the rights to produce this motor? I think this motor could/should be used in MG's.
Was it from the L-series?

Greetings from Italy
Marco

From what I understand it was the same engine that powered the 220 GTI Turbo / 220 Coupe Turbo / 420 Turbo / 820 Vitesse Turbo

As its not used now, would it be something to do with emissions not being up to standard... come to think of it, didn't these engines stop production around the time BMW took over - Honda connections perhaps?

Steve.
Steve Childs

Roger P is the expert on these T16 Turbo engines. They certainly are not Honda units!

No idea why they disappeared from the range- possibly as much to do with not having a suitable car to put it into as it had on getting the engine to meet emissions standards. All the cars you mentioned Steve- the 220 Tomcat, the 620 Ti and the 820 Vitesse were all cars killed off by BMW- the latter two replaced by the 75.
Rob Bell

Rob
You are certainly correct about the non-Honda connection. The T series engine was actually based on the old O Series engine - the one that was originally destined for the MGB all those years ago but ended up in the MG Maestro & Montego. It then gained another 8 valves to be known as the M16 and the T16 was its final incarnation. IIRC, production ceased in 1999 as the K Series became the mainstay engine of the Rover range.
Not too bad an engine but head gasket leaks and weak pistons on the turbo motors let it down. I think that the K series is a far better motor - and I have a 220 GTI turbo!
Gary

http://www.220gti.net
Gary Boxall

Yes, the 600ti. Nice cars, it's the only Rover 600 I'd ever consider having, nice as the others are. Shame it never carried the MG badge. That T16 turbo has all the qualities I admire in any engine and is a real joy to drive behind - the bonus being it's a true Brit. Sure the O, M and T series had some faults as Gary has indicated, but, the engine that does not have some has yet to be made anywhere and that includes Germany and Japan.

So, let's hear it for the K series in all it's forms - cant wait to see a turbo version in one of the Z-saloons.

JMcF.
John McFeely

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The latest issue of CAR Mechanics has an article on a Rover 800 Vitesse Turbo. This is fitted with a T16 of course. It's the editor's project car and he appears delighted with his buy. IIRC, it's on a P plate, with average mileage and cost a mere £2100 at a car auction. It has the full leather luxury pack and the photos show it's a well cared for example. I emailed the editor asking why the eagerly awaited T16 engine clinic item did not appear in this issue as predicted in the previous issue. He quickly replied:

" I am sorry that the Rover T -series engine clinic didn't appear. Unfortunately we have had enormous difficulty finding a specialist with sufficient hands-on experience of these engines to do the work for us. That difficulty is on-going, and I'm therefore unable to say as yet when the feature will appear, though we are on to it (for obvious reasons I personally would like to know what's involved!) and just as soon as we can track down someone who really does know 'chapter and verse' about Rover T series units, we'll print it!"

I'll keep a look out for this T16 clinic item and post again when it appears. If it's as good as previous "clinics", then it will be well worth getting.

Now who do we know with sufficient hands-on experience of these engines ? ........ I wonder ... :o))

John McFeely

John McFeely

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2001 and 10/08/2001

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