09 Apr 09
XPower
Created in 2001, the performance arm of MG jumped straight in with an astonishing demonstration of its ambition with the XPower SV - a car based on the Italian-made Qvale Mangusta.
The plan was to become the British equivalent of AMG, but it was bound to end in tears. Buying an oddly designed Italian sports car as a base to save costs, the firm relocated to Modena and begun extensive re-engineering. Costs went out of control and the finished product was too slow, half-baked and at £80k+, way too expensive.
Best car: MG XPower SV
Brave effort, the SV actually offered exceptional on-road driving characteristics and was great fun to drive.
What were they thinking: MG XPower SV
Not only did the poor SV look like hell, it had a production process where its carbon fibre body panels, cut in the Isle of Wight, had to be chilled during transportation to Modena so they wouldn't deform. No wonder MG crumbled.
