Over the past few months since ZS Central starting running this little feature, we’ve seen many different things attracting people to the MG marque and the ZS.

This month’s star is no different.

Steve considers himself somewhat of an MG Rover nut, having owned four Rover Coupes he decided to call time on the Tomcats and go for something he really wanted-The ZS. The ZS is almost the forgotten member of the Z family, but as anyone who has driven one will tell you, it’s the best kept secret of the range and deserved better sales figures.

A fantastically balanced package, the ZS offers the flexibility of a five-door or four door family motor, without compromising the driving experience. Indeed the ZS actively rewards the keener driver thanks to its fine suspension set-up combined with the flexible power offered by the light-weight K-series engine.

Lunar Racing, the team of school students competing in the MGCC Peter Best Insurance Challenge and Cockshoot Cup need your help!

The team featured in the June issue of MG Enthusiast, enjoyed a successful first meet at Castle Donington on Easter Monday, and is now deep in preparation for the next event at Oulton Park in just over a month.

The Donington event was well supported by members of ZS Central, XPower Forums and other MG/Rover forums with over 100 people there on the day. The MGCC made everybody very welcome with a lucky 50 being able to do 2 laps of the Donington circuit in their own cars.

As you will no doubt be aware, motorsport is an expensive business, and running a team for school students is no different.

ZS Central recently presented Lunar Racing with it’s first sponsorship donation, but we don’t want to stop there! With team manager and school teacher Paul Kneeshaw faced with an ever increasing number of bills, the MG, and in particular, the ZS owning community, can make a huge difference to Lunar Racing's fortunes. If you’d like to get involved with supporting Lunar, then why not visit the forum, or drop forum member ‘ZS Pilot’ a PM and help get the next generation of British motor engineers on the grid!

You can donate by Paypal, cheque or postal order, please PM “ZS Pilot” /Tony or any of the Administrators or Moderators.

When Rover launched the 400 in 1995 it was largely met with apathy, following the successful 200/400 range, big things were expected and it is fair to say that unlike its new 200 sibling, the 400 was something of a disappointment.

The 400 lacked the individuality of the 200, and in many buyers eyes, it was simple a badge engineered Honda Civic. In terms of raw sales the 400 was somewhat of a failure.

Left: Although not an ugly car, the Rover 400 was certainly forgettable, and many felt it failed to maintain the standard set by the ‘R8’ 200 and 400.

The first steps towards the car we know and love came in 1999, with the 400’s first major face-lift, when the 400 became the 45. BMWs control of Rover Group saw the range face lifted, with the car now sharing the ‘family look’ introduced by the new and critically acclaimed Rover 75. Despite the improvements made to the car, it continued to be the forgotten child of the range, with the 25 covering the much of its market with its five-door variant. When BMW decided to kill off ‘The English Patient’ in 2000 the newly formed MG Rover Group had a tough job on its hands to improve stagnant sales of an ignored car.

The seeds for the MG ZS were sown back in 1996 when Rover Group developed and tested the 425, a 400 saloon equipped with the 2.5 KV6 power plant.

An MG is Born!

With the companies leadership now back in Birmingham, and not Munich, the company were free to develop the sport side of the company, and in August 2000, the MG ZS, along with the ZR and ZT, was unveiled to the public.

Many were sceptical of the new ‘Z’ range at launch, another bunch of badly badge-engineered cars. Peter Stevens had been drafted in to improve the somewhat staid style of the Rover range, and give them the new MG attitude. With the new meshed grille, and restyled front bumper, combined with the aggressive front and rear spoilers available, this went someway to changing the image of the car as a Sunday driver, pipe and slippers, ‘old mans’ car.