MG revives record-breaking tradition
MG Rover Group has applied to the Guinness World Records organisation to claim the record for the 'World's Fastest Estate Car'. The UK manufacturer's purpose-built 'X-15' project, based on the MG ZT-T and involving 20 specialist motorsport companies, achieved 225.609mph (360.9kph) during America's 55th annual Bonneville Speed Week last month, on the Utah Salt Flats
Last year Nick Stephenson, the deputy chairman of brand owner Phoenix Venture Holdings, and MG Rover design director Pete Stevens decided to build a 200mph estate derived from the forthcoming MG ZT-T V8. The car was built in California by So-Cal Speed Shop and equipped with a 6.0-litre V8 with electronic fuel-injection by another US company, Roush Performance.
The programme, sponsored by Exxon Mobil, involved Aldan (for the 'coilover' suspension dampers), Autometer (instruments), Chute Metal Race Products (deceleration parachute), DJ (harnesses and window nets), EFI (fuel-injection system), Flame Out (fire systems), Flaming River (steering system), Goodyear ('land speed' tyres), Jaz (race seats), John West Fabrications (headers), Jerico (transmission), K&N (air filters), Meziere (water pump), Mobil (fuel and lubricants), Morrison (ladder bars), Pi Systems (data-acquisition), Quartermaster (clutch and starter), Taylor Made (wheels), Weldon (fuel pump), and Wilwood Engineering (braking system).
"This is not just about setting world records, this is about testing MG's vehicles to their limits, in some of the most extreme conditions you can find in the world," Stevens said. "The added challenges of meeting strict technical and safety regulations (set by the Southern California Timing Association) make our achievement with a virtually 'stock' MG ZT-T all the more satisfying."
MG can trace its Land Speed Record roots back to the early 1930s and its Bonneville roots back to 1951, when Lt Col A.T. 'Goldie' Gardner famously ran a 'streamliner' powered by a crank-driven supercharged production 1250cc four-cylinder MG TD engine.
MIA 'clean racing' conference speakers
NASCAR urged to act against traction control
Magazine: Hamilton's F1 2009 woes retrospective, BMW Motorsport at 50
Lewis Hamilton’s struggles with mediocre Formula 1 machinery in 2009 and 2022 are compared in this week’s Autosport magazine, out today (11 August).
Rodin reveals more details about 'F1-beating' hypercar
More details have been revealed about Rodin’s new closed-cockpit FZERO hypercar, which it intends will offer greater performance than Formula 1 machinery.
Magazine: F1 Hungarian GP review, FE London and BTCC Knockhill
Last weekend's Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, featuring another Ferrari clanger and Max Verstappen victory, is our focus on the cover of this week’s Autosport magazine, out today (4 August).
MotorsportDays LIVE reveals date of 2022 show at Silverstone
Motorsport Network is excited to announce that MotorsportDays LIVE will be held at Silverstone on 4-5 November 2022.
Why romanticism isn't the key factor in Lola’s racing return
The iconic Lola name is being relaunched after it was taken over by new ownership. Part of that reboot is a planned return to racing, though the exact details of this are still to be finalised - though its new owner does have a desire to bring the brand back to the Le Mans 24 Hours. But romanticism doesn't appear to be the driving force behind this renewed project...
Rating the best drivers of the century so far
Autosport's Top 50 feature has been a staple of the magazine for the past two decades since its first appearance in 2002. Here are the drivers that have featured most prevalently during that time
The best motorsport moments of 2021
Motorsport produced one of its greatest years of all-time in 2021 despite a backdrop of ongoing COVID-19 challenges and an ever-changing racing landscape. Through the non-stop action Autosport has collected the finest moments from the past 12 months to highlight the incredible drama and joy motorsport generates
The racing comeback artists who resurrected long-dormant careers
Making it in motorsport can be tough, and sometimes drivers move elsewhere before their best chance arrives. Here are some of those who made it back
The hidden racing gem attracting ex-F1 heroes
It’s rarely mentioned when it comes to assessing the best national contests, but the Brazilian Stock Car series that reaches its climax this weekend has an ever-growing appeal. Its expanding roster of ex-Formula 1 names has helped to draw in new fans, but it's the closeness of competition that keeps them watching
The one-time Schumacher rival rebooting his career Down Under
Joey Mawson made waves in the middle of the last decade, beating future Haas Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher - among other highly-rated talents - to the 2016 German F4 title. A run in F1's feeder GP3 category only caused his career to stall, but now back in Australia Mawson's S5000 title success has set that to rights
The lesson football’s would-be wreckers could learn from racing
OPINION: The greed-driven push for a European Super League that threatened to tear football apart is collapsing at the seams. Motor racing's equivalent, the football-themed Superleague Formula series of 2008-11, was everything that the proposed ESL never could be
The F1 and Indy 'nearly man' that found contentment in Japan
Having had the door to F1 slammed in his face and come within three laps of winning the Indianapolis 500, the collapse of a Peugeot LMP1 shot meant Japan was Bertrand Baguette's last chance of a career. But it's one which he has grasped with both hands