Longbridge 'to make cars again'
- Thread starter Firestar_3x
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Simon said:
Agreed, absolutely love em.
You really have to look twice and wonder how the hell it came out of Longbridge - it's gorgeous AND it goes well.
As for the MG SV X-Power thingy - nice but overpriced. Also - I read in a Mag that many owners are reporting problems. Rowan Atkinson in particular said the paint is falling off his. Pretty poor really....
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merlin said:
Shocked he hasn't put his into a tree yet
I think the X Power is a cracking looking car, if they could do several lower power versions i think it would sell well.
[TW]Fox said:
But the interior in the MG feels much better quality that the much loved Focus?
It also goes better, handles better, looks better etc
Ah, but the Focus is a modern car, so it must be a lot better by default.
Its the mentality in this country to always want a newer car than the Jones' next door.
Its not just 1k bangers though, the last few years has seen a surge of extra gadgetry which is all going to go horribly wrong and even cars with good redicuals are going to crash in price thanks to maintanance costs.
What's this? merlin praising Rover! 
merlin said:Agreed, absolutely love em.
Rover weren't allowed to sell them after 31st Dec 05 as they didn't meet Euro 4 emissions, however they managed to get 1years 'grace' to shift old stock.
I was gonna put in a silly offer just before the deadline to get one cheap
Not surprised paint is falling off, Carbon fibre is a biatch to paint to.
D4VE said:
I bought the 01-04 model. The Mk2 ZS 180 has all round bodykit, and updated interior. Other than that very very similar to the Mk1 ZS180. I must say tho, the bodykit they put on looks *v* nice, but the interior update is well - boring.
I Agree with the over MGR blokie up there somewhere, sell the Rover 75 Coupe and the MG ZT/ZT-T !!!
Ugh, one thing i hate about my MGR has been pointed out in that photo, WHY THE HELL put the electric window button like that, there!
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
D4VE said:
Except it doesn't, though, does it? Looks, sure, they are subjective, but it certainly doesn't handle better and thats the first time I've heard someone argue the interior quality is better.
The ZS is, now, a good buy in 180 form, you can pick them up dead cheap and they knock spots off the similar priced competition.
But thats not the issue here, is it? The issue here is when they were new, and when they were new they made about as much sense as a Ssangyong Rexton.
The Focus was a modern, well designed car for.. the same money as one 10 years older at least in design terms. Surely you can see the point?
This is exactly the point though, people not bothered about buying new were not the people Rover and Ford relied on to make money! Rover had to sell brand new cars to make money, its no point making cars that 5 years later appeal to people on forums, they needed to make cars that made sense and appealed to people who wanted brand new cars.
They failed.
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Must Admit that Mk2 ZS 180 looks fantastic, nice colour as well 
Don't stop you wanting a 10yr old M5 rather than a new focus though[TW]Fox said:
Anyway that was tongue in check.
Cars are constantly being updated and improved, even as they are being produced. They don't just stop after they have been designed. Its very unfair and wrong to say the cars Rover were selling were 10year old designs. Only the shell is really 10 years old. Hell Honda were still using the same rear suspension as Rover on the Last Integra Type Rs, so why change things like that, mind you a newer design is better isn't it
A lot of people won't even think about the roots or development progress of a car either. You are a very special person knowing how much you do about EVERY car ever made[TW]Fox said:Not at all but im not the sort of person Rover were trying to sell cars to
They will have a test drive of a few and combining that with how it looks and a few other factors they will make a purchase.
[TW]Fox said:
The Focus has horrble seats and some very thin plastics on the dash - its bordering French territory. There are no flimsy parts on my VTi dash and its the same as the ZS.
[TW]Fox said:
But they do make sense, its a tried and tested design. How many people bitched and moaned when their new Audi or Golf wouldnt start because the coilpacks were rubbish and the car was so new the issue wasnt even known about?
There was probably a ZS owner next door who chuckled to himself as he drove off.
[TW]Fox said:
No because your just recycling the point that newer = better again. My original post is all about why I think this common belief is actually wrong.
Lets look at the Escort. Anyone could run an Escort they were so cheap and easy to work on. Wasnt much to go wrong either, so even with these cheap parts it was a reliable car.
Now the Focus comes along and if a halogen headlight bulb goes its back to the dealer for an hours work @ £80+/hr!
[TW]Fox said:
Yup agree with that, sadly whats important (getting from A -> B) is infact not what sells cars.
The TF still remained one of MGR's best selling cars. It's certainly one of the best looking roadsters on the market, puts the new MX-5 to shame even though the TF's design is far older. There are a lot of very good looking concepts (75 coupe and TF-GT) which would seriously update MGR's range and image.
Everyone loves to **** off rover because they're an easy target. Clarkson was still slagging them off after Longbridge production ceased. "They're going under, let's kick 'em while they're down". Rover did make some terrible cars, but in the last few years, the MG badge and the updated models really refreshed them. With some large investment from the Chinese I'm sure they'll start climbing back up the ranks.
Everyone loves to **** off rover because they're an easy target. Clarkson was still slagging them off after Longbridge production ceased. "They're going under, let's kick 'em while they're down". Rover did make some terrible cars, but in the last few years, the MG badge and the updated models really refreshed them. With some large investment from the Chinese I'm sure they'll start climbing back up the ranks.
Soldato
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Yeah the chinese firm can only sell the MG brand, not allowed to brand Rover. Rover is up for sale at the mo, but Ford have first refusal.
D4VE said:
Yes becuase people who spend 5 figure sums on brand spanking new cars think newer = better.
If they didn't, they would buy brand new cars. Thats the whole point.
The Escort was far from the worlds most reliable car though, its saving grace was that everything cost 10p to fix. The Focus isnt THAT much more expensive to fix but it is considerably more reliable.
No it doesn't? You can change a bulb in a Focus yourself.
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tom_nieto said:
How does it put the MX-5 to shame?