Make: MGModel: SV
Jon Webster’s MG SV
The usual mental image evoked by the MG badge is one of blokes with beards, flat caps and a taste for real ale, tinkering away in garden sheds. Jon Webster’s MG SV blows those urban myths wide open though, with 21st century engineering applied to old skool V8 principles.
You’d be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the SV, as it was not what you’d call a huge seller. You see, when MG Rover acquired the Italian Qvale company a while back, it also took over the rights to their Mangusta chassis. Seeing the potential for sales in the lucrative USA market, where the Mangusta had already been homologated for sale, the car was heavily restyled with a more aggressive appearance by MG’s Peter Stevens. Despite borrowing heavily from the FIAT parts-bin, the complex carbon fibre-bodied car was costly – the basic-spec one was £75,000, with the higher power SV-R model even more expensive. The off-putting cost for a car with an MG badge resulted in just over 60 cars being made before production was halted.
Jon bought this particular example in 2004, when MG Rover was heavily promoting the SV. It was intended that Jon’s company, Webster Race Engineering, would help demonstrate the potential of the vehicle, on road and track, by maximising the performance whilst keeping the looks relatively standard. Part way through the modification project, MG Rover collapsed, but Jon decided to persevere with the project as a demonstrator for WRE’s capabilities by campaigning the car in the Street Legal drag championships, Ten of the Best (with a rear wheel drive class victory in 2006) and the King of Europe series.
The engine is all about big numbers. The original Mustang-sourced small-block V8 has been replaced by a 400 cubic inch lump, running a specification which is essentially the same as that in NASCAR. Engine management is provided by a Motec ECU, mapped by Jon, with some input as well from David Rowe, Motec’s chief engineer in the UK. Jon rates the Motec very highly for its accurate levels of boost control. The engine is boosted by a massive single turbo with a 125mm inlet, weighing over 30kg, and rated at 2300bhp. In its current form, and running 20psi of boost, the engine develops a dyno-proven, and totally, road legal 1630bhp at the wheels.
The gearbox is a two speed self-shifter, which eliminates any chance of missing a crucial gear shift. The huge power tends to overwhelm the relatively skinny tyres on standing starts, meaning that Jon can only use about 800bhp of the engine’s full potential until at least some grip has been restored. Traction issues aside Jon’s quickest quarter mile is an awesome 8.84 seconds, with a terminal speed of 164mph but recent modifications should see this drop to low 8’s. As the engine spins to 9000rpm, the theoretical top speed with the current gearing is 260mph – if you can find a long enough straight!
You’d be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the SV, as it was not what you’d call a huge seller. You see, when MG Rover acquired the Italian Qvale company a while back, it also took over the rights to their Mangusta chassis. Seeing the potential for sales in the lucrative USA market, where the Mangusta had already been homologated for sale, the car was heavily restyled with a more aggressive appearance by MG’s Peter Stevens. Despite borrowing heavily from the FIAT parts-bin, the complex carbon fibre-bodied car was costly – the basic-spec one was £75,000, with the higher power SV-R model even more expensive. The off-putting cost for a car with an MG badge resulted in just over 60 cars being made before production was halted.
Jon bought this particular example in 2004, when MG Rover was heavily promoting the SV. It was intended that Jon’s company, Webster Race Engineering, would help demonstrate the potential of the vehicle, on road and track, by maximising the performance whilst keeping the looks relatively standard. Part way through the modification project, MG Rover collapsed, but Jon decided to persevere with the project as a demonstrator for WRE’s capabilities by campaigning the car in the Street Legal drag championships, Ten of the Best (with a rear wheel drive class victory in 2006) and the King of Europe series.
The engine is all about big numbers. The original Mustang-sourced small-block V8 has been replaced by a 400 cubic inch lump, running a specification which is essentially the same as that in NASCAR. Engine management is provided by a Motec ECU, mapped by Jon, with some input as well from David Rowe, Motec’s chief engineer in the UK. Jon rates the Motec very highly for its accurate levels of boost control. The engine is boosted by a massive single turbo with a 125mm inlet, weighing over 30kg, and rated at 2300bhp. In its current form, and running 20psi of boost, the engine develops a dyno-proven, and totally, road legal 1630bhp at the wheels.
The gearbox is a two speed self-shifter, which eliminates any chance of missing a crucial gear shift. The huge power tends to overwhelm the relatively skinny tyres on standing starts, meaning that Jon can only use about 800bhp of the engine’s full potential until at least some grip has been restored. Traction issues aside Jon’s quickest quarter mile is an awesome 8.84 seconds, with a terminal speed of 164mph but recent modifications should see this drop to low 8’s. As the engine spins to 9000rpm, the theoretical top speed with the current gearing is 260mph – if you can find a long enough straight!