View source for BTC-T MG ZS EX259

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox racing car
| Car_name = BTCC MG ZS EX259
| Image = [[File:MGZS BTCC Collard.jpg|250px]]
| caption = MG ZS at Brands Hatch, 18 April 2006<br>Rob Collard behind the wheel of the [[West Surrey Racing|WSR]]
| Category = [[British Touring Car Championship|BTCC]]
| Constructor = [[West Surrey Racing]] / [[Lola Cars|Lola]]
| Designer =
| Team = [[West Surrey Racing|WSR]]<br>[[Jason Hughes (auto racing)|Kartworld Racing]]
| Drivers = [[Colin Turkington]]<br>[[Anthony Reid]]<br>[[Warren Hughes]]<br>[[Rob Collard]]<br>[[Gareth Howell]]<br>[[Jason Hughes (auto racing)|Jason Hughes]]<br>[[Fiona Leggate]]
| Technical ref = <ref name=tech>{{cite web|url=http://www.btccpages.com/teams/2003/mgzs.php |title=Teams 2003 - MG ZS |publisher=BTCC Pages |date= |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref>
| Chassis =  [[MG ZS (2001)|MG ZS]]
| Front suspension =
| Rear suspension =
| Length = {{convert|4650|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Width = {{convert|1700|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Height = <!-- Use: {{convert|XXX|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} -->
| Wheelbase = {{convert|2620|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Track = {{convert|1860|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Engine name = [[Advanced Engine Research|AER]] [[Rover KV6 engine|KV6]]
| Capacity = {{convert|1997|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}}
| Configuration = {{convert|270|hp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} [[V6 engine|V6]]
| Turbo/NA = NA
| Engine position = [[Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout|front-mounted, FWD]]
| Gearbox name = Xtrac
| Gears = 6-speed
| Type = Sequential
| Differential =
| Weight = {{convert|1150|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}} (including driver)
| Fuel =
| Tyres =
| Debut = [[2001 British Touring Car Championship season|2001 BTCC]] at [[Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone]]
| Races = 196([[2001 British Touring Car Championship season|2001]]-[[2008 British Touring Car Championship season|2008]])
| Wins = 15
| Cons_champ = 0
| Drivers_champ = 0
| Teams_champ = 0
| Poles = 7
| Fastest_laps = 30
}}
The '''BTC-T MG ZS EX259''' is a [[BTC-Touring]] class [[racing car]] that was built for the [[2001 British Touring Car Championship season]] by [[West Surrey Racing]], who ran [[MG Cars|MG]]'s official works program.
==Works career==
Partway through the [[2001 BTCC season]], [[West Surrey Racing|WSR]] began entering their BTCC spec [[MG ZS (2001)|MG ZS]], returning as a works [[MG Cars|MG]] team under the name of MG Sport & Racing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/6818/1/wsr_confident_of_zs_success.html |title=WSR confident of ZS success &#124; BTCC News &#124; Apr 2001 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2001-04-26 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> The new car's first appearance was in round 21, held at [[Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone]], driven by [[Anthony Reid]] and [[Warren Hughes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/6964/1/mg_to_make_btcc_debut_this_weekend.html |title=MG to make BTCC debut this weekend &#124; BTCC News &#124; Sep 2001 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2001-09-04 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> Although ineligible to score points, the car showed some initial promise, with a victory at [[Brands Hatch|Brands Hatch Indy Circuit]], the penultimate round of the season - indeed, it was the only non-Vauxhall entry to win in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7021/1/slick_reid_wins_for_mg_at_brands.html |title=Slick Reid wins for MG at Brands &#124; BTCC News &#124; Oct 2001 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2001-10-07 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref>
For 2002, WSR entered 4 cars - 2 MG Sport & Racing entries for Reid and Hughes, and a satellite team, racing under the "Team Atomic Kitten" banner, with [[Gareth Howell]] and [[Colin Turkington]] driving for this team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mgcars.org.uk/news/news677.html |title=Team Atomic Kitten |publisher=Mgcars.org.uk |date=2002-03-01 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> The car proved to be reasonably competitive in its first full season; WSR finished 2nd in both the Teams and Manufacturers standings, and Reid finished 4th in the Driver's championship.<ref>{{cite web |author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/points2002.php |title=2002 BTCC Points |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2012-12-24 |archive-date=14 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214192218/http://www.btccpages.com/points2002.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, they were 151 points behind the [[Triple Eight Race Engineering (United Kingdom)|Triple 8]]-entered [[BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe|Astra Coupes]] in the Manufacturers championship, as that team remained dominant.
For [[2003 BTCC season|2003]], the team entered 3 cars for Reid, Turkington and Hughes, this time all entered as works drivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7473/1/three_car_mg_xpower_entry_for_btcc.html |title=Three car MG XPOWER entry for BTCC &#124; BTCC News &#124; Mar 2003 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2003-03-28 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> The season proved to be less successful than 2002 - with [[Arena Motorsport|Honda Racing]] demoting MG to 3rd in both the Constructors and Teams standings, although MG once again won 3 races, with Reid slipping to 6th in the Drivers championship.<ref>{{cite web |author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/points2003.php |title=2003 BTCC Points |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2012-12-24 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516172143/http://www.btccpages.com/points2003.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Independent's career==
After 3 seasons, MG withdrew their works support for WSR in [[2004 BTCC season|2004]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7874/1/reid_back_wsr_as_independents.html |title=Reid back, WSR as Independents &#124; BTCC News &#124; Apr 2004 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2004-04-06 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> WSR, however, continued to enter a pair of MG ZS, driven by Reid and Turkington, whilst [[Jason Hughes (auto racing)|Jason Hughes]] entered an older ZS in his own Kartworld Racing team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7867/1/hughes_mg_ready_for_btcc_action.html |title=Hughes MG ready for BTCC action &#124; Page 1 &#124; BTCC News &#124; Apr 2004 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2004-04-01 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> Using their 3 years of knowledge gained from developing the car, the team won the Independents championship, and also a 3rd place in the Team standings.<ref>{{cite web |author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/points2004.php |title=2004 BTCC Points |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2012-12-24 |archive-date=14 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214192219/http://www.btccpages.com/points2004.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Anthony Reid was once again the best-placed driver, finishing an impressive 4th in the Driver's championship standings, and was crowned as the Independent champion.
With Turkington departing for [[Triple 8 Race Engineering|VX Racing]], and Reid being involved in an abortive MG entry for the [[2005 DTM season]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dtm.com/en/News/MG-to-enter-two-ZTs-for-the-2005-DTM-season.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708164729/http://www.dtm.com/en/News/MG-to-enter-two-ZTs-for-the-2005-DTM-season.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 July 2012 |title=MG to enter two ZT's for the 2005 DTM season |publisher=DTM |date=2005-02-25 |accessdate=2012-12-24 }}</ref> WSR chose to enter a single car, driven by [[Rob Collard]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/8441/1/collard_to_lead_wsr_challenge_in_2005.html |title=Collard to lead WSR challenge in 2005 &#124; BTCC News &#124; Mar 2005 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2005-03-29 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> whilst Jason Hughes continued to enter his MG ZS, albeit at select events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/8451/1/kartworld_to_run_selected_2005_programme.html |title=Kartworld to run selected 2005 programme &#124; BTCC News &#124; Mar 2005 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2005-03-30 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> Despite a low budget, Collard impressed, managing to secure 2 wins, and he finished 7th overall.<ref>{{cite web |author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/points2005.php |title=2005 BTCC Points |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2012-12-24 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516191534/http://www.btccpages.com/points2005.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
For [[2006 BTCC season|2006]], Turkington returned to the team,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/9015/1/team_rac_confirm_turkington_and_collard.html |title=Team RAC confirm Turkington and Collard &#124; BTCC News &#124; Mar 2006 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2006-03-14 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> partnering the retained Collard. The team made the decision to switch to the facelifted ZS model,  the  A new sponsorship deal was struck with the [[Royal Automobile Club|RAC]], with the team now entering cars under the Team RAC name.<ref>{{cite web|author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/news/1/469/WSR-to-race-MGs-under-'Team-RAC'-banner |title=WSR to race MGs under 'Team RAC' banner - BTCC News |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> A successful season followed, with Turkington finishing runner-up in the Independents, and finishing in a fine 3rd place overall.<ref>{{cite web |author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/points2006.php |title=2006 BTCC Points |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2012-12-24 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516175208/http://www.btccpages.com/points2006.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> Team RAC switched to the [[BMW 320si]] for 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/9739/1/bmw_delighted_with_rac_deal.html |title=BMW delighted with RAC deal &#124; BTCC News &#124; Jan 2007 |publisher=Crash.Net |date=2007-01-12 |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> thus ending a 6-year partnership between MG and WSR. Kartworld Racing entered 2 cars, running on bio-ethanol,<ref>{{cite web|author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/news/1/636/Bio-ethanol-power-for-Hughes-in-Kartworld-Racing-MG/ |title=Bio-ethanol power for Hughes in Kartworld Racing MG - BTCC News |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> in 2007 (driven by Hughes and [[Fiona Leggate]]),<ref>{{cite web|author=BTCCPages.com |url=http://www.btccpages.com/news/NewsStory.php?SeriesID=1&ArticleID=806 |title=Leggate joins Hughes at Kartworld Racing - BTCC News |publisher=BTCCPages.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-24}}</ref> reducing down to 1 for 2008, which would prove to be the cars final season in the BTCC.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{BTC-T Cars}}
[[Category:British Touring Car Championship]]
[[Category:Touring cars]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 2001]]
[[Category:Front-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:MG racing models|ZS EX259 BTC-T]]