DUTCH ZS - Adam Sloman

DUTCH ZS
W
ith little indigenous car industry, Holland
was traditionally a strong market for MG
Rover, and love of the marque has seen a
strong club scene grow up around these
cars. Willem Hendrikson, Pete De Jong
and Martin Van De Velde are three typical
enthusiasts, all into the ZS and all heavily
involved in the Dutch show scene.
Willem’s car is the oldest of the three, a 2003 MkI in trophy
blue – Willem’s decision to buy it was inspired purely by the
car’s performance in the British Touring Car Championship.
Paying a shade over £9000 for the saloon back in 2005,
Willem’s is also arguably the most modified of the trio. The
front end is made more aggressive thanks to the combination
of a bad boy bonnet and his personalised grille, as well as
headlights and clear indicators from the ZS’ sister car, the Rover
45. At the back Willem has removed the badging (something of
a tradition in Europe) and added a lower bumper extension,
adding to an all-round lowered look. On the mechanical front,
he’s added a full stainless steel exhaust, with an XPower backbox,
52mm throttle body and Pipercross Viper air intake,
giving the MG a bassy, deeply impressive exhaust note and an
enticing induction roar. Willem has further improved the roadholding
by lowering the car 20mm with the introduction of
Eibach XPower lowering springs, while braking is enhanced
courtesy of Mintex brakes and pads. Willem has continued the
enhancements inside the car with uprated speakers, head unit
and amplifier all improving the in-car entertainment.
Pete De Jong’s MkII is the second ZS he has owned. He’d
originally thought about a Rover 75, but was won over by the
styling of the MG. His first Zed never quite felt right though,
with lots of niggling problems. It was also a V6 and too thirsty,
given 500-mile weekend trips to visit his wife in Germany.
Pete didn’t take to the initial launch photos of the facelift
with it’s MG SV-inspired grille and vents, but changed his mind
when he saw one in black. ‘There’s something about the shape
that just suits darker colours,’ he explained. Finished in Royal
Blue pearlescent, his newer ZS has undergone a full VVC
conversion combined with a powerboost valve, a 52mm
throttle body and Pipercross Venom air-box to bring the
44 MGE January 2010
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The Dutch Masters
MG’s place in UK affections is well known, but what is it
like in mainland Europe? We check out the Dutch scene
Words and pictures by Adam Sloman
original 120bhp to a more substantial 160. The extra power
means beefier brakes are a must, so Pete’s gone for grooved
Brembo discs with pads. Inside, he has replaced the factory-fit
in car entertainment with a Phatt 1200 600W RMS subwoofer
and amp, combined with a Pioneer Avic X3-bt in-dash
navigation and theatre system with a folding screen, tucking it
away when not in use. The picture and sound is great, and adds
to the overall package of the car without being over the top.
Having owned a string of Rovers, Martin moved on to MG
and the ZS in 2007. His Zed is from May 2005, making it one
of the last MGs built under British ownership. It is also one of
only a handful of V6 variants in the Netherlands, and the only
one with red alcantara trim. Martin’s wife Yvonne isn’t immune
to the love for MG Rover, herself owning a very high spec late
model Rover 25, which she shows along with Martin’s MG.
Martin’s work as a heavy goods vehicle driver often takes
him across Europe and it was while in Germany he found the
ZS, languishing in a breaker’s yard after a bump on the
autobahn. For 9000 euros the car was his. The car now has a
new front bumper, rear bumper and wings and Martin says
almost all the panels have been repainted. The work has clearly
been done to a very high standard, as the car looks factory
fresh, the excellent paint combining with the 180’s bodykit to
really underline how successful the 2004 facelift was.
The mechanical mods have been kept to a minimum, with
only the exhaust being upgraded. That’s not to say the detailing
has been scrimped on – under the bonnet Martin’s added an
MG branded stainless steel battery cover, and the V6’s engine
cover has been sprayed in black pearl to match the exterior.
With the serious business of the photoshoot over, we settle
down to discuss why there is so much love for MG in Holland
and the Dutch car scene in general. The guys are clearly very
dedicated to their cars. The MG-R.nl forum boasts over 2000
members, with a hardcore of attendees that take in shows such
as the British Autojumble at Waalwijk, racing at Zandvoort as
well as day trips around Holland and a big annual run to
Germany’s legendary Nurburgring. Martin in particular enjoys
the show scene. ‘I would say it’s very cosy,’ he explained. ‘We
get a lot of attention from other brands and their owners,
especially if you have something like a ZS 180, ZT V8 or a fully
Above: Pete de
Jong and his VVCconverted
ZS
(left); Willem
Hendrikson and
his 2003 MkI
(centre); Martin
van de Velde and
his 2005 V6.
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DUTCH ZS
Above: Martin’s V6 has few major mods, but
has had great attention paid to the detailing.
loaded Rover 45 or 75, for example.’
‘There’s a lot of variety in the scene,’ adds Willem. ‘Lots leave
it original with a few little touches, like Martin and Pete. Some,
like me, go real in depth with modding their car, but you still
can see it’s an MG. Others go all the way, until it is hard to tell
what type of car it was!’
‘It’s pretty active,’ interjects Pete. ‘There are quite a few
events for modded cars; plus lots of magazines and forums.
Very close to where I live is a weekly meeting on Friday evening
where all kinds of modded cars gather. It’s pretty diverse as well
– external mods, engine mods and sound mods. There are also
competitions for these, there’s loads you can do with your car.’
‘MGs are that little bit different and drive really well, says
Martin. Willem shares Martin’s view, adding: ‘People go for
MG for its exclusivity, you just don’t see them over here. Plus
they’re great value, you get a lot of car for your money.’ Pete
agrees, and says: ‘People who buy an MG mostly seem to go
for ZRs; they look really cool as standard. Because of this, they
are really looked after well. When I am on the street washing
my car, loads of people comment on the state she’s in and how
cool she looks as they’ve never seen one. My wife took the Zed
out the other day and someone said he’d never seen one before.
He didn’t even know MG made anything other than the F and
TF. The Zeds are real head turners in the Netherlands.’
Our trio have mixed views regarding MG and its future
under its new ownership though, with Willem being the most
“It’s clear there’s a passion for
these cars that many of us in
the UK take for granted”
Above: Pete prefers the facelift ZS in dark
colours; he’s raised power from 120 to 160bhp.
Above: Willem’s 2003 MkI ZS is the most
modified of the three, but it’s still very subtle.
vocal. ‘You only see drawings or models at car shows of what
might be a new MG, we’ve yet to see anything in the metal. I’m
not sure the new cars, or what we have seen at least, are sporty
enough.’ Martin is a bit more positive, but still has some
concerns for a brand he has devoted a significant portion of his
free time to. ‘The Chinese have taken a very long time to launch
in Europe. My personal hopes for MG are a very quick launch
of the new MG6 saloon. I think if they want to succeed, they
need a partner in the UK, and of course buyers, which they
didn’t have in the crisis days toward the end of MG-R.’
Pete too has some concerns for the future of the octagon.
‘Unfortunately the image of British cars is still prejudiced and I
believe the new MG range will have a hard time competing
with cars like Honda’s Type R and the VW Scirocco. In my
opinion, pre-China Zeds look much more distinctive than the
new MGs. Of course I hope they’ll do fine, but they’re not even
for sale yet. The new TF LE is a great looking car, but the
competition is out there, like Mazda’s MX5. Still, the pre-China
Fs and TFs are popular in the Netherlands. Same goes for the
Bs, and you can still spot the 1980s MGs like the Maestro and
Metro, especially in summer.’
As my time in Holland draws to close, it’s clear there’s a
passion for these cars that many of us in the UK take for
granted. All of the cars I’ve seen have been nothing less than
immaculate, while the warmth and openness of my hosts has
made the trip a real pleasure. The quality of the cars and the
modifications to them are amongst the best I have seen. They
have a very tangible passion for all things MG and with the
likes of Martin’s 13-year old son, Suat, keen to get an MG of
their own, it seems there’s a new generation of enthusiasts ready
to adopt the famous name. If MG’s new custodians can make
the most of this affection, then the future looks very bright.
n Our thanks to: Willem Hendrikson, Martin, Yvonne and
Suat Van De Velde, Pete De Jong and www.zscentral.com
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