MG ZR - MG Express and Facelift

MG Express and Facelift

In 2003 the MG Express was introduced, effectively a fast two-seater van. Not many of these were produced and are highly sought after by some due to the fact they were lighter from having no rear seats, making them fractionally quicker, and also the lack of rear window is believed to add stiffness to the chassis.

In 2004, the ZR was facelifted with the rest of the MG Rover range, the new design was created by Peter Stevens who designed the McLaren F1. A new, more modern look was given to the car through new front and rear bumpers, headlights, tailgate and various other exterior features. The 2004 model also received a revised interior with new seat materials and a new dash design incorporating the use of soft-touch buttons. This gave the cars a far more modern feel and matched the clean, more angular lines of the exterior.

The facelifted ZR also saw the introduction of the Trophy and Trophy SE models. The MG ZR Trophy featuring a sunroof, 16-inch 'Grid-spoke' alloys, new rear light clusters, leather steering wheel and side sill and rear bumper extensions. The Trophy SE featured 17-inch 'Straights' alloy wheels and had air conditioning in the place of a sunroof.

Under the Monogram programme buyers could also select a wide range of options to customise their ZR such as choosing optional extras from the Rover 25 list. An example of this being rear parking sensors or heated seats.