“Best Condition MG in the World”

Vehicle Procurements Ltd (VP), a fleet management company based in Nottingham, has recently acquired a 2004 MG ZT with a genuine 3 miles on the clock for their Heritage Collection. According to the Daily Telegraph, the ZT is widely reported to be the best condition and lowest mileage MG Rover in the World.

The MG ZT 1.8 Turbo is described as "exactly as it left the Longbridge Factory", and was sold via the Classic Car Auctions (CCA) sale at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre on September 24th 2016.

The seller (and only previous owner) purchased the car in 2005 from a dealer in Derby who was selling his stock at half price following the collapse of MG Rover. It was delivered with only one mile on the clock.

He decided to maintain it as the best in the world, so the car was immediately placed into storage, initially in a heated garage and subsequently in a dehumidified chamber.

It has been used, however - the owner had run it up and down his driveway a few times, tripling its mileage in the process.

Finished in British Racing Green, the MG ZT 1.8 Turbo still wears its original ContiSport tyres and even the petrol in the tank is 11 years old. As you'd expect, the car is immaculate inside and out, as well as in the engine bay, where the 1.8 litre turbocharged K-series engine gleams.

The interior is so well preserved that there's still a new car smell, features half leather seats, green Alcantara door linings, air conditioning and CD player.

VP bought the ZT to add to their collection of heritage British built cars on display at their head office in Mapperley, Nottingham. It currently has pride of place next to a 2003 MG TF, which has less than 16,000 miles.

Other cars in the collection include a 1976 Ford Fiesta 1.0 Popular Plus with 6,000 miles, a 1984 Ford Capri 2.0S with 15,000 miles, a 1990 Ford Escort XR3i with 9,000 miles, a TVR S3, a Triumph TR7 and a 1967 Humber Sceptre which was recently used to raise money for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance by driving around their geographical border.

VP's strategy for the Heritage Collection is simple - the cars must be British built and have low mileage or a story to tell. It became evident early on that simply owning and displaying low mileage cars meant that they couldn't drive them as this would decrease their value. So the collection now features a mix of low mileage cars and models which have a higher mileage, but can be driven to shows and events around the country.

Malcolm Ledgar, Director at VP, said, "Cars were meant to be driven, so we like to get the drivable classics out and about as much as possible during the summer months"

VP's Heritage Collection cars display is open to the public 5 days a week, and VP's directors welcome visitors. Malcolm continued, "We at Vehicle Procurements are passionate about not just providing the best service to our customers on new cars, but also preserving British built cars for future generations to see. It's wonderful to see visitors reactions to our cars, especially when they compare the level of specification an entry car has today compared to one from 1967! The ZT is a special piece of history and we are proud to be able to let the public see it in its original glory."

VP already had an interest in MG's - prior to owning the more modern models they have owned several MG B's.

The most interesting of these were a pair of Special Editions models - a GT and a Roadster - which were shown at various gatherings and events around Nottinghamshire.

The interest in MG's lead VP to hold discussions with MG Motor UK Ltd about providing new cars for their core business - supply of courtesy cars, staff cars and other vehicles to the bodyshop, accident management and motor repair industry.

The growth of their own funded contract hire fleet for bodyshops that struggle to get funding from main contract hire companies meant that there was a strong desire for affordable small cars, and the MG3 fitted the bill perfectly. It also required them to create a head office and remarking centre in Nottingham, a side effect of which meant that there was space to create and display a collection of classic cars.

This display space is set to grow in the near future too as VP have plans to expand and extend their showroom. Director Mark Campbell said, "We only recently joined the MG Owners Club, and will be proud to show this ZT at various events this year, some in conjunction with the MGOC - culminating in the Classic Car Show at the NEC in November. Furthermore we are currently in discussion with MG Motor UK Ltd to cement our relationship even further - watch this space! We feel MG is a brand that not only has a fantastic heritage, but also has growth plans to secure the future of this great icon of British motoring with exciting new models"

If you would like to see VP's Heritage Collection there's no need to make an appointment. Just call in Monday -Friday, 9AM - 5PM: VP House, 293-295 Westdale Lane, Mapperley, Nottingham, NG3 6EW. The staff would be happy to chat to you about the Heritage Collection cars or funding for your own vehicles - plus the coffee at VP House is rumoured to be the best in Nottingham!