MG engines for CART in 2003.

MG Rover and Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc., who run the hugely popular CART FedEx Championship Series, have today announced a new engine supplier relationship that will bring the famous MG brand and its winning motor racing heritage to American open-wheel Champ Car racing for the first time in the marque's rich history.

MG Rover and Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc., who run the hugely popular CART FedEx Championship Series, have today announced a new engine supplier relationship that will bring the famous MG brand and its winning motor racing heritage to American open-wheel Champ Car racing for the first time in the marque's rich history.

The new engines will be branded with the MG Sport & Racing's 'MG XPOWER' logo, and the race cars will carry the famous MG badge. The MG Rover effort is collaboration between the manufacturer and Engine Developments Ltd, the builder of JUDD racing engines.

The "XV" power plant targeted for CART Champ Car competition is being jointly developed by both groups and uses basic architecture from the existing JUDD V8 and V10 engine family, the V10 version of which powered the winning car in this year's Rolex 24 at Daytona in the hands of a winning team of drivers that included CART regular Max Papis.

The extensive re-design currently being undertaken on the V8 will effectively produce a brand new engine designed specifically to suit CART's new engine regulations that call for 12,000 rpm limits and other enhancements unique to the FedEx Championship Series. The "XV" is targeted to produce well over 700 bhp.

"I am delighted to be involved with the USA's premier motor racing series, and our association with the highly successful Engine Developments Ltd will enable the MG brand to once again be brought in front of the thousands of fans following the CART series," said Rob Oldaker, Managing Director of MG Sport & Racing. "This complements our European Motorsport activities and will allow MG XPOWER to become truly global."

MG Rover is the first manufacturer to officially confirm participation in CART under the organization's new rules that call for 3.5-liter V8 racing engines commencing next season. Additional manufacturers are expected to confirm participation in the coming months.

"The incredible commitment that MG Rover has made to CART is one of the single most positive developments I have seen since I joined the organization fewer than four months ago," said CART President and CEO Christopher R. Pook.

"It is no secret that we have been openly courting several automobile manufacturers around the globe, but to have a storied marque such as MG be the first to officially join our series is great news. As a native Englishman, I am honored to have one of Great Britain's premier brands join CART. As CART's President, I am grateful that MG Rover has seen fit to bolster its marketing initiatives through our series, and I am confident we will not let them down."

In addition to MG Rover's race car supplier business, the company is strongly considering participation in the CART Fast Lap pace car program with high-performance street versions of MG Rover automobiles in the fast lap fleet.

The CART series is for powerful single-seaters and features a mix of races on conventional, oval and street circuits. The series visits the UK this year for a race at the Rockingham circuit.

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