The metamorphosis from pipe-smoking Rover to tyre-smoking MG is quite remarkable. Naturally the rebirth of the MG marque has had a few old sages whistling through their teeth and whispering about badge engineering and the ghosts of MG-badged Maestros and Montegos. But the truth is it doesn't matter what the chrome-cleaner-and-cloth-cap brigade say. What matters is what the sharp-suited blokes driving 320i Tourings or Alfa 156s think. And judging by the admiring glances the ZT-T has been getting, MG Rover has judged it absolutely perfectly.

Not that this was a case of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. True, the Rover 75 has never been a very exciting car. But it has always been a very good car. All the basics were pretty much on the money - chassis, drivetrain, equipment, perceived quality.

And looks. The 75 is a fine looking car, if a little self-conscious with its chrome fillets and retro cues. For the ZT the design team, led by Peter Stevens, stripped away all the shiny, woody bits, broadened and toughened the stance, added a full complement of deep meshed grilles and created a thoroughly convincing sports saloon. And if anything the estate - chosen for practical reasons with three kids and occasionally two dogs to cart around - is even better looking than the saloon. As innumerable swivelled heads testify, it is a gobsmackingly, snoutspankingly handsome beast.

BX02 PZT arrived in the second week of March with 1200 miles on the clock, which meant the accommodating folk at MG Rover had thoughtfully taken care of the running in. It looks simply stunning in Anthracite metallic (a very, very dark grey which most people mistake for black) set off by multi-spoke 18in alloys. Deeply glossy, fabulously sleek and somehow very expensive looking. In fact ZT-T prices start at under ΂£20K for the basic '160' though the range-topping ZT-T+ 190 is ΂£22,375, to which this car adds ΂£450 for metallic paint, ΂£625 for Xenon headlights and ΂£2325 for the 'High Line' sat-nav system, the display screen for which doubles as a TV. The last two I'd happily do without; Xenon lights dazzle me, I don't want to inflict them on anyone else, and we haven't used the TV once.

The screen and controls will be instantly familiar to anyone who drives a recent BMW, and I have to admit that the knowledge that the Bavarians helped engineer this car gets the feelgood factor warming up nicely. But it's what MG Rover's engineers and designers have done that has plastered this car with a thick layer of evoness.

The visual tweaks have given it a real edge. Inside, too, the well-judged makeover with its Rhodium silver 'technical' finish facia, sports seats, chunky wheel and pale grey instrument faces, has exorcised the ghost of Rovers past. Highlight for me so far, though, is the wonderfully throatily vocal 2.5-litre V6. It's not blisteringly quick, though I reckon there's more to come as it loosens up, but it's got soul by the bucketload. The chassis feels pretty good too: firm ride, prodigious grip, well-weighted steering.

They certainly don't make MGs like they used to. Thank God for that.