Based on the 2.5-litre V6-engined 75, the 190PS (187bhp) ZT is a damnably handsome creation, stripped of chrome, emboldened with an acreage of mesh grilles and riding on spoketastic 18in alloys. With its suspension suitably beefed-up, it's a taut-handling and characterful sports saloon (or wagon) and a genuine alternative to various BMWs and Alfas for those of us who still like to keep the British end up.

BX02 PZT looked positively pantherish in almost-black Anthracite, came loaded with goodies including the 'High Line' sat-nav/telly (a ΂£2325 option) and, even better, it already had 1200 miles on the clock, which meant I could get on with the enjoyable business of firing it down some favourite roads. The throatily vocal V6 certainly delivered the aural goods, but performance initially felt respectable rather than blistering. I reckoned there was more to come. The ride was on the stiff side of firm, but the payoff was positive responses and prodigious grip. We were going to get on just fine...

The first hiccup came after about 4500 miles. The first time I thought I'd imagined it, but no, there it was again. The throttle was occasionally sticking open, and without wishing to get too technical, this is a real bugger. The first time I took it into Marshalls of Cambridge they couldn't find any fault, but when it kept happening I insisted they take another look. This time they not only checked all the linkages but replaced the throttle housing, which apparently controls the idle. Sorted. The problem never recurred.
Marshalls also topped up the oil, which at this stage was being consumed at the rate of half a litre every couple of thousand miles, though the V6's appetite diminished as the miles racked up.

The ZT-T was proving easy to live with. The part-leather seats, which initially felt oddly shaped, proved fine on long journeys, though they weren't the most supportive in cornering. The engine's other drinking habit (low 20s on a cross-country hack, 26-ish on a long motorway haul) seemed acceptable. Ditto build quality - the headlights on the offside had a tendency to steam up, but otherwise the car had an almost German aura of solidity; not that surprising considering the amount of BMW in its DNA. With plenty of motorway miles on the daily commute, the Michelin Pilot Sports were lasting well; we eventually replaced the fronts but the rears still had plenty of life, even after 20,000 miles. Not so impressive was the sharply reduced grip on wet roads, though the handling remained communicative and predictable.

The handbook says the first service is due at 15,000 miles, and though the electronic readout said I had a couple more thousand miles to go, at 16,000 miles and with a long drive to the Yorkshire Moors looming, I booked the car back into Marshalls. There were a couple of additional matters to attend to. I'd noticed that water was gathering at the rear of the engine compartment, which possibly explained why the interior glass had a tendency to steam up. I'd also noticed a very occasional hesitancy from the engine when accelerating hard. The water was released by unplugging a blocked drainhole (the steaming up was subsequently less noticeable). The misfire was trickier, but after attaching various pieces of diagnostic equipment, the Marshalls technicians identified a faulty VIS (variable intake solenoid) valve. Ha! Just as I thought! Knowing I had a big journey coming up, they thoughtfully whipped a new one off a car in the showroom. All this, of course, carried out under warranty, so I was left with a bill for the service of ΂£165 and a general impression of an efficient, attentive dealership.

That trip, when we took all the long-termers to the Moors (052), exposed the ZT-T's biggest weakness. Though the engine always sounded good, it was seriously lacking in mid-range punch. Quite frankly, you had to rev the nuts off it to make decent progress, and the ZT just doesn't feel like that sort of car. Barker's Mondeo ST220 with an additional half a litre and an extra 30bhp showed what it was missing.

And the bottom line is that without this performance edge, the ZT-T was a car we liked a lot but could never get terribly excited about. (The trade-in value was a bit of a shock, too.) Most of the basics are there - a great body, good-looking interior too, poised handling (stick with the standard suspension; the 'sports' settings on this car made it gratuitously stiff and thrummy) and a smooth, soulful engine. If only it had a bit more muscle. Those V8-engined saloons are out there testing. Let's hope MG Rover has the resources and the courage to put them on the showroom floor.