• Rare 'end-of-an-era' MG model • One of only 42 SV-Rs built • Present ownership since 2011 The SV story began with MG/Rover's acquisition of the Italian-based Qvale Automotive, manufacturer of the Qvale Mangusta.

The Mangusta had already been homologated for the US market so must have seemed an ideal starting point for MG's proposed new supercar.

The first MG X80 concept car was unveiled in 2001, but designer Peter Stevens went back to the drawing board to re-style the SV production version along more aggressive looking lines.

Like the Mangusta, the SV used carbon fibre body panels, which were manufactured in the UK and then shipped to Italy for fitting to the box-frame chassis.

Completed cars were then transported to the MG Rover factory at Longbridge for final trimming and finishing.

Power was supplied by a Ford V8 engine producing 320bhp; performance figures of 5.3 seconds for the 0-60mph dash and a top speed of 165mph were claimed.

There was also a more powerful (385bhp) SV-...