The base MG XPower SV was powered by a 320 bhp (239 kW; 324 PS) at 6000 rpm 4.6 L Ford Modular V8[8] with a torque of 302 lb·ft (409 N·m) at 4750 rpm but was expensive due to the complex carbon fibre body. Both manual and automatic transmissions were available. The manual car had a top speed of 165 mph (265 km/h) and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 5.3 seconds.[2] Club Sport options, for customers who wished to use their SVs on the track, were planned but never produced. They included a 5·0 L 1,000 bhp (700 kW) version, thanks to factory-approved nitrous oxide injection kits, though the basic version had 410 hp (306 kW) with speed limited to 195 mph (314 km/h).
The 2004 XPower SV-R featured a more highly tuned 5.0 L 32-valve V8 with 385 bhp (287 kW; 390 PS) and is believed to have a top speed of around 175 mph (281.5 km/h) and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 4.9 seconds.[2]
The SV-S version used the 4.6 litre engine but was fitted with a supercharger to match the 385 bhp (287 kW) of the 5.0 litre versions. Only three were made. One SV-R was fitted with a supercharger to become the SV-RS, however this used an SV 4.6 litre engine.