The Rover 200 Series, and later the Rover 25, are a series of
small family car
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
In 2011, the C- ...
s that were produced by British manufacturer
Rover
Rover may refer to:
People
* Constance Rover (1910–2005), English historian
* Jolanda de Rover (born 1963), Dutch swimmer
* Rover Thomas (c. 1920–1998), Indigenous Australian artist
Places
* Rover, Arkansas, US
* Rover, Missouri, US
* ...
from 1984 until 2005.
There have been three distinct generations of the Rover 200. The first generation was a four-door
saloon car
A sedan or saloon (British English) is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo.
The first recorded use of the word "sedan" in reference to an automobile body occurred in 19 ...
based on the
Honda Ballade. The second generation was available in three or five-door
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
forms, as well a
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
and
cabriolet
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
(in relatively small numbers). Its sister model, the
Honda Concerto
The Honda Concerto is a mid-sized luxury sedan produced from 1988 to 1994. The Concerto was designed for European tastes and jointly developed by Honda and the Austin Rover Group and was introduced in Japan on 15 June 1988, and in European market ...
was built on the same production line in Rover's
Longbridge factory
Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in Longbridge, Birmingham, England, currently leased by SAIC as a research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary. Vehicle assembly ended in 2016.
Opened in 1905, by the late 1960s Longb ...
. The final generation was developed independently by Rover on the
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
of its predecessor, and was available as a three or five-door hatchback. Just before
BMW's sale of Rover in 2000, and following a facelift, the model was renamed and sold as the Rover 25, and the
MG ZR
The MG ZR is an MG branded "hot hatch" version of the Rover 25 supermini class car, produced by MG Rover at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham from 2001 to 2005. Compared to the Rover 25, the ZR featured a number of styling modifications an ...
was based on the Rover 25 with mechanical changes to the suspension. Production ceased in 2005 when MG Rover went into
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...
. Production rights and tooling for the model, but not the Rover name, now belong to Chinese car manufacturer
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
.
Rover 200 (SD3; 1984–1989)
![Rover 213 Jesus Lane](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Rover_213_Jesus_Lane.JPG)
The original Rover 200 (sometimes referred to by the codename ''SD3'') was the replacement for the earlier
Triumph Acclaim
The Triumph Acclaim is a front-wheel drive compact family saloon/sedan manufactured by British Leyland (BL) from 1981 to 1984. It is based on the Honda Ballade. It used a Honda-designed engine, was manufactured under licence from Honda, and ...
, and was the second product of the alliance between
British Leyland
British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC), following the merger of Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings. It was partl ...
(BL) and
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
.
Alan Pilkington
Alan Pilkington (born 1966) is a British engineer and researcher known for his work in technology management, operations management, Manufacturing strategy and enterprise engineering. (1996). ''Transforming Rover, Renewal against the Odds, 1981–94.'' Bristol Academic Press, Bristol, pp.199, Only available as a four-door saloon, the 200 series was intended to be more upmarket than the company's
Maestro
Maestro (; from the Italian ''wikt:maestro#Italian, maestro'' , meaning "wikt:master, master" or "teacher") is an honorific title of respect (plural: maestros or maestri). The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music ...
and
Montego models, which the 200 Series came in between in terms of size. It was launched on 19 June 1984, at which time there was still a high demand for small family saloons, with many manufacturers selling this type of car under a different nameplate to similar-sized hatchbacks. For example,
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
was selling the saloon version of the
Escort as the
Orion, the saloon version of the
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...
was called the
Jetta, and
Vauxhall
Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
would soon launch an
Astra-based saloon called the
Belmont. The Rover 200 Series, however, was not based on a hatchback.
Earlier in 1984, Austin Rover had confirmed that the successor to the Acclaim would be badged as a Rover rather than a Triumph - a decision which signalled the end for the Triumph brand. The move was seen as controversial as the Rover brand had long been associated with large executive saloons as well as the
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
and
Range Rover
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
, and there were fears that its application to a small Japanese-derived compact would devalue the Rover name.
Essentially, the 200 series was a British-built
Honda Ballade, the original design of which had been collaborated upon by both companies. Engines employed were either the
Honda Civic
The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Acc ...
derived
E series E series may refer to:
* BMC E-series engine, a series of automobile engines
* Electronic E series of preferred numbers, a series of preferred values for electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, zener diodes
* Entwicklung seri ...
'EV2' 1.3-litre 12-valve engine, or
BL's own
S-Series S series or Series-S or ''variation'', may refer to:
Transportation
* Bedford S series, trucks
* Chevrolet S-series, pickup trucks
* GMC S-Series, school bus
* International S series, trucks
* International S series (bus chassis)
* S series (T ...
engine in 1.6-litre format (both in carburettor and Lucas
EFi form). The resulting cars were badged as either ''Rover 213'' or ''Rover 216''.
The 213 used either a Honda five-speed manual gearbox or a Honda three-speed automatic transmission. The British-engined 216 also employed a Honda five-speed manual gearbox, unlike the
S-Series S series or Series-S or ''variation'', may refer to:
Transportation
* Bedford S series, trucks
* Chevrolet S-series, pickup trucks
* GMC S-Series, school bus
* International S series, trucks
* International S series (bus chassis)
* S series (T ...
engine when fitted in the
Maestro
Maestro (; from the Italian ''wikt:maestro#Italian, maestro'' , meaning "wikt:master, master" or "teacher") is an honorific title of respect (plural: maestros or maestri). The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music ...
and
Montego. There was also the option of a German
ZF four-speed automatic on some 216 models as well.
The Honda-badged version was the first Honda car to be built in the United Kingdom (the Honda equivalent of the 200 Series' predecessor, the
Triumph Acclaim
The Triumph Acclaim is a front-wheel drive compact family saloon/sedan manufactured by British Leyland (BL) from 1981 to 1984. It is based on the Honda Ballade. It used a Honda-designed engine, was manufactured under licence from Honda, and ...
, was never sold in the UK). Ballade bodyshells, and later complete cars, were made in the
Longbridge plant
Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in Longbridge, Birmingham, England, currently leased by SAIC as a research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary. Vehicle assembly ended in 2016.
Opened in 1905, by the late 1960s Longbr ...
alongside the Rover equivalent, with the Ballade models then going to Honda's new Swindon plant for quality-control checks.
Although production ceased in late 1989, stocks of the car continued until early 1990 when it was replaced by the Rover 400.
This model of car (SD3 saloon version; 216S in the first series, then replaced by a 216SE EFi model) is well known as
Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
and
Hyacinth Bucket
Hyacinth Bucket is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', portrayed by Patricia Routledge. Routledge won a British Comedy Award in 1991, and was nominated for two BAFTA awards in 1992 and 1993 for her portrayal.
Hyac ...
's car in the
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
sitcom ''
Keeping Up Appearances
''Keeping Up Appearances'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke. It originally aired on BBC1 from 1990 to 1995 with two specials airing in 1997 and 2008 on PBS. The central character is an eccentric and snobbish middle class so ...
'' (1990–1995).
Rover 200 (R8; 1989–1995)
![1993 Rover 200 Coupe (216) (9703864648)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/1993_Rover_200_Coupe_%28216%29_%289703864648%29.jpg)
The ''R8'' Rover 200, sometimes referred to as the Mk 2 Rover 200, was launched on 11 October 1989. Unlike the Mk 1, Ballade-based, 200, this model was a five-door hatchback designed to replace the Maestro while the saloon variant, called the
400 Series, was effectively the replacement for the previous Rover 200 Series when it was launched in April 1990. The 400 had a different nomenclature to the 200 because at the time many saloon versions of compact cars were positioned slightly upmarket from their hatchback siblings, often featuring higher specification and prices, in addition to different names - a notable example being the
Ford Orion
The Ford Orion is a small family car (C-segment in Europe) that was produced by Ford Europe from 1983 until 1993. A total of 3,534,239 units were sold during the car's ten-year production life.
The Ford Orion was based on the Ford Escort, but i ...
, the saloon version of the
Ford Escort.
The Maestro continued alongside the Rover 200 hatchback as a budget option until production finished in December 1994.
The 200 also spawned three-door hatchback, coupé and convertible versions, while the 400 eventually spawned an estate version. These latter variants were solely Rover designed and produced products, with no Honda Concerto versions available. Initial plans to sell the coupe version under the MG marque were abandoned, although the 5-door hatchback was the most popular and common version.
The R8 200 was the first car to be introduced by the newly privatised
Rover Group
The Rover Group plc was the British vehicle manufacturing conglomerate known as "BL plc" until 1986 (formerly British Leyland), which had been a state-owned company since 1975. It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business (comprisi ...
. Once again, the model was designed in collaboration with
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
(who produced the new designed-for-Europe
Concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typi ...
model) and both models would share production lines at Rover's Longbridge facility. The 200 and Concerto itself were based on the
4th generation Civic (EC), of which the 3-door hatchback, coupé
CRX and saloon versions were sold in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
(meaning that Honda had effectively two different saloon models of the same car in the same class).
The 200 also saw the introduction of Rover's brand-new
K-Series family of engines (appearing in 1.4 L (1396 cc)
twin-cam
An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
16-valve form). The 1.6 L (1590 cc) version used either a
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
D16A6 SOHC or D16A8 DOHC powerplant, while the 2.0 L
M-Series M series may refer to:
Computers
* M series (computer), a line of computers designed in the USSR
* ThinkCentre M series, a line of desktop computers
* Sony Vaio M series, a line of desktop computers and a line of netbook computers
Mobile phones
...
unit from the
800-series followed soon afterwards (1991) in the sportier versions. Later versions used the
Rover T-Series engine, with limited-run turbocharged Rover 220s in GTi and GSi-Turbo trims, boast a power output of as standard. The Rover-engined models drove the front wheels via jointly developed
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
/Rover R65 gearboxes (1.4-litre) and Rover PG-1 gearboxes for the 1.6- and 2.0-litre versions. From December 1990, the carburettor-engine 214S (with a 1.4 engine from the Metro) was added to the range, but discontinued within two years due to
EEC
The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisb ...
emissions requirements. Its gap was filled by the 214i, which featured the 1.4 K-Series unit from the 214Si and 214SLi.
Also available were two
PSA
PSA, PsA, Psa, or psa may refer to:
Biology and medicine
* Posterior spinal artery
* Primary systemic amyloidosis, a disease caused by the accumulation of abnormal proteins
* Prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme used as a blood tracer for pros ...
(non-electronically controlled Lucas CAV injection pumps)
Indirect injection
Indirect injection in an internal combustion engine is fuel injection where fuel is not directly injected into the combustion chamber.
Gasoline engines equipped with indirect injection systems, wherein a fuel injector delivers the fuel at some po ...
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
s, with the choice of
naturally aspirated
Naturally may refer to:
;Albums
* ''Naturally!'', an album by Nat Adderley
* ''Naturally'' (Houston Person album)
* ''Naturally'' (J. J. Cale album)
* ''Naturally'' (John Pizzarelli album)
* ''Naturally'' (Sharon Jones album)
* ''Naturally'' ...
1.9-litre XUD9 or
turbocharged
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
1.8 XUD7T engines. They were class leading in their refinement in Peugeot and Citroen installations, but less refined in the Rovers. These engines were installed instead of the non-electronically controlled Bosch HPVE
Direct Injection Rover MDi / Perkins Prima used in the
Austin Maestro
The Austin Maestro is a five-door hatchback small family car (and two-door van derivative) that was produced from 1982 to 1987 by British Leyland, and from 1988 until 1994 by Rover Group, as a replacement for the Morris Marina and Austin Alleg ...
and
Montego, because that engine with its noisy combustion but lower fuel consumption, was deemed too unrefined for the new models.
In France and Italy, where demand for diesel cars was high, Honda offered a rebadged 200 turbodiesel called the Concerto TD. Despite the Concerto name, this model retained the 200's exterior lighting and trim.
The Rover 200 was produced alongside the
Maestro
Maestro (; from the Italian ''wikt:maestro#Italian, maestro'' , meaning "wikt:master, master" or "teacher") is an honorific title of respect (plural: maestros or maestri). The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music ...
, which continued to sell in smaller figures alongside it for the next five years. Because the R8 diesel used Lucas fuel injection rather than Bosch, it is less suitable for vegetable oil fuel, even though the
XUD
The PSA XUD is a diesel engine designed and built by PSA - Peugeot and Citroën. It is an Indirect injection (IDI) engine, that uses a version of the Ricardo Consulting Engineers ''Ricardo Comet V'' prechamber cylinder head design. The engine ...
itself is one of the best engines for it.
On its launch, the R8 200 was one of the few new designs in the small family car class. For instance,
Ford's Escort had been around since 1980, (with a facelift in early 1986) and
Vauxhall's Astra was unchanged from its 1984 launch. Indeed, the only major European competitors that had been around for less than five years were the
Peugeot 309
The Peugeot 309 is a small family car that was manufactured between 1985 and 1994 in England, Spain and France by PSA Peugeot Citroën. It was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Ar ...
,
Renault 19
The Renault 19 is a small family car that was produced by the French car manufacturer Renault between 1988 and 1996. In Turkey and in Argentina, production continued until 2000. The internal development code for the 19 was X53, with the five doo ...
and
Fiat Tipo
The Fiat Tipo (Type 160) is a compact car, designed by the I.DE.A Institute design house, and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.
The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entir ...
. However, the Escort, Astra and Golf had all been replaced by the start of 1992.
On average, up to 110,000 Rover 200 and 400 (R8) models were sold each year, more than half being sold in Britain. The 214 won ''
What Car?
''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Consumer Media. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil ...
s 1990 "Car of the Year", but was not considered for the 1990
European Car of the Year
The European Car of the Year ("ECOTY") award is an international Car of the Year award established in 1964, by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organising companies of the award are ''Auto'' (Ita ...
award as it was not yet available on the required number of European markets for it to be shortlisted.
In the autumn of 1993, the 200 received a mild facelift, featuring redesigned front indicator lights, but unlike its 400 sibling, which was also facelifted at the same time, the car did not feature a new grille (which Rover reintroduced on the 1992 ''R17'' facelift of the
Rover 800
The Rover 800 series is an executive car (E-segment in Europe) range manufactured by the Austin Rover Group subsidiary of British Leyland, and its successor the Rover Group from 1986 to 1999. It was also marketed as the Sterling in the United St ...
) or new body coloured bumpers. This led to some owners retro-fitting the 400's new grille on to the 200. In 1993 Rover finally added the new grille and body coloured bumpers to the 200 range.
The addition of more powerful versions of the Rover 200 Series, including the GTi models, saw the demise of the high performance MG Maestro 2.0 EFi and Turbo models in 1991. A coupe version was launched in late 1992, and among the engine options were the 220 Turbo which was the fastest Rover to be produced at the time, with a top speed of more than 150mph. Rover had originally considered marketing the coupe version of the car as an MG, but eventually decided to include it as part of the Rover 200 range.
Rover 200 (R3; 1995–1999)
![1998 Rover 214 Si 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/1998_Rover_214_Si_1.4_Rear.jpg)
The Rover 200, codenamed ''R3'', was smaller than the Honda-based R8 cars. This was due to Rover's need to replace the ageing
Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
, which by now was 15 years old. Although some elements of the previous 200 / 400 were carried over (most notably the front structure, heater, steering and front suspension), it was by-and-large an all-new car that had been developed by Rover. Honda did provide early body design support as a result of moving production of the
Honda Concerto
The Honda Concerto is a mid-sized luxury sedan produced from 1988 to 1994. The Concerto was designed for European tastes and jointly developed by Honda and the Austin Rover Group and was introduced in Japan on 15 June 1988, and in European market ...
from Longbridge to
Swindon
Swindon () is a town and unitary authority with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Wiltshire, England. As of the 2021 Census, the population of Swindon was 201,669, making it the largest town in the county. The Swindon un ...
, freeing up capacity for 60,000 units at Rover. At this point, the car had a cut-down version of the previous car's rear floor and suspension and was codenamed SK3.
Lack of boot space and other factors led to Rover reengineering the rear end to take a modified form of the Maestro rear suspension and the product was renamed R3. By the time the car was launched, Honda and Rover had already been "divorced" after the
BMW takeover the previous year. The new 200 used
K-Series petrol engines, most notably the 1.8 L
VVC version from the MGF, and
L-series diesel engine. During the mid 1990s the L-Series was a very competitive engine, regarded as second only to the VW TDI in overall performance, and an improvement over the R8s XUD, particularly in fuel economy while almost matching it for refinement.
Launched with 1.4i 16v () and 1.6i 16v () petrol engines and 2.0 turbodiesel ( and intercooled versions) engines, the range grew later to include a 1.1i () and 1.4i 8v () engines and also 1.8 16v units in standard () and variable valve formats (). R65 Peugeot/Rover Manual gearboxes carried over from the R8 Rover 200 were available across the range and a CVT option was available on the 1.6i 16v unit.
The R3 featured a completely redesigned interior and dashboard to accommodate the fitment of a passenger airbag in line with new safety standards.
The 1.8-litre models earned a certain amount of praise for their performance, whilst the intercooled turbo diesel was claimed as one of the fastest-accelerating diesel hatchbacks on the market in the late 1990s.
Unlike its predecessor, the R3 was not available in Coupe, Cabriolet or Tourer bodystyles, although Rover updated these versions of the older model with mild styling revisions and the fitting of the new dashboard from the R3, which was possible due to the shared front bulkhead. In the UK, these models were no longer branded as 200/400 models, simply being referred to as the Rover Coupe, Cabriolet and Tourer.
The Rover 200 might have been marketed as a
supermini
The B-segment is the second smallest of the European segments for passenger cars between the A-segment and C-segment, and commonly described as "small cars". The B-segment is the largest segment in Europe by volume, accounting for 20 percent of ...
, it compares closely in size and engine range with contemporary models such as the
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford's European operations, and has been positioned below the Escort (later the ...
and
Vauxhall Corsa
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. Throughout its existence, it has been sold under a variety of other brands owned by General Motors (most notably Vauxhall, Chevrole ...
. Instead Rover priced the car to compete with vehicles like the
Ford Escort and
Vauxhall Astra
The Vauxhall Astra is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) that has been sold by Vauxhall since 1980. It is currently produced at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England.
For its first two generations, the nameplate was applied to right-hand ...
. Rover's only offering in the supermini segment at the time was the ageing
Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
and this gap in the company's line-up needed to be filled.
The third generation 200 was initially popular, being Britain's seventh-best-selling new car in 1996 through to 1998. Within three years it had fallen out of the top 10 completely and was being outsold by traditionally poorer selling cars like the
Fiat Bravo/Brava
The Fiat Bravo and Fiat Brava (Type 182) are small family cars produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1995 to 2003 (2001 in Europe). They were effectively two versions of the same car: the Bravo, a three-door hatchback, and the Brava, a fi ...
and
Renault Mégane
The Renault Mégane () is a small family car produced by the French car manufacturer Renault for model year 1996, and was the successor to the Renault 19. The Mégane has been offered in three- and five-door hatchback, saloon, coupé, converti ...
.
Rover 200 BRM
![1999 Rover 200 BRM 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/1999_Rover_200_BRM_1.8.jpg)
The
Rover 200
The Rover 200 Series, and later the Rover 25, are a series of small family cars that were produced by British manufacturer Rover (marque), Rover from 1984 until 2005.
There have been three distinct generations of the Rover 200. The first gener ...
BRM
British Racing Motors (BRM) was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945 and based in the market town of Bourne in Lincolnshire, it participated from 1951 to 1977, competing in 197 grands prix and winning seventeen. BRM wo ...
was first shown at the
1997 Frankfurt Motor Show, the reaction from the press and public was good enough that after a year of development the Rover 200 BRM LE was officially launched at the British Motor Show in October 1998. It was based on the range-topping Vi model but with 1960's BRM styling cues. The engine was the 1.8-litre VVC
K-Series.
Inside, there were red quilted leather seats and door panels, red carpet, seat belts and steering wheel. Alloy heater controls and turned aluminium trim complimented this. On the outside, there was Brooklands Green paintwork, with silver trim details, 16-inch alloy wheels, and an exclusive woven mesh grille sat above a large orange snout in the front bumper, which was the BRM trademark nose on all of its 1960s Formula One racing cars.
![1999 Rover 200 BRM 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/1999_Rover_200_BRM_1.8_Interior.jpg)
Technical adjustments consisted of lower ride height over the Vi and improved damping and handling, a close-ratio gearbox with a
TorSen
Torsen Torque-Sensing (full name Torsen traction) is a type of limited-slip differential used in automobiles.
It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a portmanteau of Torque-Sensing. ''TO ...
differential further developed from the Rover 220 Turbo, reduced torque steer and improved straight-line stability.
The price was £18,000, excluding extras such as air conditioning, passenger airbag and a CD player. There were only 795 built for the UK, with an additional 350 for overseas markets. The steep price was originally slashed to £16,000 and when the
Rover 25
The Rover 200 Series, and later the Rover 25, are a series of small family cars that were produced by British manufacturer Rover (marque), Rover from 1984 until 2005.
There have been three distinct generations of the Rover 200. The first gener ...
was launched, this was cut to £14,000 to get rid of vehicles still lingering in showrooms.
Safety
The NCWR organisation (New Car Whiplash Ratings) tested the Rover 200 and awarded it the following scores:
G = Good
A = Acceptable
M = Marginal
P = Poor
Reviews
The Rover 200 received moderate to good reviews from the motoring press.
*
Parker's Car Guides
''Parkers Car Price Guide'' is a car valuations, reviews and advice website, and is one of the largest of its type in Europe. It was a monthly magazine between March 1972 and January 2020, and since 1998, a website with reviews and price lists ...
'Pros: Cheap to buy; good to drive.' , 'Cons: Reliability hasn't been good.'
*
RAC
RAC or Rac may refer to:
Organizations
* Radio Amateurs of Canada
* RATCH-Australia Corporation, electricity generator
* Refugee Action Collective (Victoria), Melbourne, Australia
* Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, US
* Rent-A-Center, ...
'It may not be 'Above All' but it's certainly a Rover. These days that means class, which, in this case, needn't cost a lot.'
Rover 25 (1999–2005)
![Rover 25 van aka Rover Commerce 1994cc diesel registered October 2001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Rover_25_van_aka_Rover_Commerce_1994cc_diesel_registered_October_2001.jpg)
A facelifted version of the Rover 200, renamed the ''Rover 25'' (internal codename ''Jewel'') was launched in autumn 1999 for the 2000
model year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured.
...
. It was repositioned and priced to compete with the
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford's European operations, and has been positioned below the Escort (later the ...
and
Vauxhall Corsa
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. Throughout its existence, it has been sold under a variety of other brands owned by General Motors (most notably Vauxhall, Chevrole ...
, rather than larger cars like the
Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1998. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide. The ...
and
Vauxhall Astra
The Vauxhall Astra is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) that has been sold by Vauxhall since 1980. It is currently produced at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England.
For its first two generations, the nameplate was applied to right-hand ...
. This version used similar frontal styling to the larger
75 model. The
chassis
A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
had been uprated to give sportier handling (suspension and steering setup from 200''vi'') and the front end had been restyled to give it the corporate
Rover
Rover may refer to:
People
* Constance Rover (1910–2005), English historian
* Jolanda de Rover (born 1963), Dutch swimmer
* Rover Thomas (c. 1920–1998), Indigenous Australian artist
Places
* Rover, Arkansas, US
* Rover, Missouri, US
* ...
look first seen in the range-topping
75, a number of safety improvements and interior changes were made, but the 25 was instantly recognisable as a reworked 200 Series. The 1.4 L, 1.6 L and 1.8 L
petrol
Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...
engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
s as well as the 2.0 L
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
were all carried over from the previous range. CVT automatic gearboxes were carried over from the R3 200, with 'Steptronic' (later 'Stepspeed' post-BMW demerger) semi-automatic system available from late 2000. R65 manual gearboxes were again carried over but were later superseded by Ford 'IB5' units in mid-2003. The 1.8-liter engined cars and all diesels used Rover's PG1 5-speed manual gearbox throughout the car's life.
The Rover 25 also saw the introduction, from autumn 2000, of the 16V twin-cam version of the 1.1 L K-Series engine, replacing the 1.1 single-cam 8-valve K-Series engine previously found in the Rover 211i. This development saw power boosted from .
Less than a year after the Rover 25 was launched,
BMW sold the Rover Group to the Phoenix consortium for a token £10. By the summer of 2001, the newly named ''
MG Rover
MG Rover Group was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. The company was formed when BMW sold the car-making and engine manufacturing assets of the original Rover Group to the Phoenix Consor ...
Group'' had introduced a sporty version of the Rover 25: the
MG ZR
The MG ZR is an MG branded "hot hatch" version of the Rover 25 supermini class car, produced by MG Rover at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham from 2001 to 2005. Compared to the Rover 25, the ZR featured a number of styling modifications an ...
. It had modified interior and exterior styling, as well as sports
suspension
Suspension or suspended may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Suspension (topology), in mathematics
* Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics
* Suspension of a ring, in mathematics
* Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspend ...
, to give the car the look of a "hot"
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
. The largest engine in the range was the 1.8 VVC unit, which had a top speed of . It was frequently Britain's best-selling "hot hatch". At this time the Rover 25 GTi was discontinued.
Initially available in i, iE, iS, iL and GTi trim levels, a range topping iXL model was introduced in 2002 adding full leather upholstery, passenger airbag and 15-inch 'Coronet' alloy wheels to the iL specification. Initially available with the 1.6-liter K series engine, a 1.4-liter version of the iXL followed.
In 2003, Rover made a version of the car with increased ride height and chunkier bumpers, called
Streetwise. The car was marketed by Rover as an "urban on-roader". They also introduced a
van
A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...
version of the 25 called the Rover Commerce.
In 2004, MG Rover gave the cars an exterior restyle to make them look more modern. The majority of changes however were focused on the interior, which featured a completely new layout and fascia design. Trim levels were revised to i, Si, SEi and SXi, with high-spec leather-trimmed GLi, GSi and GXi models introduced for the 2005 model year.
Production of both cars was suspended in April 2005 when the company went into administration. In March 2005, the 25 won the "Bargain of the Year Award" at the prestigious Auto Express Used Car Honours: "The compact hatchback was recognised by the judges for the availability and affordability that help make five-year old examples an attractive purchase proposition."
Specifications for the Rover 25 design were purchased by
Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation
SAIC Motor Corp., Ltd. (formerly Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) is a Chinese State-owned enterprises of China, state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Anting, Shanghai. Founded in 1955, it is currently the largest of the ...
in early 2005, though new MG Rover Group owner,
now owns the tooling for the car. In 2008, the Streetwise, rebadged as the
MG 3
The MG3 is a small car produced by the Chinese automotive company SAIC. The first generation, marketed as the MG3 SW, is based on the British made Rover Streetwise, which itself was based on the Rover 25, while the second generation, introdu ...
SW, was relaunched in China.
The Rover 25 was Britain's best selling new car in April 2000, due to a brief surge in sales among buyers wanting to support the company at the time of their sell–off by
BMW. However, sales quickly settled back down to normal levels, and although the asking price was now in line with other
superminis, the 25 was never able to seriously compete with the
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford's European operations, and has been positioned below the Escort (later the ...
and
Vauxhall Corsa
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. Throughout its existence, it has been sold under a variety of other brands owned by General Motors (most notably Vauxhall, Chevrole ...
in terms of popularity. It was even outsold by the likes of the
Peugeot 206
The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car (B-segment) designed and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot since May 1998 as a replacement to the Peugeot 205. Developed under the codename ''T1'', it was released in September 1998 in hatchback fo ...
,
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1993 to 2018, spanning over three generations. The third generation of the car was marketed between 2005 and 2009 as the Grande Punto, and between 2009 ...
,
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants throughout its production run.
History
...
and
Renault Clio
The Renault Clio () is a supermini car (B-segment), produced by French automobile manufacturer Renault. It was launched in 1990, and entered its fifth generation in 2019. The Clio has had substantial critical and commercial success, being consis ...
.
Safety
The 25 underwent the
Euro NCAP
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in February ...
car safety tests in 2001 and achieved the following ratings:
The NCWR organisation (New Car Whiplash Ratings) tested the facelifted Rover 25 and awarded it the following scores:
G = Good
A = Acceptable
M = Marginal
P = Poor
Security
The Rover 25 was tested by Thatcham's New Vehicle Security Ratings (NVSR) organisation and achieved the following ratings:
Reviews
The Rover 25 received mixed to good reviews from the motoring press.
*
The AA
AA Limited, trading as The AA (formerly The Automobile Association), is a British motoring association.
Founded in 1905, it provides vehicle insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans, motoring advice, road maps and other services. Th ...
'The original 200 ... was never going to sell against the Golfs and Astras of the time, even though that was the sales pitch and price. The 25 remedied this. We're left with a hatchback that's now the right size and price to compete; if only it were better equipped and these lower-range versions offered a bit more comfort when they're on the move.'
*
Parker's Car Guides
''Parkers Car Price Guide'' is a car valuations, reviews and advice website, and is one of the largest of its type in Europe. It was a monthly magazine between March 1972 and January 2020, and since 1998, a website with reviews and price lists ...
'Pros: Sporty driving experience, good quality.'
'Cons: Cramped interior.'
*
RAC
RAC or Rac may refer to:
Organizations
* Radio Amateurs of Canada
* RATCH-Australia Corporation, electricity generator
* Refugee Action Collective (Victoria), Melbourne, Australia
* Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, US
* Rent-A-Center, ...
'The Rover 25 series has developed into a very fine range of cars
ndadditional chassis work had taken place ... to bring the standard models up to the old 200vi's handling standards. Rover's repositioning of the car had propelled a middle-order family hatch to somewhere near the top of the supermini class.'
*
What Car? Reader Reviews 'For – The 25 is cheap, quiet and has a roomy boot. Fuel consumption is good on petrols, too.'
'Against – The interior is plain, build quality is iffy, the turbodiesel is unrefined, and safety standards are poor.'
Powertrains
These were the engines available for the Rover 200 (1995–1999) and Rover 25 (2000–2005). Each engine was modified at regular intervals throughout its life with economy and emissions improving with the changes.
References
External links
Rover 200 & 400 Owners ClubRover 200/25 development story
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rover 200 25
200
__NOTOC__
Year 200 ( CC) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Victorinus (or, less frequently, year 953 '' Ab ur ...
Hatchbacks
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1984
1990s cars
2000s cars
Touring cars
Sedans
Euro NCAP superminis
it:Rover Serie 200
ru:Rover 200