Tip top Tomcat

[Garry]

Repost from the RR vaults but worth seeing again in 2022 I feel.

[mr2fc]

Mega want

[pseudonymous]

Ooooft, very cool. Such a lovely design.

Its weird, but late model Rovers (much like a lot of BL stuff) are never a brand I think of foreigners driving, or even being aware of. I'm aware they exported a fair bit, with limited success but they must be a pretty niche brand anywhere other than the UK. I mean, late Rover models like the 200/400 series are pretty niche even here.

[HoTWire]

That is top notch

[Paul H]

Jun 15, 2022 19:36:54 GMT pseudonymous said:

Ooooft, very cool. Such a lovely design.

Its weird, but late model Rovers (much like a lot of BL stuff) are never a brand I think of foreigners driving, or even being aware of. I'm aware they exported a fair bit, with limited success but they must be a pretty niche brand anywhere other than the UK. I mean, late Rover models like the 200/400 series are pretty niche even here.

My understanding is that in mainland Europe and further afield, Rover Group era models were seen in some markets as being quite chic and exclusive, rather than being purely a mass market product, in the same way that in the UK, something like an Alfa Romeo is. I recall reading a Japanese car design publication over twenty years ago (which had English translations alongside) describing a Peugeot (I think possibly a 306 but probably a 406?) in similar terms to how the UK enthusiast press talk about Alfas. I think that this is part of the issue that the BMW management had once they had bought Rover, in that they saw the brand from that angle, not appreciating that it wasn't perceived that way in its home market. As a result, their actions ended up killing Rover's market share and the rest is history...

[squonk]

That is nice

[vulgalour]

The wheel choice on this is what makes it work so well.

[andy88]

Jun 15, 2022 19:36:54 GMT pseudonymous said:

Ooooft, very cool. Such a lovely design.

Its weird, but late model Rovers (much like a lot of BL stuff) are never a brand I think of foreigners driving, or even being aware of. I'm aware they exported a fair bit, with limited success but they must be a pretty niche brand anywhere other than the UK. I mean, late Rover models like the 200/400 series are pretty niche even here.

Austin/Rover Minis were a huge success in Japan right up until the end. I have heard that some years nearly half of all production was destined for there and this market is at least partly why Rover Group kept going with the car for so long.