Rover Vitesse SD1 LHD

[flyingbeemer]

I resently started looking for a classic family saloon that I can use as a daily driver, can travel around Europe and tow a trailer to the Ring or Spa. I had a BMW E28 525eta once and it was ok, but prices have really risen for E28 here in Germany. I am not a Merc fan so that was out of the question. A Volvo 945 Turbo is a nice car as my Bro in law is on his second one that I recomissioned for him, even these are climbing in price and low mileage ones can not be found. Then my best friend said what about a Rover SD1, I found a RHD SD1 series 1 in Gold locally but it is hassle driving it here, so I set my sights on a Vitesse, well I looked at one it was advertised and the pictures were really good, we travelled through have of Germany to be confronted with a knackered Vitesse running on 6 cylinders rust etc. So back home with an empty trailer. Then I found another one this time a LHD 80000 miles surviver in red (3 owner) needing some TLC but all original patinated, never welded little surface rust, fitted with electric cooling fans and a trailerhitch it was the company car 1984 to 1990 of our former Austin Rover Dealer in my home town. The seller reserved the car for 4 weeks till I had time to travel across Germany again to view the car. We did the trip with the trailer, viewed the Vitesse, drove it, put it straight on the trailer and then stayed at our family in Hamburg for a few days. once back at home I checked the car and made a list of what needed doing urgently, ordred parts at Rimmers and got to work on the car. Now it is registered I am using it nearly every day and really enjoy driving it. It has the Rimmer sportexhaust it growls but it is not to loud and yes after a engine service it hit 140 Mph going to work on the Autobahn yesterday morning at 5 am, much to the amazement of the Rep Mercs. I found a local dealer who bought the Rover SD1 stock when the closed down and now I am hopefully purchasing NOS parts for the car. It has towed my VW Golf Mk1 GTI to the Ring and back without a hitch. So now the British musclecar has joined the fleet.

[flyingbeemer]

On our way to the Nürburgring period correct towing cars and Trackday cars Rover `84 Golf `83, Jag `68 and the A35 `56

[austinpowers]

Very nice, there can’t be many SD1 s around in that part of the world.

[flyingbeemer]

Correct there are a few SD1 around here as they were sold in Germany but they are not being shifted as there is little demand.

[kevins]

Lovely and quite rare in red, I'd get it rust proofed before the winter though.

[redratbike]

140!! ha ha the old girl still has it

great as a tow car but good as an everyday car


any spec on the jag i like that too !

[biturbo228]

Awesome! Great to see the SD1 getting some love on the continent.

The old cliche is that it really should have done better overseas than it did, which is largely true. Not just build quality issues, but they also misjudged the tax arrangements in Germany at the time. If I remember correctly there was a different tax bracket for cars over 2.8l (which is why you got so many 2.8l Mercs and BMWs). A hotted up 2600 would have appealed to a wider audience than the V8.

Might not have hit 140mph though I haven't braved taking mine up that high yet! Rear axle is complaining a bit and I reckon that might finish it off...

[redratbike]

i think italy had an engine size tax thing too as they had 2.0 litre dino etc and sure there was a 2.0 litre M3 too ?

[flyingbeemer]

Thanks for the replies, yes they are rare on the continent, there are a few popping up for sale 2x SD1 V8 Vandenplas Carb versions, a nice 2600 (if it floats your boat) and a SD1 Series 2 without engine or gearbox for 300 quid may just pick it up for the parts as it is complete and only 120 miles away. There was no Tax capacity limit in Germany u paid for every 100 ccm that you have so the Rover has 3523 ccm but in Germany it has 3470 ccm!!!!. Italy and Portugal have 2000 ccm limit for Tax if over that you pay luxury tax so M3 became the 320iS with E30 body not in M3 shell just like the Volvo 240 and the later 850 had a 2,0L engine the rest of Europe got the 2,3L. I had an italian Volvo 850 2,0L 5 Cyl 20 Valve it had torque/ no power 135 Bhp, but it would rev nearly 7000 Rpm the sound was great it went to carheaven with near to 300000 miles on the clock. I can say that commuting with the Rover over here on the Autobahn doing 80 mph and driving it through the Eifel it returns 22 Mpg and 18 towing the Golf and trailer. Off to the Ring tomorrow to have some fun in the Golf GTI again, with the Rover on towing duty again. I just fitted EBC Green stuff on the Rover and now it pulls up nice an straight when hitting the slow pedal. Now I have to find a radio for it as the one fitted is broken, it has to be cassette player version as the first owners daughter left all her Cure cassettes in the car