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Britain's Mercedes Beater - Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.5 V6


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#1 eddywestby1275

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Posted 03 September 2019 - 04:09 PM

Hi everyone, 

If anyone's interested, please check out my video of this gorgeous Rover 75.

I talk about the development and history of the 75, then have a look around, then finally give you a flavour of the glorious V6 noises it produces.

I hope you enjoy it.

https://youtu.be/l48SoSj2dXs

 



#2 DeadSquare

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Posted 03 September 2019 - 04:52 PM

They might still be making them, if Jeremy  Claxon  hadn't continuously slagged them off.



#3 r3k1355

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Posted 04 September 2019 - 03:50 PM

Lets be honest, it wasn't just criticism from a motoring journalist that sunk Rover was it.



#4 DeadSquare

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Posted 04 September 2019 - 03:57 PM

Lets be honest, it wasn't just criticism from a motoring journalist that sunk Rover was it.

 

I agree.  Red Robboe's salvos of torpedoes into the boilers of Austin are what left it dead in the water.



#5 Homersimpson

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Posted 05 September 2019 - 04:11 PM

 

Lets be honest, it wasn't just criticism from a motoring journalist that sunk Rover was it.

 

I agree.  Red Robboe's salvos of torpedoes into the boilers of Austin are what left it dead in the water.

 

That and the constant thievery of the staff.



#6 Cooperman

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Posted 09 September 2019 - 03:16 PM

What killed Rover/ARG/BLMC or whatever they were calling themselves that week?

 

Poor and weak management.

Stupid trades unions.

Lack of investment in new designs.

Competing with itself (Triumph v Rover for example).

Too many different models made in too many different locations.

Poor treatment of suppliers. Six months to get paid.

No proper forward strategy.

 

I could go on, but why bother.

 

However, the Rover 75 was a fine car in some ways. But I had a 75 1.8 Turbo. It was very unreliable and the engine blew up when the inlet manifold (a plastic one) split and let coolant straight into the bores (that was quite noisy!). I was pleased to get rid of it and return to having a BMW.



#7 surfblue

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Posted 10 September 2019 - 04:31 PM

The CDTI engined 75s have a great reputation (bmw 2.0 diesel) they are also stupidly cheap at the moment but prices rising for good ones. I'd really like one if the right car came along.

#8 Carlos W

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Posted 10 September 2019 - 04:35 PM

What killed Rover/ARG/BLMC or whatever they were calling themselves that week?
 
Competing with itself (Triumph v Rover for example).
 
I could go on,.


They loved chucking mg badges on rovers.

The 75 was badged as a mg something.

They liked head gaskets too didn't they?

#9 Ethel

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Posted 11 September 2019 - 09:43 AM

Funnily enough I just saw a 75 yesterday, still looking immaculate. 

 

When Rover were making the 75 I reckon the journo bashing was the only factor stopping them sell a decent & competitive car.



#10 rich_959

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Posted 11 September 2019 - 10:25 AM

For me, the 'journo-bashing' was mainly for sound reasons. A lot of the aesthetics side is subjective but compare a 75 to the BMW, Mercedes and Audi of the time (and even Ford and Vauxhall) and it was hugely behind the times. The faux-retro styling just didn't do it for me. Jaguar went the same way with the S Type and X Type, before realising that it's just lazy design and that the younger generation weren't interested in it. Jaguar changed their approach and made fresh modern designs, otherwise I think they'd have gone the same way.



#11 Icey

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Posted 11 September 2019 - 02:21 PM

The death of the British motor industry has been covered countless times and it always ends up with the same conclusion: there was no one thing to blame.

 

It wasn't the unions, it wasn't poor press coverage, it wasn't poor design, it wasn't poor build quality, it wasn't underinvestment - it was all of it together. There are plenty of marques that have suffered a range of the same problems but are still producing vehicles today, it was the combination of failures that nailed Rover.

 

Regarding the Rover 75 specifically. There was little point in having an engine with a 'glorious' sound if the only people that wanted to buy it were your grand-parents who never went above 3k RPM anyway. It might have been the greatest car in the world but it was an unfashionable design from an undesirable manufacturer.

 

What I find an interesting question - what would have happened if Rover had released what would become the BMW MINI? Could it have been their 'Golf' or would it have tanked the name?


Edited by Icey, 11 September 2019 - 03:13 PM.


#12 Ethel

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Posted 11 September 2019 - 02:25 PM

That's fair comment, but I don't need a journalist for what I can judge with my own eyes. The 75 was class leading in a lot of ways and not in any sense jerry built.



#13 rich_959

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Posted 11 September 2019 - 02:51 PM

 

What I find an interesting question - what would have happened if Rover had released what would become the BMW MINI? Could it have been their 'Golf' or would it have tanked the name?

 

It's a good question Icey, and one I've often considered. Personally, I think it only did so well because it was so knowingly associated with BMW and the design/finish was a world apart from anything Austin/Rover based. I love 'proper' mini's, but I struggle to see anything else of merit that came out of Longbridge under the Rover brand. Potentially controversial on this forum, but just my opinion!! 

 

Ethel - also a fair point, but the world of media is full of very opinionated people. And that's all they are - opinions. I don't think one particularly popular and loud mouthed journalist holds the power that people (and himself) think he does. As you rightly say, everyone makes up their own mind in the end. Sure, we look at reviews, TV programmes etc, but then decide for ourselves. Or in most cases, people just follow the jones'! That's why every other car on the road is a black diesel Audi  ;D


Edited by rich_959, 11 September 2019 - 02:56 PM.


#14 eddywestby1275

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Posted 15 September 2019 - 01:13 PM

Hi everyone, my latest video is now live!

This time, it's a slightly shambolic look around a Land Rover 90!

Hope you enjoy!

https://youtu.be/DB7jYVnjSWs

 

 






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