Rover 75 2.5 V6 RANGE
Forget The V8, If Youre After The Definitive
Rover 75, Then You Really Need One With A 2.5-Litre V6 Engine. Andy Enright Travels First Class
If youre thinking of scanning this test to see how the Rover 75 2.5 V6 fares in the sprint to 60mph versus, say, a
BMW 320i, then you might as well stop reading now. Likewise, if you tut scornfully that the Rover wouldnt see which way an Alfa 156 went along a twisty road then youll also have missed the point. The 75 V6 is for silken wafting, lazily loafing along enjoying the ride.
Think journey, not destination and youll appreciate its subtle charm.
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It all comes down to a sense of occasion; the reason why slipping into the drivers
seat of a
Bentley or a
TVR is always more of an event than it is in an equivalent Mercedes or
Porsche. Its about letting the heart skip a beat in anticipation of enjoyment, of knowing that youre about to drive something that youll remember, that is in some inestimable way on a different plane to the norm. Its an attribute that decent British and Italian cars have in spades. Some would call it character, others would call it clever design, whatever it is, sliding into the
Rover 75 V6 for the first time will be a moment etched into your memory.
"The 75 2.5 V6 even manages to show
Jaguar a thing or two about elegance"
The timbered fascia and chrome-rimmed oval dials look as if theyre from an H G Wells time machine, and its tempting to think of all sorts of arcane nineteenth century engineering contraptions like brass Watt governors, crossbeams, condensers and steam jackets silently chuffing and burbling beneath the long bonnet. Some of the plastics used on the dash could do with being jazzed up a bit. If TVR can manage to produce dazzling aluminium and brass interiors with their modest volumes, then surely its not beyond the ability of
MG Rover, especially with designers as extravagantly talented as Peter Stevens at their disposal. Now built on a modernised production line at Longbridge alongside the 25 and 45 models, the Rover 75 benefits from a right first time assembly philosophy learned from
Honda as opposed to
BMW style finish then fettle build.
The results are impressive in terms of overall feel, with a solidity and impressive refinement. Available in saloon, Tourer or Limousine body styles at prices starting from £24,295 for the Contemporary SE saloon, the Rover 75 V6 compares favourably with German rivals. If youve owned a 75 before, youll notice the facelift applied to the latest models. The changes arent especially fundemental, the latest design embracing a sharper-edged front and rear exterior appearance, a larger integrated radiator grille and halogen projector headlamps.
Set a 75 alongside many of its rivals and youd think it competed in the next class up against BMW 5 Series and
Audi A6 opposition. This is entirely intentional, of course, for the 75, at a stroke, replaced not one but two complete ranges the 600 and 800 Series line-ups. The smaller-engined variants cover the old 600s rivals, but whereas the 800 Series was so deficient in terms of style, refinement and ambience, the 75 2.5 V6 even manages to show Jaguar a thing or two about elegance.
Theres even a range-topping V8 version with 260bhp, should you feel that way inclined. The 2.5-litre engine develops a healthy 177bhp, but given the amount of chromium it has to haul up the road, its perhaps not surprising that the 75 2.5 V6 isnt the quickest car in its class, although the ability to make sixty in 8.
2s on the way to 137mph certainly couldnt be described as leisurely. If you really want a sporty 75, then you want the MG version dubbed the MG ZT, which comes with a V6 offering 190bhp, or the aforementioned V8. Whatever 75 V6 model you choose however, the wonderful six-cylinder burble harks back to some of the classic Rover models from the 40s and 50s and the engine note is always a restrained companion, allowing you to accurately gauge your velocity without intruding unduly. Its an enduring part of the 75s character and the car is refined enough although some wind noise also serves to prevent a
Lexus style deafening silence.
Accommodation is one area where those glorious junior Bentley looks flatter to deceive. The 75 may be somewhere between a 3 and a 5 Series in exterior length but inside, theres no more room than youd find in the smaller Three. This is surprising when you consider the natural packaging advantages that the front wheel drive Rover enjoys over its rear wheel drive German counterparts. In compensation, the boot is a reasonable size though you have to pay extra for a folding rear seat.
Still, if you want extra space, theres always the stylish Tourer version to consider at a premium of around £1,000 over the saloon. This should swallow a little more luggage, thanks to boxy dimensions that disguise a slightly smaller 1,222-litre capacity with the seats folded down. Dont go expecting to transport a grandfather clock mind you: theres only 45mm of extra rear overhang which means that the load bay is restricted to 2060mm in length. The Limousine has an extra 200mm of wheelbase and this creates a considerable boost to rear legroom. Standard equipment levels really depend upon the size of your chequebook and your choice between three main trim levels Connoisseur SE and Contemporary SE. Either way, however, expect to find leather, heated seats, ABS, powered windows and mirrors, numerous airbags, a six-speaker stereo, leather gearknob and an alarm fitted across the 2.
5 V6 range. The Rover 75 2.5 V6 doesnt seem to compete fair and square against much else. Judged in a purely dispassionate manner, it would offer up quite a patchy scorecard, yet the overall effect is of a vehicle far greater than the sum of its parts.
It relies on character, which, as Samuel L Jackson noted so pithily in Pulp Fiction, goes a long way. The 75 V6, in turn, has gone a long way to returning MG Rover to the position they now find themselves and however hard you try to resist, the 75 hits hard on the patriotic bone. Give it a try. Right up until the moment youre GATSOed, youll swear youre back in 1965.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Rover 75 2.5 V6 range
PRICES: £24,295-£29,995 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14A
CO2 EMISSIONS: 225-354g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.2s / Max Speed 137mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 20.2 / (extra urban) 39.4 / (combined) 29.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4745/1970/1427
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