Rover 75
Rovers 75 Is One Of The New Breed Of Executive Cars Said To Really Take Womens Wishes Into Account. June Neary Gets Behind The Wheel
Ten years ago, the needs of female customers wouldnt even have been considered for an executive saloon like Rovers 75. It isnt like that any more. With more and more top women executives, the designers couldnt ignore the preferences of the fairer sex. In any case, even those 75s that are bought by men will more often than not, end up being used in the daytime by their wives.
Which is why Ive ended up writing this piece. Already, weve heard all the specialist mags go on and on about the way the car handles and performs but whats it really like as a day to day tool? Well, the first thing to say is that its a car you feel good about owning created, according to its makers, to give owners that special sense of occasion every time they use it. Most have agreed that it does and Im not about to argue. On paper, the 75 competes against cars like Audis A4 and BMWs 3 Series but in the metal, its a different story.
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Set a 75 alongside either of these two and it seems a classier proposition altogether. So much so in fact that youd think it competed in the next class up against
BMW 5 Series and
Audi A6 opposition.
At the wheel, the instrumentation features oval steam engine binnacle dials that look like theyve been lifted from one of HG Wells time machines. Other lovely detail touches also take you back: the chrome-plated door pulls and wing mirrors, the satisfying clunk as the doors shut even the wood fascia, designed into the cabin rather than added on as an afterthought. It isnt really wood of course, but who cares? Its the ambience that matters and ambience is something the 75 has in abundance. 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. There is an estate version of course the 75 Tourer and very classy it looks too but its still not the kind of car you want if ultimate space is a priority.
I found this to be an easy car to drive and to place in the tightest supermarket carpark. Theres an impressive range of engines on offer too four in all, covering virtually everything the executive buyer could wish for. Entry-level models are powered by Rovers familiar 1.8-litre K-Series engine, already used in the 25, the 45, the MGF and even the
Land Rover Freelander.
In this guise, its noticeably more refined, however, developing a useful 120bhp which means sixty in 10.9s on the way to 121mph. The other four-cylinder engine options are a turbocharged version of the K-Series with 150bhp and a coupe of diesel driven units, developing 116bhp or 131bhp. The marketeers hope that the 2.
0 CDT models will convert diesel doubters, combining as they do sparkling performance (0-60mph in 11.0s en route to 120mph) with an achievable consumption average not far off 50mpg. Most customers, however, will I think want to opt for the 2.5 V6, offering 177bhp.
This isnt the fastest engine of its kind (though it makes sixty in 8.2s on the way to 137mph), but its certainly among the most refined. Plus it produces a lovely six-cylinder burble that really will put Rover enthusiasts in mind of some of the classic models from the 40s and 50s. On the road, that emphasis on luxury continues.
The Rover sails over surfaces that would, quite frankly, be unpleasant in equivalent BMWs and Audis. Its quieter too in every area save that of wind noise. True, a 3 Series or an Alfa 156 is more fun to drive on a twisting country road, but a well-driven 75 wouldnt be that far behind: in every other circumstance, its the car youd rather be in, capable yet undemanding.
Entry-level 1.8-litre models are priced from £16,395, while the diesel range begins from £17695 and the turbos will cost you from £20,595. Go for the V6 models and youll also pay from £24,295 for the 2.5.
Allow a premium of around £1,000 for the Tourer estate version. A luxurious V8 range topper is also available for those used to flying First Class. The Rover 75s sizing might be somewhere between BMWs 3 and 5 Series models but the pricing is certainly more Three than Five. This makes the British car more than competitive against its German and Swedish rivals.
Its generally better equipped too, though, as ever, standard equipment levels really depend upon the size of your chequebook and your choice between three main trim levels Classic, Connoisseur and Contemporary. To further complicate matters, you can have either standard or SE versions of each trim level and different engines can be ordered at different levels. Either way, however, expect to find ABS, powered windows and mirrors, a six-speaker stereo, a leather gearknob and an alarm fitted across the range.
Like most women who will end up with one in their driveway, the answer has to be an unqualified yes. Its a car that you really do feel good about owning which is a refreshing change in this day and age. Practical and prestigious. You cant ask for much more than that.
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