Rover 216 Coupé | Spotted

The Rover name and the Longbridge plant might be long absent, but is not that even much more reason to preserve the flame alive and a watchful eye on the designs it after made? I find myself checking regularly in the hope of spotting a Rover SD1 in the PH Classifieds, but, so much, I have drawn a blank. Even so, en route to that failure, I did spot this Rover 216 Coupé in a incredibly fetching shade of what, I feel, was the metallic choose on British Racing Inexperienced. Responses on a postcard if you want to problem that.

I know, I know a 216 Coupé isn’t the most sought-soon after product in the planet – or even in Rover entire world, for that subject ­- but back again in the working day I constantly admired the 200 Coupé, or Tomcat, as it was unofficially recognised. Naturally, I’d have been even happier experienced I struck upon a Turbo, but when you happen to be exploring for teeth amongst a brood of hens, beggars simply cannot be choosers.

The 200 Coupé was released at the Paris Motor Clearly show back again in 1992 (you can find 30 yrs that have vanished in a flash). Almost each individual entire body panel on the coupé was improved in excess of the 200 hatch and 400 saloon it was centered on, in the process creating the cleanse silhouette you see here. I would argue it can be aged mightily nicely contemplating.

You also got a T-bar roof, which consisted of two glass panels that hinged open up or could be taken out fully, along with the central assist bar, developing a semi-open up cockpit. That gave the motor vehicle a USP to draw potential buyers away from rivals like the Calibra and Corrado, which just presented a sunroof. The glass panels were being coated with titanium, so when the panels have been in put, seemingly, this mirrored 94 for every cent of the sun’s warmth and did absent with the will need for blinds.

I think it truly is honest to say this 216 Coupé wears its 79,000 miles extremely effectively. It is really a one particular-operator automobile and the assert in the blurb that he or she looked immediately after it ‘meticulously’ stands up in the images. The paintwork it lustrous and all those quite, seven-spoke alloys usually are not blistered – just some slight kerb injury on the rims. Hunting inside, I have determined that the preceding proprietor was in point a ghost, for the reason that it appears untouched. The leather-trimmed steering wheel is unworn, as is the equipment knob. And one more matter: how numerous massively high priced Fords from this interval do you see with sagging velour seat trim? I see numerous, but listed here the part-velour and cloth upholstery appears to be like taut and new – even the driver’s seat bolster seems unmarked.

Currently being a 216 you might be not heading to be overawed by its effectiveness but, according to my study, the D16A8 twin-cam formulated 122hp. This meant -60mph in 9.5 seconds, which is considerably from sluggish. As well as, it can be a Honda lump, so it ought to be as dependable as the Shifting of the Guard. That explained, Honda’s D-Collection motor is nevertheless identified for head gasket failures, so if you assumed averting the later on 1.6-litre K-Series engine, which arrived in 1996, would preserve you that ache, that’s considerably from guaranteed.

That suggestions arrived immediate from the Rover Coupé Owner’s Club, and the other points it claims to enjoy for contain rust (of study course): test the sills, rear wings, bottom corners of doors, wheel arches, foremost edge of windscreen and all around the rear lights. Also, the seat bolsters generally have on (again, which is why this motor vehicle seems like a good’un), and check out that the rear selection plate lights operate, because the wiring loom concerning the entire body and the boot lid fails. It’s also well worth examining the suspension bushes – entrance anti-roll bar fall links and rear trailing arm bushes especially.

Now, I dare say a handful of PHers will be eyeing up an open up-top rated car or truck for the impending summer season. At a snip below £5,000 for this automobile in this affliction, do not you reckon it is an interesting prospective obtain? All right, it is really not quick and there are better-dealing with vehicles, but does any of that issue? After all, really a great deal anything that is 30-several years previous feels sluggish and wobbly in comparison with what we have now. So if you are nonetheless sneering at the back, stop it. This is a truly handsome auto with open up-prime versatility, and it seriously is just not expensive. I reckon that can make it nicely well worth a punt.

Engine: 1,590cc, 4-cylinder, in a natural way aspirated
Transmission: 5-velocity manual, entrance-wheel generate
Electricity (hp): 122 @ 6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 108 @ 5,900rpm
CO2: N/A
MPG: N/A
Recorded mileage: 79,000
Yr registered: 1994
Price new: £14,496
Yours for: £4,950