ROVER 200VI HISTORICAL

Taken from 'The Unofficial Austin Rover Web Resource' article on the R3 (Rover 200) project.

At launch the 200 was the first all-British mass market Rover in over a decade: unlike the previous one – the Austin Montego – there was little to criticize the styling of the new car for. The above version was the top of the range 200Vi, although you would never know by looking at it.

When launched, the 200 was available in 1.4 and 1.6-litre K-Series engined versions, both of which received minor modifications in order to extract a little more power. The 1.4-litre version was boosted from an already impressive 95bhp to 102bhp, which compared favorably with the 90bhp of the 1.6-litre Ford Escort and Peugeot 306. In engineering terms, the Rover 200 certainly had these rivals more than matched. In addition to the “cooking” models, there was also a 2.0-litre L-Series powered diesel version (surprisingly rapid, if a little unrefined) and the top of the range Vi model.

The Vi was Rover’s take on the GTi genre, but unlike the rest of the opposition, it remained visually unmodified compared with the rest of the range, apart from a subtle lowering of the suspension and larger wheels and tyres. At the heart of the new car lay the VVC version of the 1.8-litre K-Series engine found in the newly launched MGF. The system allowed for the infinite adjustment of the engine’s valve timing, which maximised low-end torque as well as top end power. Imagine it as a lower budget, but highly effective version of Honda’s VTEC system – resulting in a more than adequate 147bhp power output. Ironically, the specific output of the 200Vi was a somewhat less impressive achievement at 79bhp per litre, than the standard 214 at 73bhp per litre. However, the Rover 200Vi made up for its power deficit compared with its GTi rivals, by being appreciably lighter than all of them.

Autocar magazine tested the 200Vi against rivals from Ford and Alfa Romeo and came away impressed. The performance, thanks to its light weight, being particularly lauded, “In reality, it’s the Rover which proves easily the swiftest thanks to an unlikely secret weapon – its weight. Throw in the Vi’s close-ratio gearbox and its low overall gearing and it becomes an inevitability that it is going to sprint the hardest.” The road test also declared the Rover a winner almost without reservation, which was a new phenomenon for the company, as they did not have a particularly distinguished record in the hot hatchback market. “So the 200 wins. Not because it is any more fun than the Alfa or more user friendly than the Ford, but because it more successfully blends all aspects important to a good hot hatch in a classy shape that is beautifully made. All it lacks, as ever, is space.”

Rover’s 200 BRM, launched in 1998 attempted to add some external appeal to the more than capable 200Vi model: external changes were dominated by the bright orange air intake at the front of the car, somewhat redolent of the ‘Sixties BRM Le Mans racing cars. It is debatable whether the twenty-somethings that this car was aimed at would remember such things. Mechanical changes comprised of lowered suspension, a close ratio gearbox and Torsen (torque sensing) differential. The interior was enlivened by swathes of red leather and chrome detailing. Sales were limited to a run of 750 examples, although rumour has it that the BRM models were initially to be badged as MGs – to form the basis of a range of sporting Rovers, until BMW put a stop to the plan.

Interestingly, the company’s plan was for the performance version of the 200 to be called the 200VVC, like the MGF, but when the boot badges were made up, the likeness with “200 WC” was too close for comfort...