RE: SOTW: Rover 200 BRM

RE: SOTW: Rover 200 BRM

Friday 8th April 2011

SOTW: Rover 200 BRM

Rover bad, but BRM good, says Shed



For those who need reminding, Rover was once a marque that did some pretty cool things. Like teaming up with BRM in the 1960s to create a gas-turbine Le Mans racer.

Sadly, finding a Rover-BRM in Shed territory is not going to mean you've stumbled across a hitherto-unknown example of the car that took Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart to tenth place in the 1965 Le Mans 24 hours (the best-placed British car).

No, the far more likely Shed of the Week is going to be the other Rover-BRM. The one that was actually a Rover 200.

But before you throw your laptop out of the window, angrily crying 'SOTW ain't what it used to be', bear with us. Because, although the 1990s-era Rover 200 was hardly a cool car, the BRM version was by most accounts a pretty decent motor.


It was based on the 200vi, so provided peppy performance from its 143bhp variable valve timing K-series, and Rover lowered the ride height, sharpened up the dampers, fitted a close ratio gearbox and dropped in a Torsen diff from the 220 Turbo.

The BRM was visually enlivened, meanwhile, with Brooklands Green paint and a bright orange grille (a homage to the trademark orange noses of the 1960s BRM F1 cars). Inside there was quilted red leather, red carpets, and turned aluminium trim.

The result is an odd mix of conservatism and flamboyance but, while the ignorant may think you a bit of a chav, the cognoscenti will realise that you have obtained one of the most underrated performance hatches of the 90s. It's rare, too, with fewer than 800 cars made for sale in the UK.

This particular example has done a moderately average 72k miles, comes with some service history, plenty of MOT left, and is in allegedly good condition inside and out.


However, it also comes with that notoriously flaky K-series motor, so we'd recommend checking through that service history carefully. Having said that, the K-series is often unfairly maligned and, properly looked after, should give you no undue trouble.

So, provided you can bear the occasional accusation of chavviness, and can put up with all those bores who insist your engine will implode every time you drive to the shops, you could have a BRM on your drive for less than a grand. You'll just have to pretend it's a 1960s F1 car...

Join SOTW on Facebook

Advert is reproduced below

RARE Rover BRM Limited Edition (1 Of Only 700 In The UK) (1999)
71,648 miles £995

ROVER 200 B.R.M LIMITED EDITION
3 DOOR HATCHBACK
1.8 VVT 16v TWIN CAM ENGINE

BROOKLANDS GREEN
POWER STEERING
ELECTRIC WINDOWS
ELECTRIC MIRRORS
ELECTRIC SUNROOF
REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING
ALARM/IMMOBILSER
JVC CD PLAYER

FULL RED QUILTED DIAMOND STITCHED LEATHER INTERIOR 
RED CARPETS
FULL CHROME TRIM INSIDE & OUT
ORIGINAL B.R.M 16" SIX SPOKE ALLOYS
GOOD TYRES ALL AROUND
ORIGINAL RED AND BLACK SPORT STEERING WHEEL
FRONT FOG LIGHTS
CHROME GRILL
VERY GOOD CONDITION INSIDE

147 BHP
LIMITED EDITION
ONLY 700 WERE SOLD IN THE UK

LOW MILEAGE
SERVICE HISTORY PRINTOUT

12 MONTHS MOT
5 MONTHS TAX

NEW DISCS AND PADS
NEW WHEEL BEARING

DRIVES BRILLIANT

BODYWORK IS GOOD FOR ITS AGE
NO DENTS

 

Author
Discussion

turnipbmw

Original Poster:

65 posts

172 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
awesome - and dont forget, one day, chavs will be fondly remembered.

only 700/800 made ? wonder how many are left ?

EDLT

15,421 posts

205 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Its not even on the front page yet.

Also, INBEFORETHEMASSIVEROVERFIGHT!!!1

supersingle

3,205 posts

218 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
EDLT said:
INBEFORETHEMASSIVEROVERFIGHT!!!1
hehe



TomJS

972 posts

195 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
I'd have a rattle can on that front intake PDQ. But the leather seats bring a small amount of quality/flair to a 90's Rover inside.

I still think better can be done for a grand.

Steve in Stoke

6,374 posts

183 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
shout Poley!! Your thread has arrived!


drivin_me_nuts

17,949 posts

210 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
I'm yet to meet anyone who has driven one of these - I would like to read what people who have driven them have to say.

dudleybloke

19,688 posts

185 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
TomJS said:
I'd have a rattle can on that front intake PDQ.
a few dealers did this to help shift them.

Life Saab Itch

37,068 posts

187 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
TomJS said:
I'd have a rattle can on that front intake PDQ. But the leather seats bring a small amount of quality/flair to a 90's Rover inside.

I still think better can be done for a grand.
Heathen.

Great shed this week. yes

Poley, how do the gearboxes hold up? wink

kiwifraser

4,386 posts

193 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
TomJS said:
I'd have a rattle can on that front intake PDQ. But the leather seats bring a small amount of quality/flair to a 90's Rover inside.

I still think better can be done for a grand.
^^^^^ this. Not high on my 'want' list for a grand, and there isn't many sheds I say that about.

(Sorry Poley!, SD1 3500 v8, the rare SV v8, Land, and Range are the only Rovers for me, with an outside possibility of 220 Turbo or ZTT

collateral

7,238 posts

217 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Never knew they're so rare. Used to see one on the way to work on a daily basis

Interior looks like a strange mix of racer vs slippers, but I bet they are fun to chuck about

Lets Torque

10,974 posts

156 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Steve in Stoke said:
shout Poley!! Your thread has arrived!
I thought that aswell. smile I think he has sold it now though.

IMO its not a bad car, the orange lipstick and leather seats are an added bonus on a small car at this price.
Like others have said there are other ways of spending £1k. smile

MrDarkBlack

3,891 posts

175 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
So far, and average of just over 5.5....yet all the above comments seem favourable...

I've just never fancied the way that they look..and have no clue how they drive.

smile

Vetch

92 posts

174 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Comparing it to other recent SOTW motors, as a genuine ownership proposition I would rather this than most of the other recent offerings. It will probably be quite reliable and last a fair few years with minimum expenditure.

But...as other have said, put a grand in my hand right now and I wouldn't be looking at this.

Deluded

4,968 posts

190 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Never driven a BRM but the standard 200s aren't bad handling cars at all.

I think the majority will just assume "Its a Rover, it's st" but I think many would be surprised if they actually drove one. Forgetting the K-series problems and the questional build quality in some, they are very underated cars.

Gibby78

154 posts

184 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
I've driven a few, hell I'll admit I nearly bought one as a track slag, they handle suprisingly well for a modded rover 200, partly to do with the lower stance and LSD, I like the K series VVC, its revvy has quite a bit of torque and with a few mods to a standard one you could see 165-170 bhp, I actually really liked it when I drove it, very underrated car and the short ratios saw it off on the move pretty swiftly.

at the time I was looking I was going to strip and sell the interior and lighten the car as much as possible, then a few tweaks to the engine and to the track, but I never bothered in the end, this one looks like a prime candidate though and once you've lost the lard and tweaked you'll probably get a car under a ton and with 160bhp with a close ratio LSD, whats not to like.

leon9191

752 posts

192 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Always liked these but as people have said other things would come to mind before a rover 200 if I was in the market for a shed.

That drivers seat looks a bit tatty for only having 72k miles on it mind.

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
First car was a Rover 220SD in that shape and you know what, It was a pretty good car and considering the other hatchbacks of the mid 90s it was one of the best looking.

No shame in wanting one of these.

Anyone else think the interior is something a Brummie would design after he had an Alfa for a week?

Edited by Ved on Friday 8th April 08:14

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all


just kidding

snorkel sucker

2,659 posts

202 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
That would make a superb track toy. get rid of some of the heavy interior trim and i would imagine its capable of embarrassing some more expensive metal.

Plus, the head gasket issue isn't exactly a massively expensive fix should it go pop

Nice choice shed

Lets Torque

10,974 posts

156 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Ved said:
First car was a Rover 220SD in that shape and you know what, It was a pretty good car and considering the other hatchbacks of the mid 90s it was one of the best looking.

No shame in wanting one of these.

Anyone else think the interior is something a Brummie would design after he had an Alfa for a week?

Edited by Ved on Friday 8th April 08:14
rofl