Timewarp Rover 214 SEI

[Hub]

One of those cars that was everywhere and now suddenly all scrapped and forgotten!

I remember as a child sitting in several at the local Rover dealer when my dad was looking for a car (didn't buy one), but I thought they were great - plush leather and wood interiors on some and high spec. Looking at the performance specs even the 1.4 was lively compared to the competition as others have said.

A very clean time warp example here. I think the pre facelift front end is cleaner with more retro charm though than the stuck on grille though!

[Pommy]

Wow thats a (very clean) blast from the past.

I remember reading a newspaper advert back in 1995 for Seawards Highcliffe offering 214 SEi for £9995 OTR.

[Mr-B]

RS Grant said:

Thats brilliant!!

Got a lot of time for these old Rover R8s, I had a 216GTi Twin Cam:

DSC01660 by Grant F, on Flickr

I loved that car; only cost me a few hundred pounds, went like the absolute clappers (for what it was!) and until it dropped its guts at high revs, it was ultra reliable and been with me for quite some time as dog-transport and VTR/VTS baiting, which was great fun.

I had one of these, black over grey. Wheels were a nightmare to keep clean! Engine was an absolute peach, used to pull strongly all the way to the vicious rev limiter and sounded great all throughout the rev range for a 4 pot. One of the best engines I've owned.

[Romcom]

Ahh, happy days!
Mine was a red 1995 214SEi and I went all over the country in it. I seem to remember trying to impress girls with the magic opening sunroof because the button was down on the instrument cluster (if I remember correctly).

Great car OP, good on ya!

[itcaptainslow]

Romcom said:

Ahh, happy days!
Mine was a red 1995 214SEi and I went all over the country in it. I seem to remember trying to impress girls with the magic opening sunroof because the button was down on the instrument cluster (if I remember correctly).

Great car OP, good on ya!

Tried that one on Miss ITCS.

She’s not impressed with either the sunroof, button or Rover fleet.

[AshD]

Like others who have posted i do have a bit of a thing for Rovers too.

Started with an early Metro (crap!), but then had a 216Si and then the Daddy, a 600Ti... i miss that one!

[greenarrow]

Another here with a soft spot for these. Remember driving a 216SLI from Bournemouth to Stockport on business in the early 90s, 3 up, it went really well, great body control and a fun drive. I really do think the cars from the 90s were in many ways better road cars than many moderns. Why? 1) You could park them easily as they weren't massive 2) mainly perky n/a petrol engines in them, so no annoying turbo lag issues 3) Sensible wheels and suspension that rode the bumps well. 4) not over-burdened with so many complicated and expensive electrical and emissions related items.

Makes you question progress sometimes.

Also, massive respect for the car after the Stig lapped that knackered 416 GTI Richard Hammond bought for a few hundred quid around the Top Gear track in 1 min 42! It beat the lap time the Stig managed in an old Porsche 944 for another episode, so it shows what a capable car the Rover was in its day for what it was..

[itcaptainslow]

greenarrow said:

Another here with a soft spot for these. Remember driving a 216SLI from Bournemouth to Stockport on business in the early 90s, 3 up, it went really well, great body control and a fun drive. I really do think the cars from the 90s were in many ways better road cars than many moderns. Why? 1) You could park them easily as they weren't massive 2) mainly perky n/a petrol engines in them, so no annoying turbo lag issues 3) Sensible wheels and suspension that rode the bumps well. 4) not over-burdened with so many complicated and expensive electrical and emissions related items.

Makes you question progress sometimes.

Also, massive respect for the car after the Stig lapped that knackered 416 GTI Richard Hammond bought for a few hundred quid around the Top Gear track in 1 min 42! It beat the lap time the Stig managed in an old Porsche 944 for another episode, so it shows what a capable car the Rover was in its day for what it was..

Nailed it. The only contemporary car in my collection is a 2016 Elise-still very much in the spirit of the original.

I love the 214 and that era of cars-enough technology to enhance the drive, without over complication and masking any feedback.

90’s classics are the next big thing.

[DJP]

I had one brand new as a company car in 1993... Although I did own the company so it was personal choice!

They just seemed so much more modern than the Fords and Vauxhalls of the time and drove very nicely.

I gave it to my father when I sold the business. He traded it for a 216 auto which was also a very nice car.

[mnx42]

Had green 214 SLi. The second most unreliable car I’ve ever owned ( first was a Mk1 Metro Turbo). When it did go however it was very nice to drive. My very young daughters at the time used to call it “ the Limo” cos of the velour and fake wood!!

[drewwa]

I remember being quite impressed by one of these when my Mk3 Golf GTI 16v (company car at the time) was in for a service and I got given one as a courtesy car. Surprisingly nippy for a 1.4.

Cheers,

Drew.

[Frimley111R]

if not mentioned already this would be great for the Festival of ordinary cars or whatever it's called

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/festival-...

[Funkstar De Luxe]

Frimley111R said:

if not mentioned already this would be great for the Festival of ordinary cars or whatever it's called

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/festival-...

Thanks for that, getting tickets for me and the old man now

[kilham5]

Nice, brings back memories.

My first company car in 1992, a nightfire red, over grey 214 Si. 1992
Fake walnut dash, with a matching fake walnut cased Nokia 2110 to match.
God, I thought I had arrived !

Seriously, great cars, I had two as company cars.
Stellar mileages on both, and they never let me down.

Good find.

[itcaptainslow]

Frimley111R said:

if not mentioned already this would be great for the Festival of ordinary cars or whatever it's called

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/festival-...

It’s booked in already! Was going to enter the concours with it next year once I’ve had a chance to fully prep it.

[Gez79]

kilham5 said:

Nice, brings back memories.

My first company car in 1992, a nightfire red, over grey 214 Si. 1992
Fake walnut dash, with a matching fake walnut cased Nokia 2110 to match.
God, I thought I had arrived !

Seriously, great cars, I had two as company 2cars.
Stellar mileages on both, and they never let me down.

Good find.

Pretty sure the wood on the dash was actually real wood. Not sure about the door cards. I could be wrong though.

[itcaptainslow]

Gez79 said:

kilham5 said:

Nice, brings back memories.

My first company car in 1992, a nightfire red, over grey 214 Si. 1992
Fake walnut dash, with a matching fake walnut cased Nokia 2110 to match.
God, I thought I had arrived !

Seriously, great cars, I had two as company 2cars.
Stellar mileages on both, and they never let me down.

Good find.

Pretty sure the wood on the dash was actually real wood. Not sure about the door cards. I could be wrong though.

I’m sure it was, too-I’ll see if I can find out.

I know early 75’s used real wood-changeover point was around 2002. You can tell the difference between fake and real-the former has an “Airbag” badge, as opposed to it being stencilled into the wood.

[rolo0151]

I have a soft spot for this era of rovers.

Had a 216gti (Honda twin cam), 220 turbo coupe & a 216 coupe.

The 216 gti had the same style interior as the SEi
except for the colour. Felt like an executive car coming from my mk3 fiesta.

[csd19]

itcaptainslow said:

Gez79 said:

kilham5 said:

Nice, brings back memories.

My first company car in 1992, a nightfire red, over grey 214 Si. 1992
Fake walnut dash, with a matching fake walnut cased Nokia 2110 to match.
God, I thought I had arrived !

Seriously, great cars, I had two as company 2cars.
Stellar mileages on both, and they never let me down.

Good find.

Pretty sure the wood on the dash was actually real wood. Not sure about the door cards. I could be wrong though.

I’m sure it was, too-I’ll see if I can find out.

I know early 75’s used real wood-changeover point was around 2002. You can tell the difference between fake and real-the former has an “Airbag” badge, as opposed to it being stencilled into the wood.

The door cards definitely had real wood in them, you could pop up/out the smaller piece (in front of the door handle) and see the grain on the unfinished rear.

And I remember the fold-down flap to adjust the clock too! I had a 'N' 214 SLi, my mate had a silver SEi as above but on an 'M' plate. Loved his seats! Great cars at the time (late 90s) and quicker than you'd imagine. Would do lift-off oversteer if you wanted too...

[pSyCoSiS]

These are cool cars and there was something classy about these compared to it's domestic rivals.

Remember walking past a Rover showroom back in 1999, and it had the 800 V6 Coupe and a fully loaded 600 in the showroom.

Shame really they no longer exist, as they did make come cracking cars.