Tuesday 20th January 2004

New Look for Rover

Facelift for 75 - timely update or unnecessary fiddling?

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MG Rover Group has launched a new design style for its Rover 75 Saloon and Tourer models. The blurb from the wordsmiths is that the design embraces a sharper-edged front and rear exterior appearance, a larger integrated radiator grille, halogen projector headlamps and three distinct trim identities.

The poetry about trim identities refers to the three levels of trim: Classic, Connoisseur and Contemporary. On top of that there are SE derivatives and additional option packs that offer tailored specifications across all points in the range.

The idea of the facelift is to give the cars a more modern feel and appeal to younger buyers.

[groomi]

Ahhh, the 600 makes a return

I think they should have left well alone - except for including the rear wheel drive V8 in the Rover line-up.

[p7ulg]

The majority of manufacturers can't leave well alone, as they need to do something to make the current owner's cars outdated.Look what BMW have done to the 5 series!!!! Personally the Rover 75 and its MG derivative were growing on me.

[andynormancx]

I couldn't agree more, what a backward step. It really does look like it is trying to become a Rover 600.

[dinkel]

Rover has to let go of their past. The heritage days are over . . . So, start over again and make original cars like fi Lancia does.

>> Edited by dinkel on Tuesday 20th January 13:59

[steff]

I think it looks alot better than it did...

[rodsmith]

bag o shite

[ellingtj]

Not as good as the original - I thought the original 75 was an awesome design more prestigious than the Jag s-type. I would love a Vitesse edition using the V8 to be produced.

[ScoobyManchester]

ellingtj said:

Not as good as the original - I thought the original 75 was an awesome design.

Spot on

[vladd]

I hope the MG ZT 260 doesn't get arsed about with. What are they thinking?

[v8thunder]

Why is everyone doing ugly headlights nowadays? Why do they go for a rectangle with a circle jammed in it? Why not keep to nice, normal shapes?

[Marshy]

Bolox. When are car manufacturers going to learn that all these upright shapes (indicators in this case) on the nose of a car look like cr@p?

And the twin round headlamps were one of the 75's better frontal aspects. But BMW have abandoned them, so they must be cr@p. Sigh.

[RobDickinson]

Eeew, horrid. Looks like a cheap korean knockoff of a bangle bmw front - and thats bad..

[annodomini2]

Whoever made those changes needs their eyes testing, everything on the new front is disproportionate with the rest of the car, the lines don't flow properly.

If there was a muppet of the year award the designer of the changes should win it.

The 75 although not great at least had a small amount of elegance to it. Ok i know its a ROVER (spits!) but apart from the engines it not actually that bad a car.

[dans]

Not good really, if they were going for a facelift they shouild have re-done the front wings and integrated the bumper and lights properly. The indicators are a right dogs dinner.

It has some presence, but they are showing their heritage in more than style nowadays. Do it properly, this is a return to the half arsed old days of rover.

[furby]

Nasty!
The old ones looked good IMHO, had a touch of class as a Rover and aggression as an MG.
Bad move, silly idea

[toppstuff]

Horrible !

The older style had something of the Bentley about it. Looked classy, especially in MG guise.

A retrograde step.

[kalle]

Didn´t think Rover could do such a misstake. The new grill is totally out of shape, and the headlamps is just a copy of another "famous" carmanufacturers idea. The old grille was a real masterpiece in perfect proportional shape.

[andy_b]

I like the facelifted MG version (not shown). Looks an improvement, but the Rover version is a mess. It's design doesnt gel with the side and rear (I've heard only the rr bumper is diff), and what has happened to the indicators. Did they forget about them until the last minute?

[andy_b]

ellingtj said:

Not as good as the original - I thought the original 75 was an awesome design more prestigious than the Jag s-type.

I always thought Rover well and truely out Jaguar'd Jaguar

[andy_b]

pic of MG on this thread btw

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27634&perpage=20&pagenumber=1

Much more cohesive