Great video thank you. Did my Police Advanced Driving course in 1998. The fleet was Rover 827 fastback, Rover 820 turbo, an old Sierra Sapphire Cossie, BMW 325 tds, Rover 620ti and... And this a 420GSI Turbo. Top end the Cossie won... Everyone wanted a go in the Cossie. But 0-100 I promise you, this Rover left the lot standing. Straight line, swisty stuff the lot. 4 up too. Never used operationally that I know of, but driving school loved it... Almost as much as me. It was stunning. Still in the job and I still tell the young ones THIS was the best drivers car.
My uncle had an M reg 420 Turbo Sport in the late 90s. Full leather trim. Front fog lights in the bumper. Running around 230bhp. It was like shit off a shovel. It ate bikes and Cossies for fun. I laughed at him when he pulled up in it. I soon shut up once he pulled away in first gear. Absolutely beautiful car
I had a few T16 turbo cars and I still sometimes miss that engine, it was a really nice compromise between sensible daily driving with a touch of hooliganism when you feel like it. If you're going to the effort of retrofitting the turbo engine to your Coupe, definitely splurge a little more and get the steel caged bearing upgrade for the gearbox - the T16 turbo cars absolutely loved to eat the plastic ones in PG1 gearboxes even when totally standard.
Had the box in my coupe rebuilt with steel caged bearings! With standard worn ones you could drop off the accelerator and the needle would drop 20/30mph... clearly very tired by the time I acquired it!
Never knew these were that quick. Fully expected it to be a 150HP affair, but I suppose the engine naturally aspirated putting that out makes sense since Citroen BXs were doing that in years prior. 200HP in an older car that doesn't weigh much must surprise a lot of people off the lights...
4:22 i remember the guys on the production line in CAB1 fitting those dash wood trims with a rubber mallet 😂 Didn't all the T16 turbos come with a limited slip diff?
Great review! This reminds me of another R8 that had the same turbo badge on the boot and that was my Grandad's 218SD 😂- that's probably pretty rare these days as well. Come to think of it I'd never considered how far superior the build quality and interior finish was on his R8, when compared to other conteporary offerings from the likes of Ford & Vauxhall. The Rover definitely felt more plush even though it had wind up windows & manual mirrors. I remember in the Nineties my Uncle got a brand new 620 turbo as a company car. The family drove to Paris with him in his Rover and us in my Dad's 190E 2.3 Cosworth, and they were both arguing about which was fastest. The 620 went like a rocket but I do remember it having horrendous torque steer.
Ohhh the memories! They come flooding back. I had a K reg fully loaded 420GSi Turbo in metallic Nightfire with 4 electric windows (the rear two were options), AirCon, electric sunroof, the better stereo with the 6 disc CD player, but being slightly older than this one it has the lightning and leather trim and 7 spoke alloys. But a truly outrageous car which appealed to me precisely because it looked like an old man's car (I think I was 32 when I bought it near new from a Rover dealer) but would out accelerate more cars than one might imagine. The only thing I wasn't keen on was 5000 miles for the front tyres and the aerial that retracted into the A pillar which meant it alway looked odd when extended. Great car. I'd buy another today - if there were any left that hadn't seen the wrong side of a hedge.
Serial Rover T-Series "T16" Turbo owner here for over two decades. Mainly Rover 620ti as we had a growing family and needed four doors. Here's why. Thirty years ago, my employers changed how they funded employees business travel. No more "nice little earner" fuel allowance for my own MG Montego Turbo on business travel use, we were supplied with hire cars instead. Cue a Mercedes Van, Ford or one November dark early rainy morning, a Rover 420 in that dull shade of grey still so popular with car buyers today. No idea why. Soon on my way up North in the rain and as I joined the Motorway to slot into the line of heavy freight Artics in the nearside lane, the little Rover surprised me when it took off. Hundred miles later now in daylight I pulled into a Services for a comfort break. First thing I did was lift that little Rover's bonnet. That was my first ever view of possibly Rover's finest ever ordinary production engine. The T-Series in Turbocharged form. Immediate convert, soon after I bought a TomCat Turbo in Tahiti blue. We still have two 620ti in the family fleet. My older son's example now on 240,000 miles last time I drove it for its MoT. Been all over Europe in it, Snow Boarding in Norway, touring the Alps, even done a lap of the Nurburgring on it with his holiday mates on board .. that's on UA-cam. They are not daily drivers now, in my case my daily is an MG ZT-T with 1.8 Turbo K-Series. Another underestimated car by many who are not aware of just how good these fine old cars are. We also have an MG ZT saloon in the family. That one with Mustang V8 power. We like 'em. Back in the day someone put a TomCat Turbo Cup Car spec T-Turbo engine in an MG Montego Turbo. I drove that car. My goodness. The ultimate sleeper until you wake it up! That car became a celebrity both on and off track, It had a full several page feature in one of the Car mags back then. Torque steer. Non event unless you go silly. Most T-Series Rovers had a TorSen ( Torque Sensing ) Differential in their PG1 gearboxes. That works although in such a way you do not know its there. Great cars. Clearly you were impressed just like some UA-camrs were when first driving a Rover 75 or MG ZT with the K-Series 1.8 Turbo under the bonnet.....😉 Please keep this good Rover stuff coming it is appreciated. These cars are NOT for the pipe and slippers brigade as some would have you believe. Some of my sons' twenty something friends have Rover 75s, ZT-Ts, pristine Metros and even a MK1 MG ZT260. "Oldie" me kicked the nicotine habit decades ago but, I'm saving up hard for some comfy slippers
Although these were not available in the USA, and the closest we got was the Rover 825/827 Sterling, these are my type of car....despite being front wheel drive. I had a Civic that I adored and regret parting with, and had the opportunity to drive colleague's 825. If things had been aligned a little better, it would have been WONDERFUL for Rover to have been successful here as I alwats have loved the SD1. The Civic was always a fantastic size (until it put on girth), and the addition of Rover accourtrements (that wood is gorgeous, as is the leather), plus a turbo???? Oh man, it hurts that we never received this.....
I had a white one as a company car in 1994. Absolutely loved it. I even peeled off the turbo badge and surprised a lot of BMW drivers around Hertfordshire. I went from that very torquey car to a VW Golf VR6 which was quite disappointing with no guts at all below 4000 rpm. Later (before divorce made me poor) I had an Impreza and then an Evo 6 but nothing ever matched the Q car delight of the Rover.
This was the car that got me into Rover's, drove one of these back in 1996, what a great fun car to drive, I now have a 416 in the same red. Nice review Matt.
I had the 1600 R8 200 and it was amazing, I bought it cheap when it was getting on a bit and very tatty looking, and I had it a long time probably the best car I’ve had and I’ve had a lot, I just love the shape and the lines they’re absolutely well designed. Thank you for the trip down memory lane
I had a '97 800 Vitesse with this exact same engine and that felt plenty rapid so can only imagine what this lighter 400 must be like! Ultimate Q car. Nice review Matt
@@AL-PAKA In the old days, a modified car would be issued with a registration plate beginning with the a Q prefix. Hence Q-car. Later came to mean a standard looking car that was hiding massive performance beneath a standard looking body. www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/q-registration-numbers#:~:text=DVLA%20issues%20'Q'%20registration%20numbers,pass%20a%20type%20approval%20process.
@@markstott6091 Sorry but you are wrong i had an RS turbo on a Q plate, they used to give ringers a Q reg when the numbers had been ground off and kit cars were Q reg but no normal manufactured car was Q reg.
Yes! Turbo your coupe. Miss mine to this day, and if we had the space I'd find another. The turbo chassis we felt (having a 420 gsi T, 220 GTI T and my coupe in our group of friends way back when, was in need of some stiffening (I believe due to the targa top more than anything). Have been following his rebuild videos, glad you got to give it a review :)
As a rover driver at the time (my dad's 214si) I remember getting very excited seeing these in the wild. It is a bit like seeing grandpa doing the 100 metres in 12 seconds. How about a turbo tourer? The car they never, but should have made!
Wild is the correct term. They were, but nobody knew just how wild they were. I remember my first insurance premium on it was surprisingly only slightly more than my previous 216GTi. Not so the following year when the insurer realised what they were insuring. There were a couple of Turbo Tourers, but I think they were mods done by owners. One was advertised a couple of years ago on eBay, I think.
I always overlooked the 220 gsi turbo when I was young simply because they were so inconspicuous. Having been made aware of their rapid performance I am now very fond of them. You've only just bought this model with a turbo to my attention and I love a fast saloon car. Think this is my new favourite Rover after the Mini.
I remember when he first got that car, I messaged him straight away asking him if he wanted to sell it. Obviously he said No. Still nice to see it on the road driving and looking good. Another Great video.
It doesn’t torque steer because of the Torsen differential which is a mechanical system rather than the traditional electric versions. Get rid of the waste gate, it wasn’t standard and detracts from the driving. The Turbo badge is the same as that fitted to the diesel Peugeot engined version so when I got mine new, several people accused me of sticking on the badge - until I opened the bonnet then took them for a ride. Mine did 2nd to 3rd at 70mph and on the autobahn to and from the Nurburgring 3rd to 4th at 110 and 4th to 5th at 135 which means for a ultra high speed bend, you could drop down to fourth for stability.
I remember when i was a child, there was one Tomcat Turbo in my city, black with blacked out rear lights and a big exhaust. This was 97/98, the owner still speaks about the car and the memory was kept in my mind. Greetings from Portugal!
@@hamstirrer6882 this one that i'm refering to, had some Momo 17 inch with twin spoke rims, i haven't seen the car in about 18 years, i hope it hasn't been crushed! It had the t tops as well, beautiful car!
I had an identical car as a company car for about a year in 1994 to1995. Fantastic car. I really had a a lot of fun, and could have got myself in a lot of trouble!! I had never driven anything so blistering quick at the time, but once I got used to the power delivery, every day was sheer enjoyment.
Excellent, enjoyed seeing one of those. I worked at a dealer in the 90s, dont think I ever saw one. We had a 220 Turbo Coupe for a bit, but no one was interested it was too expensive. As you said, everyone wanted the SEi models, all the looks, alloys and Silverstone sports seats, but with the small 1.4 engine. I'm some ways Rover shot those models in the foot, as no one would buy the big engine ones when they could get a 1.4 SEi. Would have expected that to have the airbag steering wheel on an M reg, maybe it was an older build registered in 94 as they didn't sell any/many?
Love these! Very desirable "Q-Car" back in the day! I can't imagine that turbo blow-off venting noise ("turbo dump") was standard ? I wonder why the brakes are so bad (just undersized discs ?) - as I recall they were single pot Girling calipers in front, just like most other similar sized cars of the time.
I'm not sure if it was in a 600ti video I watched, or specifically for the 220/420 but from what I recall, they had an issue with the brakes and so had to use a different setup which was far weaker........ thinking about it, that narrative may have been one of this channels other videos.
The open air filter, as pointed out during the 'under bonnet' piece near the start of the video, is responsible for a lot of that noise. Although wouldn't surprise if there was also an 'atmospheric' dump valve fitted instead of the standard 'recirculating' type.
You did it again Matt driving and reviewing something completely different and owning several Rovers all different and special in there own way this must be a dream come true a turbo Rover
I had the coupe turbo and always regretted selling it, along withall the over mg/rovers I owned. Metro gti spi, metro gti mpi, mg maestro 2.0 efi, 97 420 gsi, 220 Sdi, 220 gsi 3 door, mg zr 1.4, zr 2.0 tdi, zs 20.tdi, 200vi with 17"zr wheels. I think that's all of them!
oh man, the fact you even had that is enough to make me jealous. I've been looking for a good rover coupe 200/400 or 800 for quite some time and they're really hard to get in good condition or with a reasonable price.
@@barrywells4129 They are out there. Sold both my daily driver 620ti I'd owned for many years recently. Both went to folks far younger than I. My daily driver now a ZT-T with 1.8T. My "Sunday" car a ZT saloon with Mustang V8 power. Grab one or two sharpish before prices go even higher.
Ah! Now you're talking! This was the one and only car brochure I ever sent away for. I was in my mid teens and it almost hurt me how much I wanted one of those Rovers! Gorgeous,well equipped and with a fair turn of speed ❤️❤️❤️🥰
That is gorgeous, oneof the best looking 90s cars (not including supercars) im my opinion, but woukd look better with the grill removed again in my opinion
I suppose I'm an older chap by now (just getting there, kicking and screaming - holding it off for the most part except losing the hair), but for years my go to daily has always been a 4dr performance sedan - though I like them best of the 800 size (there's the age, yet still looking for the right 164!) I'd be very happy with this, and it would be quicker than most. At one point there were so many cool choices in class, and now virtually nothing on market / certainly not if you actually prefer a gas engine and a stick. At least now I can dip into the used market and find something in good condition that I'm not shy about using as it was intended. 10 years on, when we're all driving EVs with full on nanny state systems, I just don't know.....
Sounds like it boosts really smoothly. Another interesting vehicle we didn't get in Australia (at least to my knowledge). I'm wondering what a local equivalent would be
This infuriates me. Just look at that car. When they were out they were genuinely world class and could have done so well. Just imagine if they were built properly. Oh and that 0-60 doesn't tell the whole story. Remember that was traction limited by the rubber of the time and they weren't particularly sticky tyres from the factory anyway. They weighed very little, didn't lose much between engine and wheels and went way better than the stats suggest. The seats were great, they usually haad loads of extras and they were genuinely a good car. For want of the few things which went wrong and the Friday afternoon build quality these would have been real top tier cars. Blimey it annoys me so much to know they were so close and threw it all away.
Thank thatcher and the bad mouthing of rover via the media.. Build quality wasn’t really an issue, I had one and it was fine.. better panel gaps than a Tesla, better quality paint that any Honda and the T series was a solid engine..
@@johndavies4644 I don't think we can honestly say build quality wasn't an issue. There were quite a lot of failures. Even that though - the Chinese came along and fixed the K-series with very minor modification so I'm 100% sure the people who made it in the first place could have done the same. I loved driving every Rover I owned though and even with their issues they were great things. The 416si was solidly built and never had a fault, the 420 turbo only ever needed a turbo which was put down to a mechanic squashing an oil line when they were meant to be servicing it(!). Then there was my 827 Vitesse. It waswhite with brown leather, had the big bodykit and looked brilliant but that was a real Friday afternoon car. The drivers electric seat gave up, the climate control panel wouldn't change anything, there was a water leak from the hatch or hatch window that never got fixed even after multiple trips to the dealer, the exhaust rotted and the backbox dropped off at three years old, the left rear electric window gave up, the electric sunroof got stuck half open, one headlight kept blowing bulbs every few weeks, the gearbox decided it would only drive in 2nd or reverse(auto), there was an engine management light and limp mode at one point which seemed to fix itself after a restart and eventually at around 60k miles the engine (V6) started knocking. But while it was working that was one of the best cars to drive I've ever had - even to this day its up there. Smooth as silk, comfortable (it even had electronic suspension which I couldn't tell any difference with), quiet and for its time fast. It was the kind of car you could just throw everything in the back of and sit on the motorway for hours at high speed without ever getting backache then it actually handled pretty well on the twisty stuff too. It was also faster than my mates 620ti which wound him up no end. :) Of course once he figured out that he had a blown boost hose that changed but for a month or so he got the mick taken mercilessly by everyone at work. I still miss that car even though it was a complete shed.
As a foreigner, never knew about these. Dont know the weight, but surely it has to be one of the fastest FWD cars of its class (and not far from overall) in the 90s? Very impressive.
@@mikeclewlow6510 Well its a distinction between "quickest" and "fastest". Still, I dont think even the light weight Maestro was the out and out quickest if all FWD cars are included, except maybe at low speeds. I know a stock Saab 9000 turbo was clocked 0-62 mph in 6.55 seconds in a magazine test, Probably a Volvo 850R could do something similar. So it wont be easy. At higher speeds its relative lack of horsepower would unfortunately show. But the Maestro is a little rocket for sure, though I think this Rover 420 with 200hp would be more "balanced" through the speed range. Around a track I cant say, depends heavily on the track layout I would think.
@@Lovetoall1432 I should think so, but I find it very hard to find any concrete number of it. Still, the spec sheeet says it certainly chould be the fastest, yes.
220 turbo hatch or 420 turbo were rare in the day so hardly a surprise there are so few left today. I would have my 220gti back tomorrow if I could, loved every minute of that car.
Used to live in kings Lynn back in 2001 and every old man had a Rover either a 200 series or an 800 series , my dad even had a 214si and that was rapid for what it was 0-60 in 10 seconds and 125mph top speed when the head gasket wasnt exploding lol
Yes I think you are right - I had a 1993 3 door hatchback 220GSi and remember 136bhp being the number. It was still quick though as they are a small car compared to modern stuff.
This is absolutely Insaine, Thank you Fourious Driving for Taking the Time to Review this absolute Rarity, I know Nowadays it's about Bmws and Audis with S3 or M3 on the Boot Lids. Personally I would be happy With one of these, Infact it would proberly upset a few BMW and Audi owners at the Traffic Light Grand Prix 😁
Watching your video I relived the experience I had in 1997 as a 22 year old picking up my Tahiti blue 220 turbo coupe. Opening it up for the first time down the slip road onto the M40 ..... god I wish I still had that car. And yes it would do an indicated 150mph++ lol
Matt - you need to turbo the Tomcat. My friend had a light green metallic Tomcat that sounded just like this! Utterly incredible… really does sound like a jet engine under the bonnet lol. We never had the stereo on - just listened to that turbo and wastegate. Fantastic review as always!
Excellent 😁. Apart from the baseball cap! For ultimate Q-car impact, you should have been sporting a tweed flat cap for this video? Maybe a tartan blanket, box of tissues and tin of travel sweets on rear parcel shelf just to complete the Sunday driver look? Victor Meldrew meets Terminator 😂. I would have one of these over a 911 just for Q-factor value (and a lot rarer than 911s).
I have a Tomcat and my brother has a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth. I have driven both. I would say it was close. The Tomcat is a smaller car so I would say it had the edge. Particularly on handling.
@@Roverturbo I'm also wondering if someone had one of the 1.9 diesel ones whether a more powerful Peugeot HDI engine could be stuffed in there. It's been done with a Peugeot 305 diesel.
Enjoyed your review, enjoyed James videos on this car too, hopefully he's recovered from his accident and I'll get both my favourite UA-cam channels back on the go, ace video
Had one of these back in the day in British Racing Green. Mine did not have those alloys though. Lovely car but my goodness it was unreliable. Electrical faults, clutches, gear box. After three years, the major issue was finally traced to an incorrectly fitted driveshaft. The last few months were great but by then it was time for a new car. Edit: Mine had AC and I seem to recall it was called a 420 GSi Sport Turbo.
Pretty sure back in the day West Midlands Police had a Tourer with the T16 on evaluation from Longridge, I will try and ask my mate who possibly drove it on duty.
I had the 220 3 door version from new, one of the last batch build. 94.5MY brought in 1996. £19,250 list price but with a 33% employee discount making it just £12k. Wonderful car apart from the brakes which warp after 1800 miles. The development engineers reckon they could get a reliable 330bhp from the T series but had no gearbox to match it to. The wastegate was never that annoying on mine, just like the popping on the 2018 Scirocco R I had on lease. 😎😇
My dad had a Rover 420 GSi. Really nice car. 136bhp naturally aspirated. 197bhp Turbo. Only cosmetic difference was turbo badge and spoiler. Very odd no airbag, seams like this car has the wrong steering wheel. Perhaps it was in a smash at some point and airbag was diploid so owner repaired with standard steering wheel. In my opinion they should get rid of the fast and furious blow off valve. Not only do they ruin the turbos they sound bloody annoying after a while. Nice car otherwise.
Was the noisy blow off valve standard? I'm thinking that they might have had one that was much less obtrusive. It's a matter of taste but I don't like to hear them.
I never get bored of seeing R8 content in the channel and it's great to see a 420 Turbo GSi though I'm curious to know if it's standard or all that whooshiness is a result of being modified?
I had a 220 Turbo, and the torque steer was epic, you always had to have your wits about you, otherwise you'd end up in the wrong side of an hedge. lol
Mine was undriveable in the wet, as was the 620 Ti I had too; modern tyres can help with that, but like you say, you had to be very, very careful with it... in the wet, forget any kind of swift progress at all! :-)
Loved these from day 1.think Rover only made 300 of these for the UK. If that was mine i would repaint her, replace the blow off vslve for a stock item no ptisshhh noises and set her back on stock wheels......a Sierra sapphire cossie/cavalier turbo rival back in.the day not that many people knew....nightfire red ones looked great but imagine having a nice grey one now.
I love the dump valve whoosh I do remember that sound I had a rover metro 1.1 s and it went like shit off a shovel greetings from Scotland thanks 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
What a superb sleeper that is. Thanks for bringing us such a rare beauty. I'd like to pitch one of those against a Series 3 Thema 16v Turbo VIS . Both virtually impossible to find Both 2 litre turbo charged and FWD Figures on paper and its weight would favour the Rover , but I've owned one of those last of line Themas and always believed the performance stats were under stated ,so you'd half a chance of getting insurance. Lads near me who run standard Sierra Cosworth stopped trying after a while against it
Miss my old one ; only 500 ever built ultimate Q car. It was amazing and a joy best car I ever had . Remember having to justify at events 10 years ago why I should turn up in a Rover. People never got it but those that knew , knew 😉👍
My dad had a 420gsi non turbo saloon when I was a kid, vented hubcaps, BRG and all, still have pics of it, waited till 500 miles to run it in, called my mum on the carphone and then gave it a bootfull on to the motorway
Tyres always play a part on every car, even a humble 1.0L Metro. That is not always appreciated by car users. The TorSen Differential fitted to most of the Rover T-Series Turbo cars reduce torque steer to zero unless you over drove the thing in silly mindset mode. Over drive a 1.0L Metro can see the steering having a mind of its own too. TorSen = Torque Sensing.
Great video thank you.
Did my Police Advanced Driving course in 1998. The fleet was Rover 827 fastback, Rover 820 turbo, an old Sierra Sapphire Cossie, BMW 325 tds, Rover 620ti and... And this a 420GSI Turbo.
Top end the Cossie won... Everyone wanted a go in the Cossie. But 0-100 I promise you, this Rover left the lot standing. Straight line, swisty stuff the lot. 4 up too.
Never used operationally that I know of, but driving school loved it... Almost as much as me. It was stunning. Still in the job and I still tell the young ones THIS was the best drivers car.
My uncle had an M reg 420 Turbo Sport in the late 90s. Full leather trim. Front fog lights in the bumper. Running around 230bhp. It was like shit off a shovel. It ate bikes and Cossies for fun. I laughed at him when he pulled up in it. I soon shut up once he pulled away in first gear. Absolutely beautiful car
I had a few T16 turbo cars and I still sometimes miss that engine, it was a really nice compromise between sensible daily driving with a touch of hooliganism when you feel like it. If you're going to the effort of retrofitting the turbo engine to your Coupe, definitely splurge a little more and get the steel caged bearing upgrade for the gearbox - the T16 turbo cars absolutely loved to eat the plastic ones in PG1 gearboxes even when totally standard.
Had a zr t16 then the zs t16 and had to build the gearbox with steel caged bearings on the zs . Must have been the extra weight.loved them.
Had the box in my coupe rebuilt with steel caged bearings! With standard worn ones you could drop off the accelerator and the needle would drop 20/30mph... clearly very tired by the time I acquired it!
@@pastytit Most gearboxes fail if the torque limiter has been removed.
Had the same engine in my Rover 600Ti - what an engine !
Never knew these were that quick. Fully expected it to be a 150HP affair, but I suppose the engine naturally aspirated putting that out makes sense since Citroen BXs were doing that in years prior. 200HP in an older car that doesn't weigh much must surprise a lot of people off the lights...
4:22 i remember the guys on the production line in CAB1 fitting those dash wood trims with a rubber mallet 😂 Didn't all the T16 turbos come with a limited slip diff?
TorSen diff yes, “torque sensing”
Great review! This reminds me of another R8 that had the same turbo badge on the boot and that was my Grandad's 218SD 😂- that's probably pretty rare these days as well. Come to think of it I'd never considered how far superior the build quality and interior finish was on his R8, when compared to other conteporary offerings from the likes of Ford & Vauxhall. The Rover definitely felt more plush even though it had wind up windows & manual mirrors.
I remember in the Nineties my Uncle got a brand new 620 turbo as a company car. The family drove to Paris with him in his Rover and us in my Dad's 190E 2.3 Cosworth, and they were both arguing about which was fastest. The 620 went like a rocket but I do remember it having horrendous torque steer.
Ohhh the memories! They come flooding back. I had a K reg fully loaded 420GSi Turbo in metallic Nightfire with 4 electric windows (the rear two were options), AirCon, electric sunroof, the better stereo with the 6 disc CD player, but being slightly older than this one it has the lightning and leather trim and 7 spoke alloys. But a truly outrageous car which appealed to me precisely because it looked like an old man's car (I think I was 32 when I bought it near new from a Rover dealer) but would out accelerate more cars than one might imagine. The only thing I wasn't keen on was 5000 miles for the front tyres and the aerial that retracted into the A pillar which meant it alway looked odd when extended. Great car. I'd buy another today - if there were any left that hadn't seen the wrong side of a hedge.
Serial Rover T-Series "T16" Turbo owner here for over two decades. Mainly Rover 620ti as we had a growing family and needed four doors. Here's why.
Thirty years ago, my employers changed how they funded employees business travel. No more "nice little earner" fuel allowance for my own MG Montego Turbo on business travel use, we were supplied with hire cars instead. Cue a Mercedes Van, Ford or one November dark early rainy morning, a Rover 420 in that dull shade of grey still so popular with car buyers today. No idea why.
Soon on my way up North in the rain and as I joined the Motorway to slot into the line of heavy freight Artics in the nearside lane, the little Rover surprised me when it took off. Hundred miles later now in daylight I pulled into a Services for a comfort break. First thing I did was lift that little Rover's bonnet. That was my first ever view of possibly Rover's finest ever ordinary production engine. The T-Series in Turbocharged form. Immediate convert, soon after I bought a TomCat Turbo in Tahiti blue.
We still have two 620ti in the family fleet. My older son's example now on 240,000 miles last time I drove it for its MoT. Been all over Europe in it, Snow Boarding in Norway, touring the Alps, even done a lap of the Nurburgring on it with his holiday mates on board .. that's on UA-cam. They are not daily drivers now, in my case my daily is an MG ZT-T with 1.8 Turbo K-Series. Another underestimated car by many who are not aware of just how good these fine old cars are. We also have an MG ZT saloon in the family. That one with Mustang V8 power. We like 'em.
Back in the day someone put a TomCat Turbo Cup Car spec T-Turbo engine in an MG Montego Turbo. I drove that car. My goodness. The ultimate sleeper until you wake it up! That car became a celebrity both on and off track, It had a full several page feature in one of the Car mags back then. Torque steer. Non event unless you go silly. Most T-Series Rovers had a TorSen ( Torque Sensing ) Differential in their PG1 gearboxes. That works although in such a way you do not know its there.
Great cars. Clearly you were impressed just like some UA-camrs were when first driving a Rover 75 or MG ZT with the K-Series 1.8 Turbo under the bonnet.....😉
Please keep this good Rover stuff coming it is appreciated. These cars are NOT for the pipe and slippers brigade as some would have you believe. Some of my sons' twenty something friends have Rover 75s, ZT-Ts, pristine Metros and even a MK1 MG ZT260.
"Oldie" me kicked the nicotine habit decades ago but, I'm saving up hard for some comfy slippers
Looks absolutely incredible, James always pours his heart & soul into all his projects. Great review Matt.
Had no idea they did the 400 as a turbo. What a sound. Thanks Matt.
My mate had a black one. Looked mean. Was proper fast after a boost controller.
They are really rare. Apparently only 250 built even though it wasn't a limited edition. 0-60 mph was 6.4 seconds.
Although these were not available in the USA, and the closest we got was the Rover 825/827 Sterling, these are my type of car....despite being front wheel drive. I had a Civic that I adored and regret parting with, and had the opportunity to drive colleague's 825. If things had been aligned a little better, it would have been WONDERFUL for Rover to have been successful here as I alwats have loved the SD1. The Civic was always a fantastic size (until it put on girth), and the addition of Rover accourtrements (that wood is gorgeous, as is the leather), plus a turbo???? Oh man, it hurts that we never received this.....
I had a white one as a company car in 1994. Absolutely loved it. I even peeled off the turbo badge and surprised a lot of BMW drivers around Hertfordshire. I went from that very torquey car to a VW Golf VR6 which was quite disappointing with no guts at all below 4000 rpm. Later (before divorce made me poor) I had an Impreza and then an Evo 6 but nothing ever matched the Q car delight of the Rover.
This was the car that got me into Rover's, drove one of these back in 1996, what a great fun car to drive, I now have a 416 in the same red. Nice review Matt.
I only discovered your channel very recently, but I am loving it! It's so nice to see other people so passionate about cars.
I had the 1600 R8 200 and it was amazing, I bought it cheap when it was getting on a bit and very tatty looking, and I had it a long time probably the best car I’ve had and I’ve had a lot, I just love the shape and the lines they’re absolutely well designed. Thank you for the trip down memory lane
I had a '97 800 Vitesse with this exact same engine and that felt plenty rapid so can only imagine what this lighter 400 must be like! Ultimate Q car. Nice review Matt
what is a q car mate
@@AL-PAKA Basically a sleeper car mate, a wolf in sheeps clothing :-)
@@stevieboyNI So the Q doesn't stand for anything though?
@@AL-PAKA In the old days, a modified car would be issued with a registration plate beginning with the a Q prefix. Hence Q-car. Later came to mean a standard looking car that was hiding massive performance beneath a standard looking body.
www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/q-registration-numbers#:~:text=DVLA%20issues%20'Q'%20registration%20numbers,pass%20a%20type%20approval%20process.
@@markstott6091 Sorry but you are wrong i had an RS turbo on a Q plate, they used to give ringers a Q reg when the numbers had been ground off and kit cars were Q reg but no normal manufactured car was Q reg.
Yes! Turbo your coupe. Miss mine to this day, and if we had the space I'd find another. The turbo chassis we felt (having a 420 gsi T, 220 GTI T and my coupe in our group of friends way back when, was in need of some stiffening (I believe due to the targa top more than anything). Have been following his rebuild videos, glad you got to give it a review :)
As a rover driver at the time (my dad's 214si) I remember getting very excited seeing these in the wild. It is a bit like seeing grandpa doing the 100 metres in 12 seconds. How about a turbo tourer? The car they never, but should have made!
Wild is the correct term. They were, but nobody knew just how wild they were. I remember my first insurance premium on it was surprisingly only slightly more than my previous 216GTi. Not so the following year when the insurer realised what they were insuring. There were a couple of Turbo Tourers, but I think they were mods done by owners. One was advertised a couple of years ago on eBay, I think.
I always overlooked the 220 gsi turbo when I was young simply because they were so inconspicuous. Having been made aware of their rapid performance I am now very fond of them. You've only just bought this model with a turbo to my attention and I love a fast saloon car. Think this is my new favourite Rover after the Mini.
I would love to drive this Rover. I remember back in the 90s and the R8s were nearly everywhere.
I remember when he first got that car, I messaged him straight away asking him if he wanted to sell it. Obviously he said No. Still nice to see it on the road driving and looking good. Another Great video.
Aaaaand now he's selling it!
Run! 😄
This video is going to pull half of what was Rovertech to your channel! :)
It doesn’t torque steer because of the Torsen differential which is a mechanical system rather than the traditional electric versions. Get rid of the waste gate, it wasn’t standard and detracts from the driving. The Turbo badge is the same as that fitted to the diesel Peugeot engined version so when I got mine new, several people accused me of sticking on the badge - until I opened the bonnet then took them for a ride. Mine did 2nd to 3rd at 70mph and on the autobahn to and from the Nurburgring 3rd to 4th at 110 and 4th to 5th at 135 which means for a ultra high speed bend, you could drop down to fourth for stability.
Once again another great video. Shocked at how quick they are. Had a 214 and a 414 R8 around the same age. This one is rare
I remember when i was a child, there was one Tomcat Turbo in my city, black with blacked out rear lights and a big exhaust.
This was 97/98, the owner still speaks about the car and the memory was kept in my mind.
Greetings from Portugal!
Theres a 1991 3 door 200 hatch local to me that sounds similar, bodykit tinted etc, love seeing it around delivering pizzas 😃
@@hamstirrer6882 this one that i'm refering to, had some Momo 17 inch with twin spoke rims, i haven't seen the car in about 18 years, i hope it hasn't been crushed! It had the t tops as well, beautiful car!
I had an identical car as a company car for about a year in 1994 to1995. Fantastic car. I really had a a lot of fun, and could have got myself in a lot of trouble!! I had never driven anything so blistering quick at the time, but once I got used to the power delivery, every day was sheer enjoyment.
Excellent, enjoyed seeing one of those. I worked at a dealer in the 90s, dont think I ever saw one. We had a 220 Turbo Coupe for a bit, but no one was interested it was too expensive.
As you said, everyone wanted the SEi models, all the looks, alloys and Silverstone sports seats, but with the small 1.4 engine.
I'm some ways Rover shot those models in the foot, as no one would buy the big engine ones when they could get a 1.4 SEi.
Would have expected that to have the airbag steering wheel on an M reg, maybe it was an older build registered in 94 as they didn't sell any/many?
My late build [95] 216SLi on a N plate has the airbag steering wheel with the tea shelf dash.
That sounds amazing! Looks like massive fun! Ah, old cars can't just be allowed to die off, cars that sound and look like this will be sorely missed.
I used to have a 420GSi Sport 16v normally aspirated and I absolutely loved it in pearlescent blue leather interior, loved it.
Love these! Very desirable "Q-Car" back in the day! I can't imagine that turbo blow-off venting noise ("turbo dump") was standard ? I wonder why the brakes are so bad (just undersized discs ?) - as I recall they were single pot Girling calipers in front, just like most other similar sized cars of the time.
I'm not sure if it was in a 600ti video I watched, or specifically for the 220/420 but from what I recall, they had an issue with the brakes and so had to use a different setup which was far weaker........ thinking about it, that narrative may have been one of this channels other videos.
The open air filter, as pointed out during the 'under bonnet' piece near the start of the video, is responsible for a lot of that noise. Although wouldn't surprise if there was also an 'atmospheric' dump valve fitted instead of the standard 'recirculating' type.
@@stuco81 That’s what it sounds like - either one or both! Fun for about a half hour!
You did it again Matt driving and reviewing something completely different and owning several Rovers all different and special in there own way this must be a dream come true a turbo Rover
I had the coupe turbo and always regretted selling it, along withall the over mg/rovers I owned. Metro gti spi, metro gti mpi, mg maestro 2.0 efi, 97 420 gsi, 220 Sdi, 220 gsi 3 door, mg zr 1.4, zr 2.0 tdi, zs 20.tdi, 200vi with 17"zr wheels. I think that's all of them!
oh man, the fact you even had that is enough to make me jealous. I've been looking for a good rover coupe 200/400 or 800 for quite some time and they're really hard to get in good condition or with a reasonable price.
@@TheChill001 I got most when they were bargain basement cars, I still want an 827, zt v8 tourer and a 620ti, I can dream
@@barrywells4129 They are out there. Sold both my daily driver 620ti I'd owned for many years recently. Both went to folks far younger than I. My daily driver now a ZT-T with 1.8T. My "Sunday" car a ZT saloon with Mustang V8 power. Grab one or two sharpish before prices go even higher.
@@T16MGJ wish I could but just bought a brand new kodiaq and have a speed triple don't thi k the wife will let me have any more toys 😢
On torque steer - you only really notice it if one wheel hits poor road or similar. They can yank the wheel pretty hard if it does.
What a amazing car I’ve been following James fixing this up what a tremendous car
Ah! Now you're talking! This was the one and only car brochure I ever sent away for. I was in my mid teens and it almost hurt me how much I wanted one of those Rovers! Gorgeous,well equipped and with a fair turn of speed ❤️❤️❤️🥰
"A hooligan of a car, in a tweed jacket"! What a great description of a pocket rocket saloon.
That is gorgeous, oneof the best looking 90s cars (not including supercars) im my opinion, but woukd look better with the grill removed again in my opinion
if you lob 2 of the doors off & had a hatchback I couldn't agree more 👍
Oh look at this beast. My Parents had a 420GSi NA. Great car. Still remember the number plate. K705 XPK
I suppose I'm an older chap by now (just getting there, kicking and screaming - holding it off for the most part except losing the hair), but for years my go to daily has always been a 4dr performance sedan - though I like them best of the 800 size (there's the age, yet still looking for the right 164!) I'd be very happy with this, and it would be quicker than most. At one point there were so many cool choices in class, and now virtually nothing on market / certainly not if you actually prefer a gas engine and a stick. At least now I can dip into the used market and find something in good condition that I'm not shy about using as it was intended. 10 years on, when we're all driving EVs with full on nanny state systems, I just don't know.....
Sounds like it boosts really smoothly. Another interesting vehicle we didn't get in Australia (at least to my knowledge). I'm wondering what a local equivalent would be
I love how this just effortlessly blasts past modern traffic!
This infuriates me. Just look at that car. When they were out they were genuinely world class and could have done so well. Just imagine if they were built properly.
Oh and that 0-60 doesn't tell the whole story. Remember that was traction limited by the rubber of the time and they weren't particularly sticky tyres from the factory anyway.
They weighed very little, didn't lose much between engine and wheels and went way better than the stats suggest.
The seats were great, they usually haad loads of extras and they were genuinely a good car. For want of the few things which went wrong and the Friday afternoon build quality these would have been real top tier cars.
Blimey it annoys me so much to know they were so close and threw it all away.
Thank thatcher and the bad mouthing of rover via the media..
Build quality wasn’t really an issue, I had one and it was fine.. better panel gaps than a Tesla, better quality paint that any Honda and the T series was a solid engine..
@@johndavies4644 I don't think we can honestly say build quality wasn't an issue. There were quite a lot of failures.
Even that though - the Chinese came along and fixed the K-series with very minor modification so I'm 100% sure the people who made it in the first place could have done the same.
I loved driving every Rover I owned though and even with their issues they were great things. The 416si was solidly built and never had a fault, the 420 turbo only ever needed a turbo which was put down to a mechanic squashing an oil line when they were meant to be servicing it(!).
Then there was my 827 Vitesse. It waswhite with brown leather, had the big bodykit and looked brilliant but that was a real Friday afternoon car. The drivers electric seat gave up, the climate control panel wouldn't change anything, there was a water leak from the hatch or hatch window that never got fixed even after multiple trips to the dealer, the exhaust rotted and the backbox dropped off at three years old, the left rear electric window gave up, the electric sunroof got stuck half open, one headlight kept blowing bulbs every few weeks, the gearbox decided it would only drive in 2nd or reverse(auto), there was an engine management light and limp mode at one point which seemed to fix itself after a restart and eventually at around 60k miles the engine (V6) started knocking.
But while it was working that was one of the best cars to drive I've ever had - even to this day its up there. Smooth as silk, comfortable (it even had electronic suspension which I couldn't tell any difference with), quiet and for its time fast. It was the kind of car you could just throw everything in the back of and sit on the motorway for hours at high speed without ever getting backache then it actually handled pretty well on the twisty stuff too. It was also faster than my mates 620ti which wound him up no end. :)
Of course once he figured out that he had a blown boost hose that changed but for a month or so he got the mick taken mercilessly by everyone at work.
I still miss that car even though it was a complete shed.
As a foreigner, never knew about these. Dont know the weight, but surely it has to be one of the fastest FWD cars of its class (and not far from overall) in the 90s? Very impressive.
I'm sure the maestro turbo was the quickest front wheel drive
@@mikeclewlow6510 Well its a distinction between "quickest" and "fastest". Still, I dont think even the light weight Maestro was the out and out quickest if all FWD cars are included, except maybe at low speeds. I know a stock Saab 9000 turbo was clocked 0-62 mph in 6.55 seconds in a magazine test, Probably a Volvo 850R could do something similar. So it wont be easy.
At higher speeds its relative lack of horsepower would unfortunately show.
But the Maestro is a little rocket for sure, though I think this Rover 420 with 200hp would be more "balanced" through the speed range.
Around a track I cant say, depends heavily on the track layout I would think.
You could probably throw a Corrado VR6 into the mix if we're talking quick, unmodified 90s fwd.
The fist coupe 20v Turbo takes the top fwd spot of the 90s by a long way! It was a different animal
@@Lovetoall1432 I should think so, but I find it very hard to find any concrete number of it. Still, the spec sheeet says it certainly chould be the fastest, yes.
220 turbo hatch or 420 turbo were rare in the day so hardly a surprise there are so few left today. I would have my 220gti back tomorrow if I could, loved every minute of that car.
One can only imagine someone's granddad giving it "ludicrous mode", coming out of Sainsbury's car park.
Speaking as a Granddad, that is always a temptation. ...😉
Absolutely lovely, I miss my rover 820 vittesse turbo , great video mark
Used to live in kings Lynn back in 2001 and every old man had a Rover either a 200 series or an 800 series , my dad even had a 214si and that was rapid for what it was 0-60 in 10 seconds and 125mph top speed when the head gasket wasnt exploding lol
I spent hours and hours scouring the classifieds for one of these way back when, gave up in the end.. I'd still love one though.
9:11 other cars "what the hell was that, that can't be a rover that was quick" LOL.
The unicorn of the 200 series! Rover did make some proper good cars. Sleeper status. Great video Matt.
As a note, the N/A T-series produces 136hp/100kw, not 150hp.
The only 90's Rover with around 150hp was the 623
Yes I think you are right - I had a 1993 3 door hatchback 220GSi and remember 136bhp being the number. It was still quick though as they are a small car compared to modern stuff.
@@johnj3577 Didn't the 1.8VVC have about 145 HP
@@carlreading9916 Not sure - mine was a 2Litre. The MGF and the later bubble shaped Rover 200 had the 1.8VVC.
This is absolutely Insaine, Thank you Fourious Driving for Taking the Time to Review this absolute Rarity,
I know Nowadays it's about Bmws and Audis with S3 or M3 on the Boot Lids.
Personally I would be happy With one of these, Infact it would proberly upset a few BMW and Audi owners at the Traffic Light Grand Prix 😁
Great review.. makes me miss my 600Ti Kernahan dealer tuned edition… love the dump valve sound too
Watching your video I relived the experience I had in 1997 as a 22 year old picking up my Tahiti blue 220 turbo coupe. Opening it up for the first time down the slip road onto the M40 ..... god I wish I still had that car. And yes it would do an indicated 150mph++ lol
Matt - you need to turbo the Tomcat. My friend had a light green metallic Tomcat that sounded just like this! Utterly incredible… really does sound like a jet engine under the bonnet lol. We never had the stereo on - just listened to that turbo and wastegate. Fantastic review as always!
Excellent 😁. Apart from the baseball cap! For ultimate Q-car impact, you should have been sporting a tweed flat cap for this video? Maybe a tartan blanket, box of tissues and tin of travel sweets on rear parcel shelf just to complete the Sunday driver look? Victor Meldrew meets Terminator 😂. I would have one of these over a 911 just for Q-factor value (and a lot rarer than 911s).
That sounds just like my Saab engine I put in my old Vectra b! It also had a t25 turbo. I miss my old 214sei!
Tiff Needell did an interesting review on coupe turbo worth checking out on you tube
I had a 800 V I was thinking about upgrading it but I was happy enough, the seat held me,and it still buzzed my nut's off 👍
Saw a 2 door version of this in the same colour today while getting my classic mini tracking done lol
200bhp is pretty impressive from the mid 90s, especially with it being a 2.0L. The owner should go to Germany and max it out on the autobahn.
There is nothing better than a 90s turbo car think I'm in love
Outrun a Cosworth? That's a bold statement 🤣
I have a Tomcat and my brother has a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth. I have driven both. I would say it was close.
The Tomcat is a smaller car so I would say it had the edge. Particularly on handling.
We have a Tahiti blue 420 turbo in the barn. One day it'll get a restoration, still starts and drives.
I feel like this is a sign for you to turbo your coupe, would be a really interesting series and spice up your rover!
I detect a respray on the nearside of the bonnet, unless it was reflection 9:18
Did they do a turbo estate?
Nope, only conversions exist
@@Roverturbo I'm also wondering if someone had one of the 1.9 diesel ones whether a more powerful Peugeot HDI engine could be stuffed in there. It's been done with a Peugeot 305 diesel.
I remember having a passenger ride in Andrew Walkers Green 420 Turbo. What an epic thing that was.
By any chance do you mean this one? ua-cam.com/video/1_aSWqsNgKA/v-deo.html
The result of taking a 420 GSi Turbo and pumping it full of steroids.
@@boywarrick yes that's the one. What a machine it was.
Enjoyed your review, enjoyed James videos on this car too, hopefully he's recovered from his accident and I'll get both my favourite UA-cam channels back on the go, ace video
Most probably had a hand in building that at Longbridge awesome car all the mangers had these
Had one of these back in the day in British Racing Green. Mine did not have those alloys though. Lovely car but my goodness it was unreliable. Electrical faults, clutches, gear box. After three years, the major issue was finally traced to an incorrectly fitted driveshaft. The last few months were great but by then it was time for a new car. Edit: Mine had AC and I seem to recall it was called a 420 GSi Sport Turbo.
I seen them before but as you said, rare. Cool car
Great review once again. I watched every single video of the work done on this car and it’s good to see it in great shape.
I was always wary of these when out driving. I knew they'd blow me away haha. I guess now they've either rotted away or blown up?
Pretty sure back in the day West Midlands Police had a Tourer with the T16 on evaluation from Longridge, I will try and ask my mate who possibly drove it on duty.
I have one of those plastic boot liners for my 2000 rover 45 connoisseur
When I got mine it was definitely marketed as BMW 3 Series alternative. Mine had two baby seats in the back!
I had the 220 3 door version from new, one of the last batch build. 94.5MY brought in 1996. £19,250 list price but with a 33% employee discount making it just £12k. Wonderful car apart from the brakes which warp after 1800 miles. The development engineers reckon they could get a reliable 330bhp from the T series but had no gearbox to match it to. The wastegate was never that annoying on mine, just like the popping on the 2018 Scirocco R I had on lease. 😎😇
What a nice sound!Luxury beast sedan!I love it!Greetings from Greece
My dad had a Rover 420 GSi. Really nice car. 136bhp naturally aspirated. 197bhp Turbo. Only cosmetic difference was turbo badge and spoiler. Very odd no airbag, seams like this car has the wrong steering wheel. Perhaps it was in a smash at some point and airbag was diploid so owner repaired with standard steering wheel. In my opinion they should get rid of the fast and furious blow off valve. Not only do they ruin the turbos they sound bloody annoying after a while. Nice car otherwise.
Was the noisy blow off valve standard? I'm thinking that they might have had one that was much less obtrusive. It's a matter of taste but I don't like to hear them.
What a sleeper! With an LSD and some big brakes that would be a serious piece of kit!
A match to the smoothness of the Turbo C.T. of PSA or more like VR5/6?
Liked even before it played! You know its good when its an R8 Turbo :D
Yes Matt a turbo kit would make interesting content indeed please do it!
I never get bored of seeing R8 content in the channel and it's great to see a 420 Turbo GSi though I'm curious to know if it's standard or all that whooshiness is a result of being modified?
What a beautiful car, always liked the R8 saloon .
I would love that Matt. Ultimate bonkers car. See off all those modern jelly moulds that are around now....
I had a 220 Turbo, and the torque steer was epic, you always had to have your wits about you, otherwise you'd end up in the wrong side of an hedge. lol
Mine was undriveable in the wet, as was the 620 Ti I had too; modern tyres can help with that, but like you say, you had to be very, very careful with it... in the wet, forget any kind of swift progress at all! :-)
Loved these from day 1.think Rover only made 300 of these for the UK.
If that was mine i would repaint her, replace the blow off vslve for a stock item no ptisshhh noises and set her back on stock wheels......a Sierra sapphire cossie/cavalier turbo rival back in.the day not that many people knew....nightfire red ones looked great but imagine having a nice grey one now.
I love the dump valve whoosh I do remember that sound I had a rover metro 1.1 s and it went like shit off a shovel greetings from Scotland thanks 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Oh and by the way one of yer better commentaries. Well done mate.
What a superb sleeper that is. Thanks for bringing us such a rare beauty.
I'd like to pitch one of those against a Series 3 Thema 16v Turbo VIS .
Both virtually impossible to find
Both 2 litre turbo charged and FWD
Figures on paper and its weight would favour the Rover , but I've owned one of those last of line Themas and always believed the performance stats were under stated ,so you'd half a chance of getting insurance. Lads near me who run standard Sierra Cosworth stopped trying after a while against it
Miss my old one ; only 500 ever built ultimate Q car. It was amazing and a joy best car I ever had . Remember having to justify at events 10 years ago why I should turn up in a Rover. People never got it but those that knew , knew 😉👍
This is wonderful, what a great car. Wonder if we'll see it at Rover Fest tomorrow.
I was gonna bring it but in police car instead
I have to admit the sound of the turbo wastegate dump would get on my nerves very quickly. Wasn't there also a 600 using this engine?
Yeah 600Ti I owned a dealer tuned Kernahan edition in nightfire red
Love the turbo flutter
My dad had a 420gsi non turbo saloon when I was a kid, vented hubcaps, BRG and all, still have pics of it, waited till 500 miles to run it in, called my mum on the carphone and then gave it a bootfull on to the motorway
Maybe it did torque steer back in the days because of tire technology
Tyres always play a part on every car, even a humble 1.0L Metro. That is not always appreciated by car users.
The TorSen Differential fitted to most of the Rover T-Series Turbo cars reduce torque steer to zero unless you over drove the thing in silly mindset mode. Over drive a 1.0L Metro can see the steering having a mind of its own too.
TorSen = Torque Sensing.