GTP Cool Wall: 1992-1998 Rover 200 Coupé

[GranTurismo916]

1992-1998 Rover 200 Coupé nominated by @Jet Badger

Engines: 1.6L I4, 1.8L I4, 2.0L I4, 2.0L Turbo I4
Power: 1.6: 109-122 hp; 1.8: 143 hp; 2.0: 137 hp; 2.0 Turbo: 197 hp
Torque: 1.6: 107 lb-ft.; 1.8: 128 lb-ft.; 2.0: 133 lb-ft.; 2.0 Turbo: 173 lb-ft.
Weight: 1080-1185 kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic
Drivetrain: Front engine, front wheel drive
Body Styles: 2-door coupe
Additional Info: "Also known as Tomcat. All cars were equipped with a T-bar glass roof."​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[Liquid]

One of the most gorgeous cars to come out of the 1990s. It's just so damn handsome.

Although you will find a few questionable mods, these stand out in a good way. Only the badge is stopping it being sub zero.

Cool

 

[CSMDuty11]

The original Coupe looked awfully similar to the JDM-style Integra, but hey, it was released in 1992 one day after my birthday.

Wait, 1992... While the Integra with similar front was released in 1994.... FWD....


It was an Integra before the Integra!

 

[JR98]

Sleek 90's coupe. High cool.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I have to say; I have a soft spot for these Rover coupes. While the one I love the most is the 800 Vitesse, this 200 isn't that far behind. Lovely cars, especially if treated right. Keep the questionable mods out of it and you'll have a nice head-turner. Too bad it was tied to a sinking-ship Rover at the time...

Still, it's a nice car. Also, ties to a fighter jet with that nickname only make it cooler in my eyes:

High Cool.

 

[Jet Badger]

The original Coupe looked awfully similar to the JDM-style Integra, but hey, it was released in 1992 one day after my birthday.

Wait, 1992... While the Integra with similar front was released in 1993.... FWD....


It was an Integra before the Integra!

Rovers of the time were very much rebodied Hondas. 200/400 - Civic base, 600 - Accord, 800 - Legend and such. Same chassis and some of the engines.

 

[SomePlayaDude]

All cars had a glass roof.

BADASS.

 

[Stotty]

I got given one of these as a pool car in late 1999 and ran it for around 6 months until my new company car arrived. It was a 2l non turbo.

It was a piece of **** (though not as bad as the 420GSi I'd had some years earlier). Appallingly badly put together. Appalling interior. Appalling overall quality. Not very quick. Rubbish handling (felt like the front suspension was made of cheese). Just utter junk.

SU

 

[TheCracker]

Civic Coupe (EJ1/2) with an old man badge. Uncool.

 

[Legro]

It's in no way a bad looking car, but I don't think it'd stand out from the general traffic for a normal person to notice. Uncool.

 

[GTP_Ingram]

I quite like they way they look.

Still uncool though.

 

[chzsln485]

I like the idea that you could remove the Rover badges and it would raise some eyebrows, because it's certainly not the sort of image you associate with Rover. Even though it is a Rover, I think that good cars with poor badges are ironically cool in some ways, perhaps cooler than cars from more prestigious brands.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Not a bad looking car and are now knocking on the door of rare classic status.

But it's a Rover from the '90s.

Overall it's cool but only just.

 

[Adamgp]

Aside from the roof panel, nothing special about it.

Uncool.

 

[Wiegert]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Uncool. I love the melding of both Honda and Rover elements here more than any other Longbridge product of the '90s. But the idea of a slightly beefed-up Rover Civic/Concerto coupe hasn't quite reached cool up to this point. Give it a few more years and it might make the jump along with the likes of the Citroen BX.

 

[Roger the Horse]

Inexplicably had its own racing series.

A Rover.

With its own racing series.

 

[Dagger311]

Glass roofs. Cool.

 

[jeffgoddin]

Cool because I look at it and can't believe it's a Rover. Granted that's because it's a Honda, but still. Probably helps that I'm a huge fanboy of 1980s-1990's Japanese sports cars.

 

[All Your Base]

A rebadged Honda Civic that appeals only to old people living in a retirement home.

Uncool, almost Seriously so.

 

[MatskiMonk]

If I could find a clean, non-modded 220 Turbo Coupe in Tahiti Blue today I might well buy it, though I could never decide if I preferred the later model with the stuck on Rover grille or not.

Cool.

Inexplicably had its own racing series.

A Rover.

With its own racing series.

Why not? The familiar SD1 was long gone from Touring car racing and BTCC was in it's Super Touring era, something which Rover probably couldn't justify entering, so why not get some Motorsport coverage by selling a grid load of cars to privateers. I seem to recall it being quite good, this is the first video I came across...



edit: Remember trying to get insurance on the 620 Turbo (same engine IIRC) many years ago... that was not so cool.

 

[homeforsummer]

I quite like they way they look.

Still uncool though.

This.

 

[Tyger]

I dunno, I think if you removed the badges of the one in liquid's post and had never seen one before, what you have is a very nice looking car. Build quality and power (except in the turbo) might let it down though. Mid-range Cool from me, Rovers of this generation also offer a ton of luxury for very little money, especially if you are into walnut and leather.

 

[Tornado]

Scrapes a cool if it is somehow found in North America.

 

[Moglet]

My cousin had one of these, it was a non-turbo and he fitted the bonnet from a turbo so it had the bulge in it. It was quite literally the equivalent of stuffing a sock down your pants. As much as I like the styling now (I hated it at the time) it's a Rover and they are very rarely cool.

 

[VXR]

Really attractive in the same way the Calibra and 406 Coupes were.

Cool.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

Cool. They've gotten past the stodgy image and falling into the wrong hands. Plus, they've become quite scarce (at least round where I live) so I can see these becoming something of a future classic.

On a slightly introspective note, I kind of miss it when manufacturer's did unusually upper class or downright pretty coupes based on rather tepid saloons or platforms. This, the Calibra and 406 that VXR mentioned, Prelude, Capri, original Volvo C70, Cougar and so on. Even the smaller variants such as the Puma were all pretty cool cars in their own right when they had no reason to be.

 

[GTRacer22]

Nice design, glass roof.

Apart from it being a Rover, I suppose I'll give it a low cool.

 

[Nessy]

I think they're quite a cool looking car. I think they look great in Amaranth (kind of Cadbury's purple).

Low cool.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I think they're quite a cool looking car. I think they look great in Amaranth (kind of Cadburys purple).

Low cool.

A purple 200 Coupe? An interesting sight, I do wonder how would that look if I saw one in the flesh...

 

[Wiegert]

As much as I like the sight of an Amaranth Tomcat, I've always found Tahiti Blue (initially exclusive to the Coupe) to be the perfect colour for it. Can't go wrong with Nightfire Red, either. A small but strong selection of pearlescent paints.

they've become quite scarce (at least round where I live) so I can see these becoming something of a future classic.

I find that models on L plates or later aren't that uncommon. While early examples sporting the original front end seem all but non-existent. More survivors out on the continent, perhaps. I'd imagine there are very few left either way.


If there's one now-maybe-somewhat-cool version Rover had to offer, it's the 220 Turbo. Breaking land speed records before it even hit the showrooms: