Unsung Heroes: Rover 800 Vitesse

In the first of a new series, Sam Skelton focuses on the Rover 800 Vitesse.

Rover’s forgotten record holder.

Unfairly forgotten; the Rover 800 Vitesse

Name me a fast Rover. Go on. There are a lot to choose from, P6 3500S, SD1 Vitesse, the MG ZT260, the 620ti, the Tomcat Turbo, several rather lairy, fun cars. Now, hands up who first thought “800 Vitesse”. Surprising to think that such a good sports saloon has largely been forgotten.

The Rover 800. A car driven by your grandad, or if he’s of a certain age, your dad. Hardly a cool car; it’s big, it’s not German, it’s front wheel drive and it has wood and leather instead of carbon fibre and alcantara. There was even a 2dr saloon called the Coupe, should the concept of a big wallowy luxobarge not feel quite American enough. And the irony is the Americans hated it; with just 35000 sold in five years before Austin Rover retreated once again from the USA. And yet to damn the 800 is unfair – it was comfortable, well appointed, well-styled, and despite the Honda collaboration it was seen as a patriotic buy. As the first true fruit of the Rover/Honda collaboration (we excluse the Acclaim and SD3 as they were simply rebadged Hondas), it showed us the potential fruit that this relationship could reap.

So it deserves a place in the history books, then. And they’re cheap – you can get hold of a very usable 800 for three figures, and the very best should be yours for well under £2500. Whether you want 2, 4, or 5 doors, saloon, coupe, or hatch, petrol or diesel, manual or automatic, four or six cylinders, most will find an 800 to suit them. Most buying guides advise to steer clear of 825s made between 1996 and 1999; the KV6 was at this point still being developed and is known for blowing head gaskets. However, the passage of time and the scrappage scheme tend to sort the wheat from the chaff, and there are 825s out there that are better than most were. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that most left will be alright, but proceed with caution; 820s, diesels, and 827s are by far the safest options.

But the 800 also has a place in the record books. For between 1990 and 2011, the Rover 827 Vitesse and Tony Pond held the record for the fastest lap of the Isle of Man TT circuit in a production car, averaging 102.19mph.

For those who haven’t seen the footage, I would count it as one of the most impressive feats of driving I have seen, and urge you to watch it. That’s a record only broken a matter of months ago, by what was a more or less standard executive saloon car. Imagine, say, an XF (Not an XFR, though) doing the same thing today, and you’ll see just what a feat it was.

MK1 Vitesse had a Honda 2.7 V6, similar to that of the NSX

Pond’s Rover was a MK1 Vitesse, which meant a 2675cc Honda C27A V6 related to that in the NSX supercar producing 177bhp. This was linked to a Honda-designed ‘PG2′ 5 speed manual or a Honda 4 speed automatic. Mildly lowered, featuring a stylish bodykit, half leather (later full leather) and unique alloy wheels, it was otherwise no different to any other pre-facelift 827. Not that this was a bad thing, as 60 was still possible in 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 137mph was quoted by the factory. In manual form, the 827 tends to shrink around the driver, conveying the impression of a small sports car. MK1 827s, particularly the Vitesse and the Sterling, are sought after by collectors and it is rare that a good one can be found for sale for long!

Honda's C27A V6, seen here in an 827 Vitesse

The MK2 800 was a wholly different beast; despite sharing many mechanical and body parts. Softer, more refined and relaxed, and less of a driver’s car, many at launch felt it to be disappointing. As Autocar said of the Coupe in 1992, “There is so little reward in pushing the Rover hard that you rarely bother to come close to it’s adhesion limits”. Harsh, but true; the ride was hugely supple but the handling was far sloppier than what had gone before. However, the Vitesse was a wholly different animal this time round – with its own suspension settings featuring stiffer anti-roll bars, Rover’s excellent Positive Centre Feel steering, and a new 2.0 turbocharged engine producing 180bhp (later raised to 200bhp), the car was transformed. This time in manual form only, the Vitesse and 200bhp Vitesse Sport won praise from the magazines for their handling finesse. “To call the change in the Vitesse’s handling surprising would be a tragic understatement. A small miracle would be more apt. Previously one of the least talented or enjoyable cars of its kind to punt rapidly down a decent road, the traction controlled Vitesse Sport is now a car that even the most committed enthusiasts would enjoy” was Autocar’s summary in 1994. The turbo’ed car was faster than its V6 forebear too, with 0-60 taking 7.3 seconds and over 140mph was achievable with a long enough straight. The 820 Vitesse enjoys a small but loyal following amongst performance car enthusiasts, and in Coupe form (with a Sterling interior) makes for an excellent ‘sleeper’. Examples can be picked up from £500, though I’d want to spend at least £1200 on finding a really special Coupe.

MK2 had a 2.0 T16 Turbo, and also a pretty Coupe option.

Time then to give the 800 Vitesse the classic status it deserves? I think so. In fact, I’m struggling to think of a cheap sports saloon that’s a better buy. Cars this cheap and this quick usually need money throwing at them, but the 800′s image has damaged prices to the extent that it now represents serious value for money. Buy one, before it’s too late.