The launch of the Rover 600 in 1993 stemmed the tide a bit though. It proved Rover could build a good car. It was designed to replace the aging Austin Montego which would be kept on after the launch of the 600 (primarily for fleet sales).

The Rover 600 was based on the mk5 Honda Accord which was similar mechanically, but significantly cheaper. Aesthetic differences inside and out made the Rover more special looking (and hopefully compensate for the higher price). The body was elegant looking and the grille design managed to be traditional without looking old fashioned. The interior had the familiar melted mars bar effect wood everywhere, but also had nice door cards and seats. Overall it looked like Rover were onto a winner.

To my eye the Rover 600 looked like a Rover should, with neat lines and subtle elegance without any fussy retro additions. The slight issue was that the Honda Accord was mechanically pretty much the same car, but cheaper.

Iron fist meets velvet glove

So, onto the main subject of our story, the Rover 620ti. A year after the launch of the Rover 600, the 620ti was introduced.

Despite having pick of the Honda engines, Rover decided to use its own T-series engine for the new 620ti. The “ti” stood for “Turbo Intercooler” and thanks to that the 620ti had 197bhp. To put that in perspective, the Sierra Cosworth of the same era only had around 20bhp more.

Previous fast Rovers, like the demented Tomcat and big engined 800s were all a bit unruly when driven hard. The 620ti was far more composed than both. This was thanks to the Torsen differential; which the Tomcat never had. The Rover 620ti also featured Honda’s double wishbone suspension.

Altogether this made the Rover 620ti a radically different proposition to the plain-Jane Honda Accord. The Rover 620ti was also cheaper and faster than much of the German opposition of the day too.

The powerful Rover engine and classy interior combined with Honda underpinnings created a car perfect for the “Iron fist, Velvet glove” metaphor.

When I came across the Rover 620ti car magazine reviews, it was odd to see so much praise heaped onto a Rover. I’d always remembered the “620ti” name since then and always had a yearning to buy one. Unfortunately not many were produced and the good ones rarely come up for sale now. The engines were popular in the modifying scene too, making it rarer still as working cars are harvested for various bits to keep others running.

Whether I get the chance to run one or not, it was always nice to see critics raving about a Rover, even if a lot of the input was from Honda. Even Clarkson liked it.

“The suspension is superb”

Jeremy Clarkson on the Rover 600

In Conclusion

Being a big fast Rover saloon made for comparisons with the old Rover 800 that Tony Pond thrashed around the Isle of Mann TT circuit. This wasn’t a modified special though, just a very good car that Rover had made themselves (finally).

The more famous relative of the 620ti was the Rover Tomcat. This had everything on paper but faired badly with magazine critics. In comparison the 620ti was less well known than the Tomcat, but it certainly deserves recognition for its power and performance capabilities. With its turbocharged engine, and improved suspension; the 620ti offers the driving experience the Rover Tomcat promised, but couldn’t deliver. It also represented a great “Q car” with only the alloys and interior trim showing it was the fastest Rover around. A glorious moment in Rovers history.

By the early 1980s a slew of great cars were on offer for the performance conscious driver. British Leyland, through luck or judgement had stopped production of the ageing MGB in 1980. This meant they could aim more resources at the new “Hot Hatch” market. As the Mini Cooper S was retired in 1971 there was space in the British Leyland range for a fast, fun small car.

A Brute Force Approach

British Leyland had an embarrassment of riches to enter this market. A wide range of platforms, engines, badges and brands could be used. Rather than build something to compete directly against the Golf GTI and Peugeot 205 GTI, British Leyland decided on a brute force approach. The Metro, Maestro and Montego would be assigned more powerful engines and sportier suspension for “MG” badged versions. This made for wider appeal plus the added cachet of the MG badge, even if it upset the purists, being on a hatchback and not a sports car with a leaking roof.

The Metro Cooper

Making use of the MG badge for these performance biased cars was a good move, effectively creating a performance sub brand. One striking omission was the lack of a Cooper badge. John Cooper had effectively invented the hot hatch with the original Mini Cooper. It seemed logical that a Cooper version of the Metro would follow.

The Metro was a practical, modern hatchback. With a tweaked engine and Cooper badges linking it to its famous predecessor, the Metro Cooper would be a surefire hit. Work on building this had started shortly after John Cooper had driven an early version of the Metro.

He was impressed and singled out the Metro as a worthy successor to the Mini Cooper. The Cooper badge had decades of motorsport history associated with it. Certainly enough to compete with the popular new GTI models from Volkswagen, Peugeot and the like.

The Modifications Begin

John Cooper began building the Metro Cooper with his team in 1980. The new Metro would be tweaked to improve performance, handling and styling. Cooper’s team were incredibly knowledgeable on tuning the A-series engine and had assembled the parts to improve performance, styling and handling.

The engine setup included a new camshaft, larger inlet valve, polished head, twin carburettors and a freer flowing exhaust manifold. This got the engine to 88 bhp (a useful amount more than the MG Metro). Wolfrace alloy wheels and side graphics completed the updated visual package.

Metro Cooper Project Cancelled

The prototype Metro Cooper was left with British Leyland for analysis. After comparing performance figures, an issue was raised about launching the Metro Cooper at the same time as the MG Metro.

A separate concern was raised about the warranty. The Metro Cooper was never a factory backed project. As such, any aftermarket items fitted to the Metro would invalidate the British Leyland warranty, no matter who fitted them. Having to sell a car without a warranty made Wadham Stringer nervous.

The Metro Cooper was renamed Metro Monaco to satisfy any problems British Leyland might have had with the Cooper name (The Monaco was the name of a Cooper racing car).

It’s difficult to say whether the timing or the warranty was the real issue behind the Metro Cooper’s cancellation. However the cost implications were quite clear. John Cooper confirmed the list price of the MG Metro was cheaper than the car they would buy to start converting to a Cooper.

While the Cooper badge had significant cachet, it’s difficult to say how much more people were willing to pay. In the end Wadham Stringer decided the risk of selling a Metro Cooper without a warranty was too great and ended involvement in the project.

In a strange turn of fate, the Metro never really replaced the Mini. This meant that John Cooper would continue to sell Mini Cooper’s until 2001. This left the Metro Cooper nothing more than a sad footnote in history.

Other Metro Performance Variants

The need for performance variants of the Metro resulted in a wide variety of models over the years:

1981 Metro Cooper (2 prototypes produced)

1982 MG Metro (120,197 produced)

1983 MG Metro Turbo (21,968 produced)

1985 Metro 6R4 (205 produced)

1986 MG Metro 9x 6 cylinder turbo (1 prototype made)

1990 Metro GTa (Now Rover 100)

1990 Metro GTI (Now Rover 100)

The burgeoning hot hatch market had reached a head of steam by the early 1980s. The VW Golf GTI, introduced in 1976, had started things off and as a way into this market, using the MG badge on a sportier existing model was the easiest way to do it.

The Mini Cooper was too old to be considered viable competition at this point so British Leyland had transformed the Metro into the MG Metro to compete. It was expected to contribute 10% to sales of the entire Metro range, but had actually contributed an impressive 25% not long after launch. To add to the range, another sporting Metro model was planned.

With the old A-Series of the Mini underneath the Metro’s bodywork, there was limited tuning potential. Modifying the A-Series and keeping it naturally aspirated was expensive and would make for a highly strung engine. Not great for day to day use. Instead, British Leyland began work with Lotus on turbo charging the A-Series engine. This would provide an increase in power over the MG Metro and provide another hot hatch option to sell.

A Metro Cooper?

The Cooper badge was also considered, but John Cooper’s business model was to sell modifications to increase the performance of the standard Metro. British Leyland were worried about giving sales away and decided that anyone using Cooper modifications would void their warranty.

The Cooper brand wasn’t synonymous with the Metro like it was with the Mini, so the MG brand was used instead. John Cooper’s brief stint selling modifications to Metro owners was over. The handful of Cooper Metros are probably worth a lot due to their rarity.

Gearbox Issues

Lotus used a Garrett T3 turbo above a specially cast manifold to generate the increase in power. Unfortunately the Metro’s 4 speed gearbox was the same fragile unit the Mini used. The increase in power from the turbo damaged the gearbox easily, so the turbo waste-gate was modified to allow the boost pressure to leak until it was needed, to limit unnecessary load on the gearbox. The engine was re-engineered substantially and contained new valves, pistons and sodium lined exhaust.

MG Metro Turbo Driving Experience

As rare as these cars are, owners are a friendly lot and I’ve managed to have a go in both the MG Metro and the Turbo. The MG Metro Turbo seemed more relaxed and a less frantic drive than the MG Metro. The increased weight and naturally more muscular engine seemed to give the Turbo more options to go fast, whereas the MG Metro needed throwing around more. The hydrogas suspension gives the car a lot of roll while retaining grip. It’s an odd sensation, but certainly better than the standard Mini suspension I had experienced in the past.

The fragile gearbox also caused issues with the way the car drove, as the four spaced out gears meant you could easily change gears and be left “off boost” and waiting for the turbo to do its thing.

Competition

The MG Metro Turbo had many benefits. It inherited the standard cars practicality and combined it with the characterful A-Series turbo.

The car also benefited from the MG badge although staunch MGB fans would argue that the badge shouldn’t be used for a mere hatchback. Those dyed in the wool MG fans might not have seen the appeal of a hatchback, but the world had changed. The hot hatch made performance motoring available to more people than ever before – with a practical layout a decent engine and tweaked suspension, the once humdrum hatchback had democratized fun. No longer would you need a two seater convertible for a fun drive. In hindsight, this might have taken more effort to realise for British companies that had long been able to sell two seater sports cars with little challenge.

Rover and MG continued to push into the hot hatch market with mixed results. The Rover Tomcat, MG Maestro, MG Montego, Mini ERA were all pretty good all rounders. They struggled to generate the acclaim that the Golf GTI and Peugeot GTI got, but had successfully steered the company in the right direction.

With Rover no longer around and MG now avoiding sports cars altogether, these would be some of the final “fun” cars built by the company.

Both Vauxhall and Ford had managed to keep selling older cars that were way past their best. The Manta and Capri were old hat. New models from Japan promised reliability, more modern design and technology at a competitive price.

Vauxhall had a replacement planned, but it had a fight on its hands too.

Pictures courtesy of Absolute Classic Cars who sold this wonderful example in 4×4 Turbo Spec.

Vauxhall Calibra Design

The project was led by American Wayne Cherry who worked for Vauxhall before heading up car design at Opel. A surprise visit from the General Motors President in was an opportunity to gain support for the new project. In response, Cherry gave Erhard Schnell the task of styling the Calibra which was completed in just a week.

“A new, modern design language. I had complete freedom with the styling”

Erhard Schnell – Vauxhall Calibra Designer

By July 1987 the project was given the go ahead and an official project code “P-2670”.

Project P-2670 Starts

Cherry was already an advocate of aerodynamics and in Hans-Joachim Emmelmann he found another. Emmelmann’s job was to oversea the aerodynamics as the car was being made ready for production.

With Wayne Cherry in charge, aerodynamic excellence was a certainty. His previous work on the “Dropsnoot” and SRV concept car focused on the benefits of aerodynamics.

Hans-Joachim Emmelmann was another advocate for aerodynamics on the engineering side of the project. The head designer of the project was Erhard Schnell, renown for his work on the Opel GT.

What better project than a slippery coupe to demonstrate this aero obsession to the world?

In most companies the aerodynamic work was done early on in the project along with styling. Scale models were used to get a CD (Drag Coefficient) figure and if acceptable, production would start. As the model developed, this figure would decline as trim, bumpers and other items were added to the production version.

This structure was changed so aerodynamics were revisited at each stage of the project until the final detail optimisation stages. This meant constant testing in the DNW wind tunnels in Stuttgart and Amsterdam.

Vauxhall Calibra – Aerodynamics

The proposed car used a shortened version of the GM2900 platform. For simplicity this was changed to the standard platform which had the additional benefit of seating four in comfort. Schnell was insistent on using frameless doors, slim headlights, indicators and fog lamps -which improved aero efficiency further.

A scale model of the Calibra started with a CD of 0.33. Emmelmann quickly found issues around the front bumper and panel gaps which could be improved.

Extracts below from the journal “The Aerodynamic Development of the Opel Calibra”

• Front spoiler
  “By moving the sides of the spoiler 60mm outboard, to cover more of the front wheels, a CD reduction of .006 was obtained”
• Side skirts
  “The lowering (of the side skirts) was realised by the addition of plastic rocker mouldings”
• Underbody optimisation
  “Only one aerodynamic feature remains on the underbody. The plastic tank spoiler, between the fuel tank and the rear bumper incurred a reduction of 0.003”
• Anti contamination lips
  “The lips integrated into the rubber windshield mouldingserve the purpose of directing dirty water from the windshield up the A pillar and onto the roof…
  “A lip in the side mirrors guided dirty water away from the side windows and mirror”

The tapered rear quarter window of the Calibra increased aerodynamic efficiency by 50% alone. Flat surfacing around the wheel arches completed the bodywork changes. The first Calibra had an incredible CD 0.26 the lowest of any mass produced car at the time.

Vauxhall Calibra – Launch & Production

The Calibra was launched at the Frankfurt motor show. The Calibra even overshadowed the launch of BMWs new 850i. In the UK the Calibra was launched with much fanfare and a selection of great TV adverts:

The Calibra was effectively a MKIII Cavalier underneath the refined bodywork. This meant it would never be a dynamic wunderkind, so the new car would rely on style more than most.

Thankfully the famous Vauxhall “Red Top” C20LET engine was fitted, to accompany the show with some go. This engine would later be turbocharged and combined with a four wheel drive system. In typical nineties style, this meant some excellent badges reading “Turbo” and “4×4”.

The interior was from the MKIII Cavalier which was practical and hard wearing. White dials, a boost gauge and a very early trip computer were some of the interior highlights.

The MKIII Cavalier platform meant a big practical boot and comfortable seating for four.

Vauxhall Calibra – Performance

While the exotic styling belied it’s Cavalier roots, the Calibra’s handling could not. Against the Nissan 200sx, Toyota Celica and Honda Prelude the Calibra was outmatched dynamically. The Honda (Which journalist LJK Setright loved) and Nissan would remain memorable cars to drive years later.

The Calibra wasn’t going to win awards for handling, but compared well in style, value and equipment. The Calibra V6 was replaced with the turbocharged C20LET engine and 4×4 running gear. The most potent version, with 204 bhp it reached 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and a top speed of 152mph. Enough to keep the legendary 1992 Escort Cosworth honest (in a straight line at least).

Against the slightly less exotic opposition in the coupe market, the Calibra looked like a good option. Stylish and quick it competed admirably against the VW Corrado, Audi Coupe, Fiat Coupe, Rover Tomcat and later the Ford Probe.

Calibra Modifications

Sadly like a lot of nineties performance cars, the Calibra suffered at the hands of the UK car modification scene. The C20 engine was cheap and easy to upgrade. Unfortunately modifications to the bodywork ruined the carefully crafted aerodynamics.

The UK scrappage scheme encouraged many owners to trade in their Calibra to get credit on new cars. 186 Calibra’s met their end this way. The engine was often removed and used in Westfields and other kit cars making the car even rarer.

A number of special editions (the SE series cars) were launched based on the entry-level car but with more equipment. The end of production in July 1997 was marked by a final special edition, the SE9. In total 40,460 Calibras were sold in the UK. The next Vauxhall 4 seater coupe was the Monaro in 2004 (co-incidentally with a far more significant drag coefficient of 0.31).

The Calibra was a statement of intent from Vauxhall and many of the techniques pioneered on the Calibra soon became commonplace.

As well as providing a great drive and cost effective transport; the Mini was an icon of British pop culture and had a classless quality. Expectations were high for any performance variant too. The Mini Cooper’s motor sport exploits were legendary. It was a 3 times winner at the Monte Carlo Rally and saw success in other forms of motor sport too. Would British Leyland be able to produce a worthy sequel to the Mini Cooper?

British Leyland & Badge Engineering

In 1980 British Leyland had retired the MGB and with it, the most popular of MGs. In 1982 the MG badge was added to the quick Metro to make it sportier sounding. It was a clever move, especially given all the badges and brands British Leyland owned at that time. MG badging was later used on the Maestro and Montego for their respective performance models.

The 1982 MG Metro was well specified with a spoiler, 13″ lattice wheels, body coloured bumpers and “MG Metro”graphics on the doors. The 1275cc A-Series engine got a new camshaft and head with bigger valves. This engine also used a bigger SU carburettor than the Mini ever did. This all resulted in 20% more power than the same engine in the Mini (aside from the very late Cooper models).

Motorsport

The Metro had zero motorsport heritage so when British Leyland started building a Group B rally car, basing it on the Metro was a chance to transfer some of the glamour of motorsport onto the normal Metro. The end result was the 1984 Metro 6R4. The 6R4 compared well against rivals from Audi and Peugeot. Unfortunately the Group B rally series would be cancelled in 1986 after some serious accidents. This resulted in an end to the 6R4 project for both the race car and the “clubman” road version.

MG Metro Driving Experience

I’ve driven a few MG Metros over the years, mainly as a result of looking to upgrade from the Mini I had. The MG Metro made use of Hydragas suspension (a development of the hydro-elastic suspension that was sometimes used on the Mini) which is a spring-less suspension system. It makes for an unusual ride, the cars small size and free revving engine goad you into throwing the car around and the Hydragas responds by letting the car roll into corners, but gripping better than you’d think. It’s far more comfortable than the stiffly sprung Mini, but doesn’t have the initial bite when turning into a corner. Thin A pillars provide a great view out the front and the Metro smother bumps where a Mini would bounce over them. The later Metro GTI adopted the de-rigueur badging of the VW Golf GTI and Peugeot 205 GTI. This car wasn’t remembered as fondly as its European rivals but received high praise in Autocar magazine.

Underrated Classic?

The Metro could do little about its illustrious forebear. It was small like its predecessor and had a similar driving position, but lost some of the charm, fun & ingenuity of the Mini. Replacing the Mini was always going to be a difficult job. The Metro went on to sell over 2 million units over a production run of 18 years. The Metro was actually was one of the most successful of all the British Leyland cars produced. It sold in high numbers, had a long production life under a variety of other names starting with Mini-Metro, then Austin Metro, MG Metro, Rover Metro and then it became the Rover 100 and the Metro badge was retired. While the Rover 100 struggled on until 1998, the Mini continued in production to 2000 despite it’s ancient design.

The MG Metro has swooped under the radar into classic status without any warning. Reading through various articles confirms it was something of a dark horse in the early 80s. With just 65 MG Metros remaining road legal, its rarity (mainly due to the UK Scrappage scheme) will push it into classic status. I think it’s well earned – The MG Metro isn’t The Godfather II of sequels, but it does help you appreciate how good the original was.

How would Rover’s new car cope in the face of such opposition? To contend with these super coupes, Rover had prepared the most powerful variant of its R8 200 series, the 220 Turbo Coupe or Tomcat for short.

“Nicknamed the Tomcat due to a Rover engineer thinking the side profile resembled an F14 Tomcat fighter jet. It doesn’t sound as cool in a brummy accent”

The Tomcat nickname really did come from the side profile of the 220 looking a bit like the F14 Grumman fighter jet. The project manager Nick Fell decided on the nickname and it stuck.

While the 200 itself was based on the Honda Concerto platform (See the advert below) – the engine was Rover’s own creation; the T16. With around 200bhp it had more than enough power to rival the competition. Rover had priced the car at just £18k too, making the Tomcat a veritable bargain.

The Rover Tomcat was pretty too, with elegant proportions, leather seats and that wooden dashboard trim that resembled a melted Mars bar. The problem was not with the statistics, styling or price, but the way it drove…

Tomcat or dog?

Contemporary testers agreed, while fast in a straight line, the Tomcat needed to be coaxed around corners. The limited slip diff didn’t really do enough to keep the car from smoking its front tyres and understeering towards a hedge.

Talking of smoking tyres, here’s Tiff Needell thrashing the Rover Tomcat around the Nurburgring:

Tiff Needell praised the performance but questioned the lack of traction control, adding that the limited slip diff didn’t do enough to quell the unpredictable handling. Tiff added that for “driver involvement” the Escort Cosworth would beat the Tomcat. In this keen market filled with agile star performers, the Rover struggled to fight back.

“Under its chic, feline skin, this Tomcat’s a dog. A howler… Under power the whole car writhes and squirms as if an exorcist were trying to rid its body of a plague of demons… It doesn’t just finish fourth in this comparison, it finishes rock-bottom last. It’s the company’s calamity coupe”

Car Magazine 1993 Rover Tomcat Group Test

Despite having the power to compete, the Tomcat didn’t handle as well as competitors. This was clearly a strong area for cars like the Escort RS Cosworth, Nissan 200sx and Toyota MR2. The Tomcat received criticism from a range of publications that was all consistent; while it was well priced and fast, the driving experience wasn’t great. Against the talented array of competitors, it was a blunt instrument.

The Rover Tomcat driving experience

While the Rover Tomcat was clearly a ragged driving experience and didn’t sell as well as it could, it’s a car I remember fondly. It looked good and went well, it’s just a shame Rover couldn’t get it to compete with it’s contemporaries at the time. The Tomcat remains a charismatic and striking car, memorable too; potentially for the wrong reasons – it’s the underdog you always wanted to win.

In 2005 Rover shut the factory doors for the last time and the Tomcat would remain the fastest Rover ever made.