Rover 400 / 45
The Rover 400 series consisted of vehicles of the lower middle class, the MG Rover Group, introduced in the spring of 1990. From autumn 1999, the series under the name Rover 45 was produced up to the attitude of the brand in early summer 2005.
The models were developed during the collaboration with Honda and all versions are derived from Honda derivatives.
400 (type XW, 1990-1995)
Rover 416 GSi (1990-1995)
In the first 400 series, which was presented in March 1990, it was the four-door notchback version of the Rover 200 series. Like the 200 series it was based on the Honda Concerto. In the summer of 1993 there was another combination added with the addition Tourer.
The vehicles had the same body, and mechanism and also had inside and outside of the same style characteristics. The diesel engine was contributed by Citroën as a 1.8-liter turbocharged, 1.9 -liter naturally aspirated engine.
With a wheelbase of 2550 mm, the vehicles were 4365 mm long, 1940 wide and 1400 mm high. The empty weight was given as 1020 to 1160 kg.
Rover 400 Tourer (1993-1995)
400 ( type RT, 1995-1999)
Rover 400 Hatchback
The second generation of the 400 series came in May 1995 as a hatchback in the class of models similar to the Ford Mondeo out. It was based on the five-door Honda Civic, which also appeared in the spring of 1995. With the 200 series, the revised Rover on its own, this version had nothing more to do.
As drive were 1.4-liter and 1.6 -liter engines of the Rover K Series, a 1.6 -liter SOHC engine of the Honda D- series (only with automatic transmission) and the 2.0-liter petrol engine the Rover T- series as well as the 2.0 -liter turbo diesel in the larger Rover 600 series. The Rover 400 series corresponded in size to the Ford Escort, but Rover knew including the dashboard with wood inserts and placed the model priced at the level of the Ford Mondeo. This meant that the cars despite initial successes, the sales figures for the first 200er-/400er-Generation could no longer reach.
This rover series was already well equipped in the basic version and could be upgraded with additional extras such as alarm system with ultrasonic interior monitoring, leather interior, air conditioning, electric glass sliding - lifting roof and four times the power windows etc., which the 400 series quite sophisticate enough.
With a wheelbase of 2620 mm, the sedans were 4315 mm long, 1695 mm wide and 1395 mm high. The dimensions of the station wagon were 4370 mm length, 1680 mm width and 1400 mm height. The empty weight was given as 1120 to 1210 kg.
Rover 400 Saloon
45 (type RT, 1999-2005)
Rover 45 Hatchback ( 1999-2004)
End of 1999, MG Rover Group, the 400 - series underwent a facelift and gave her a new name: Rover 45 He was been offered to buyers in the late 1990s as an alternative to Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra immediately recognizable as the car had. The Rover management, however, had recognized the error of the previous strategy, and the car was now offered as a rival to the Ford Focus.
The petrol engines with 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 liters and the 2.0 liter diesel were taken from the 400 series, the 2.0 - liter four- cylinder petrol engine was the 2.0 - liter V6 replaced the larger Rover 75, the latter was only available in the sedan variant.
The 45 got the better seats from the 75 and larger (although the 400 series had a pretty good handling) again received improved suspension to achieve a balanced ride and better Kurvenwilligkeit. This reached and surpassed the Rover 45 (especially from 2003, when he announced the suspension components with the MG models) most of its competitors in terms of driving characteristics.
The Rover 45 was also available with a CVT transmission that came from German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen and previously was used already in the MG F / TF. The special design of the CVT had a oil-cooled laminated steel belt (with external oil cooler ), which ran on movable cones. This led to many complaints cases which referred the MG Rover Group in the German suppliers. Since BMW ran the MG Rover production facility for manual transmissions, Rover had to buy the gear from BMW, but the prices increased so much that Rover finally looked around for other sources. So later Rover 25-/45-Modelle with up to 1.6 liters were equipped with Ford transmissions.
After all these changes by the MG Rover Group only a few similarities with the original Honda - types can be seen in the late models except the body shape.
Initially, the Rover 45 sold thanks to its excellent facilities, its comfortable interior and the reduced prices relatively well. The prices charged remained moderate, but the Rover 45 lost its appeal against the better-equipped and more modern competitors such as the Peugeot 307 and Renault Mégane. Compared to its competitors had the styling of the still based on the Honda Domani 1992 45 out of fashion, even if the driver's perspective, the dynamics was equal or better than those of competitors.
With an unchanged wheelbase of 2620 mm, the vehicles were 4362 mm long, 1696 mm wide and 1394 mm high. The empty weight was given as 1180 to 1340 kg.
Rover 45 Saloon ( 1999-2004)
Interior
From summer 2001, the Rover 45 was also sold as a sporty and more elegant MG ZS. The development of the Rover 45 was Honda. It is therefore presumed that the company has at the time secured plans and tools for the production of models 45 and ZS before the MG Rover Group was sold to the Nanjing Automobile Group.
Facelift
A facelift in spring 2004 was the last attempt to improve the sales of the Rover 45. He received a new front and a new rear, a revised dashboard, a retuned suspension, improved facilities and was also sold at a discount, which was required by the end of production of the Honda Domani in Japan.
The production was set in mid-2005 to the end of the MG Rover Group.
Rover 45 Saloon ( 2004-2005)
Successor
From 2001 the MG Rover Group tried replacing the 45 -based through a shortened to a Rover 75 platform new model. This vehicle had the code name " RDX60 " and was first presented as " Rover TCV ". It would have been larger than its competitors and would have similar features luxurious driving features such as the Rover 75.
Even during the construction phase, however, had the design partner of MG Rover, the sign Tom Walkinshaw Racing ( TWR ), comparison because they had to stand up for their Formula 1 team Arrows. MG Rover so lost most of the CAD drawings for the new car and suffered thereby a loss of £ 100 million. Finally, MG Rover had to pay millions more to the sequestration of TWR to get back into the possession of the CAD drawings. By this setback the MG Rover Group lost a lot of designers, model designs and sources and was no longer able to make a fresh start. Although the idea was not completely abandoned, say the designers of the company that the project no longer prospered very much in the early summer of 2005 to the end of the company.
A rescue initially seemed possible after a joint venture between MG Rover and SAIC of China was considered. The SAIC took more than a year to approve the proposal; after the expiry of this crucial time, however, MG Rover had no financial means more, as the revised models 25, 45 and 75 no longer sold well and eventually the 75 V8 was released.