1996 Rover 216 SE Cabrio Goes For a Drive

At last we can take another of my cars for a drive, this time its Quentin the Rover 216 Convertible, Rover's entry into the popular 1990s mid size soft top market.
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[@iantoo3503]

Great to see Quentin rejuvenated, even if it clearly has a little Rover 75 DNA around 22:15. :)

[@MarkGalbraithVideos]

I was also wondering how it became a 75 for a few moments ! Quentin has more talents than we knew. It's a great car without a doubt. Well done for saving it Matt.

[@gryfandjane]

Ha… I noticed that too, and paused for a closer look.

[@brianiswrong]

I was distracted by the upside down side B roll at 21:27 👍

[@markcross6864]

Parallel universe ?

[@Strike86]

For the '90s, 122 hp is actually really impressive from a 1.6! Congratulations Matt, so nice to see her out and about with her top off ;)

[@brianiswrong]

I agree The rovers of that time seemed to be at the top of the bhp pile in their respective class.

[@cornishrider]

What a difference a year makes! The Transformation is amazing. I think the R8 design has stood the test of time very well. Once owned a 94 214Si good car!

[@paulmckinder3082]

Quentin looks FANTASTIC its a credit to you sir. I had my doubts at the start but wow you turned it around well done

[@Sprasonator]

I remember as a young lad, going with my parents to buy a 'new' car. The choice was between a mk3 Cavalier 1.6L or Rover 1.4S both on a G plate. They choose the Cavalier. It was supremly reliable, but very dull. I always appreciated Rover and the style. Aways loved Rovers, especially being a Midlander, and having family connections to Rover production, sadly, however, I never got to own one in the day. Quentin is gorgeous. So glad to see this beautiful survivor, well, surviving. He's a keeper.

[@vfrbore1728]

I've often thought that if some of the 1990's River cars had BMW badges on them people would have raved about them. There was so much negativity about them, but the ones I had - two Metro GTis, three 200s and 2 800s were good cars in their day. Apart from my rogue 820, none of the others ever missed a beat or gave me any trouble. Ride quality was always great, interiors pretty luxurious, well equipped and pretty good performance. There was also the patriotic feeling of buying something British (notwithstanding the Honda tie in).Such a shame it all ended how it did.

[@sonnysting2663]

Quentin is now so presentable that deserves a new gear shift gaiter cover. 😉

[@mikemidulster]

Wow! It really is hard to believe that this car is Quentin. He was always a bit of a comedy character, with his red wing and his fuel and immobiliser problems, but he has to be taken seriously now. Well done Matt!

[@gryfandjane]

You’ve turned good old Quentin into a real gem, so fitting for a car of its rarity. Excellent work!

[@ianstewartorr8455]

They should have never lost the tie up with Honda it’s sad that they’re gone greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@byronmills5952]

Lovely cars. The hood design on these was actually outsourced and engineered by Pininfarina for Rover.

[@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars]

Make the interior happy Matt and get a new gear housing glove , It's the first thing a buyer will look at.

[@AndyD070568]

So good to see him back on the road, Matt. One small point though, the Honda version of the R8 was known as the Honda Concerto, not the Ballade.

[@billgriffiths1685]

Now that the roof is down I'm sure I can see Quentin smiling.

[@petersimpson5859]

Somewhere Mr Lloyd is getting very excited over a Rover with beige leather.

[@Mr330d]

But only in 218SLD trim

[@petersimpson5859]

@@Mr330d shhhh, we don't talk about the forbidden fuel😈

[@grayfool]

Woo Hoo! How long have we been waiting for this day? Well worth the wait. Very Good review Matt.

[@nickmoore2301]

Quentin, Rover 200 on the outside, Rover 75 on the inside, cleaver stuff ☺️ Cars looking great 👍

[@CUSTODIAN70]

You have put in a lot of hard work (and money) on Quentin.The result is astonishing.Even though I was not on board phisically,I enjoyed every minute of the ride......

[@frothe42]

I loved Quentin since day 1! You, young man, have made Quentin into something better than it was originally. All the time, effort and 💷 were to get Quentin back to its original state, and I must say, it looks exquisite! I would call this 216 SE cabriolet à touring cabrio; great ride, willing engine, looks smart roof up or down. And you also look very smart behind the wheel! In the sunlight, I do see hints of beige in the interior although it photographs as being light grey. And yes, for the mileage this example needed to be restored to the condition it is now, and its value will only increase! Thank you very much for reviewing Quentin, you have done him proud!

[@mirisch64]

"It's Quentin!" Yep, he very much looks a lot like Quentin Wilson.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Car or Matt?

[@philtucker1224]

Quentin is extremely handsome (with or without it’s toupee!) I hope it will go to a Rover collector with a nice dry garage 😀

[@iainbradley2847]

Congratulations Matt - your devotion is well - rewarded and your enjoyment of Quentin is infectious! What you do not have is a tonneau cover to be technical about it; a cover of that sort is designed to cover the passenger area when the hood is down and no passenger. You have a hood cover! What you do have is a huge grin - deservedly.

[@andygreen1a]

I would love this car, absolutely beautiful. I love these cars.

[@roygardiner2229]

Well done! It IS, I agree, a handsome car. I must say the camerawork was outstanding: I think the best I have ever seen in a car review video.

[@rodhili3946]

Fabulous 👌 & the first time I've seen a man in love with a roof 😍 ❤

[@smoothmicra]

Nice looking old motor, I disagree about the roof though: looks better down in my view. Something about the exposed cross beam gives it a distinctive look. Not exactly hassle free one touch roof lowering, but for a modern classic worth 5K tops lets not quibble. A lovely car for a summers day, going to a car show or a picnic...or both!

[@gerardbosvonhohenfels1866]

Your enthusiasm says for me enough... you will keep the car!! Who blames you? It's beautiful.

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

You did it: a full review of Quentin, as though you just picked him up and reviewed him - except we all know the work that's gone into that restoration. Thanks, Matt.

[@shanewalker4695]

Beautiful transformation Matt, You’ve done a brilliant job bringing Quentin to his best, He looks amazing 😁well done Matt 👏

[@nomd29]

Had a few rovers over the years, including a tomcat. Good job.

[@TheMileswin]

Really enjoyed your series on this car Matt. It is a tribute to you. Excellent viewing.

[@CynicalLemonade]

I had two R8s back in the day but then decided on an Escort Cabrio because I had three children to fit more comfortably in the back. Seeing Quentin, I should probably have just left one of the kids at home! Without my aversion to silver cars, I’d probably make you an offer!

[@Ricketik65]

I love how you turned the lighter to the horizontal position. That's how it's supposed to be!

[@robincook3367]

The Honda version of the R8 was the Concerto, the Ballade was the SD3

[@andyarmstrong1493]

Looks so good, great job, feel justifiably proud!

[@theaylesburycyclist8756]

I have Falkens fitted to my fleet.. Excellent tyres.👍

[@GuyChapman]

I've had a lot of Hondas and a lot of Volvos, and all of them have the same tendency for all the tech to work, even while the car rusts or falls apart around it.

[@adrianrowden8266]

Well done on a great job, and good to see the roof down. Will miss him when he's gone.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Sweeeeet 👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 What an elegant car. You did a great job! Dont sell it….😉👍😁

[@davidhall7744]

Hands up Matt, I was one of the early sceptics where Quentin is concerned 🙄 However you have done a fantastic job on it - good on you! 😀👍

[@alansimpson835]

Quentin is an absolute credit to you. Not just in proving how patient a man can be but also because you've turned him back into something fantastic to be proud of. The only thing that might be worth treating is the gear leaver gaiter which is now being a little shown up by how great the rest of him looks. I'm sure he'll find a new home very easily. Was there a random clip of a 75 in there too being driven?

[@danr1920]

No, it's not a "tidy" convertible. You said it yourself. You said it looks better with the hood (roof) up. The bar is unsightly and the hood needs to go down all the way. The belt line is too tall. My '65 Corvair roof goes down all the way, no unsightly bar, and it is so much lower. Beautiful. You said cars don't have adjustable shoulder belts anymore. Perhaps it an EU regulation, but here is the U.S. every car I've owned or driven has adjustable shoulder belts. This includes countless rental cars going back decades. Still glad to see you restore the car. It is a fantastic car. If I moved to the UK I'd be proud to own that car. +1

[@johnhanworth2117]

Looks fantastic very nice job

[@b4mouse]

Ahhh, the old Tracer. We chopped a fair few 3-door monosides to graft the rear quarters onto these. Both the Tomcat and these created quite a bit of scrap metal.

[@acdcbackyardbabies]

I presume there is a road test of a 75 coming then? 😉😂 on a serious note though, Quentin looks wonderful now, you’ve done a great job with him.

[@koolgart]

Im in love with this car. I definitely think it looks better with the roof down.

[@jefferysmith3930]

What a nice looking car. Great proportions and paint to black trim ratio and a great interior.

[@gazzertrn]

I think it looks a million dollars , for an old rover . Really nice car , polished to perfection.

[@lesklower7281]

Good to see you enjoying your rover convertible

[@richnd1974]

Looks very nice - well done on the restoration and work

[@charliegardner6804]

Nice car. Thanks for sharing.

[@peterchildress7719]

This is what I have been looking forward too.what a transformation from what you started with.this shape was always a fantastic looking car.better looking than what was available from ford,one vauxhall,hope she live long and enjoy.🤗

[@barryjackson8512]

You have done a cracking job with the R8. There’s not many soft tops look good with the roof up, but the R8 pulls it off. I prefer the squarer dash in these,but the bubble dash doesn’t look out of place. 😎

[@ElgiNDuffeR]

Well done Matt, I felt your pain! She looks ❤ Really impressive

[@alextoft9199]

Absolutely glorious. I think you did so well to restore it, and keep it going. A treat for enthusiasts everywhere. It can morph into a 75 as well when you get bored of a 200! 😅 wish I hadn't bought a 4K. I can see everything, it's too realistic. 720p for the win!

[@richardjohnson3463]

Super job you've made Matt

[@antwonefernandez7554]

Stunning! I had 2 x 1996 214SEi models one after another, Tahiti blue over grey 3dr and a Nightfire Red 5 door colour coded and I loved them, SEI had the sport seats and a few extras. Had a 1996 P bubble after that, didn’t look as classy I think but still have fond memories of those cars even after many newer and higher value cars. Great video. 👍🏼

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

Very nice job Matt.

[@ferrochinabisleri1587]

Colored in metallic british racing green together with cream interior and booth cover this car was great too!

[@Deeky76]

Rovers were built with anything and everything but in all fairness, the 216 and especially the 220 turbo were really nice cars

[@pjclark8624]

wonderful drive, you have shown me that perseverance is what wins through. If I had a garage I would enter the bidding war that surely must be happening by potential new owners. Well done you, It looks superb.

[@Captain_Scarlet_SIG]

A lovely review of a smashing car.

[@kevinnye5132]

Matt your going to be so annoying at traffic lights 🚦 if you get out every time to fondle the hood and gently guide it down 😂. I’m in awe and honestly never thought you’d repair to this high standard 👌🏻, one thing letting it down ? The gear stick gaiter 🤔 , a new one would finish it off perfectly, super enjoyable restoration Matt 👍🏻.

[@garygriffiths2911]

I love Quentin - if my old Peugeot didn't regularly eat all of my spare cash I might even try to buy it!

[@MarkieC1990]

I’m still surprised yours has a bubbly dash on an N reg. Looks great though you’ve done a great job keeping it on the road, very well done mate 😊👍🏻

[@colinbrown8316]

After all that brilliant work on it, that gear gaiter would drive me mad! Stunning work sir, surely the best 200 drop top on the road now?

[@trabali5168]

I eat my words, I was one of the people commented "get rid of it, its a no hope-er" when you had alot problems with it in the early days of you getting this car.!

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Cracking Review Matt, followed this from the start and Quintin tested your patience but you got there in the end and it looks amazing with the red roof and silver paint. So are we saying the 200 evolved into the 75 instead of the 25??

[@jonp5641]

Great job Matt, you have transformed that car, interior and exterior look great. I agree, it looks better with the roof up. Maybe need to replace the gear stick gator as it looks a bit worn but apart from that the car looks fantastic.

[@flyingvitelotte2519]

Hadn't watched the previous videos yet, but it really looks good, that red hood is so lovely, hell now I'm even having an eye for an earlier 216 GTi 16v cab with the Honda engine, I'm already wary of PSA's TU engines and their headgasket and I doubt a K-series would do for me. A shame they're so rare here in France, and had glum black grey interior in this trim.

[@darrenwilson8042]

There were times when I really did think you were flogging a dead horse with Quentin !

[@huntaway365_]

Matt you are such a genius that car looks absolutely amazing compared to what it was 🤠👍

[@markdoyle6414]

Timeless like the Peugeot 306 cabrio.

[@mancunianace8428]

Magnificent.

[@neilmustow368]

Quentin the Cabrio Rover looking grand Matty

[@robertristinge4385]

Now I want one .Good weekend all.

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

Looks really good,your perseverance has really paid off.a few mths ago it may well have bin going off to the scrapyard,instead its off to a new life for hopefully a good few more years.job well done.👍now then,what about that p6 v8,lol.😀

[@paulbarlow9981]

Everytime I see those rear light clusters I just have a Jaguar XJ220 pop into my head.

[@philip416gti6]

Lovely car and nice video!!

[@markonmotoring]

I'm.a huge fan of the R8. I do recall seeing a road test by top gear comparing the R8 convertible and Renault 19 Cabriolet. The lack of roll bar and a more modern design solid roof cover on the Renault did make the Rover look a little dated by comparison. I believe the hatchback versions of both cars came to market at the same time. The Rover 16v engines were more advanced though. I think the only think stopping this car being perfect now is that bubble dash but would it bother an owner enough to swap the dash?

[@paulwilliams7070]

Very nice looking rover convertible

[@martingordon8351]

Hi,great restoration.are you putting The badging on the boot lid ?

[@nickhannaford3253]

Quentin is looking sweet😎👍

[@rover416si8]

Press the accelerator, press the end 😉😎👑

[@stewartbrown4394]

Nice to see you enjoying Quentin. Careful though, you might not want to part with him.

[@DashCamSerbia]

16:57 Nice view in the back.

[@seancooke7332]

Glad that you dropped the roof Matt, admittedly carefully. Quentin is beautiful or handsome oh I don't know. Peugeot 306, Ford Escort, Renault 19, Volkswagen Golf? The Rover and the 306 have aged the least but from the driving seat, I have to agree that the Rover is a nicer place to be. The Peugeot's engine wasn't as smooth as the Rover's. Neither would have been the VW, the Ford, or the Renault. Quentin. Grá Gael Mo Chroi. ❤️

[@tinplategeek1058]

6 million dollar question. Did the back window suffer any creasing when you put it back up?

[@123jrh1]

i have an early 216 cabby with front and rear disc brakes

[@Nimmo1492]

The R8 is easily Rover's finest hour.

[@d.c.Jones70]

Really a lovely looking car still needs a little tlc maybe for the new owner.

[@broomad]

Did they do a windbreak for the 216 ? If they did, it would make a huge difference to wind buffeting in the cabin

[@andypandy9013]

I had a Rover 214 with the K-Series engine from 16,000 miles to 112,000 miles. It never missed a beat and I never had any issue with it so don't run away with the idea that the K-Series engine was a bad design. It wasn't. 🙂

[@furiousdriving]

Definitely wasn’t badly designed, badly cost cut in later years for sure though

[@andypandy9013]

@@furiousdriving Yes, cost cutting with materials resulted in later K-Series engines having major issues with Heads warping and other horrors. 😥

[@julianowens4071]

If I had £4K spare and spare I’d buy it from you, it can only increase in value

[@d2factotum]

I'm curious, since you mentioned it a couple of times...what do you think of the "bubble" 200s? I remember being given one as a courtesy car when my R8 was in for work back in the 90s, and I thought it was rubbish.

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly Matt, how will it cope with the new unleaded fuels from September?

[@furiousdriving]

I believe they are OK with it as Rover were trying to sell in markets already using ethanol

[@mattw8332]

Quentin was a basket case at the beginning of this saga. Just look at him now!

[@huwjones5879]

Always liked the K series engine.

[@garysimpson3900]

Interesting how you are paranoid about the plastic rear screen distorting. I bought a Porsche Boxster 986 new in 2001. When I went for a test drive in the dealer demonstrator nothing was mentioned about potential "issues" with the screen the salesman telling me to unlatch the roof and push the button all from the drivers seat. When my car arrived 8 months later, at the handover the advisor was meticulous in pointing out that I must stop the electric roof mechanism half way through, get out of the car & manually check the plastic screen wasn't kinked/creased. So much for Porsche being the epitome of German automotive engineering.

[@stephenjcuk7562]

A great classic saved. The tonneau cover wants to be red though as the roof colour is its crowning glory. Gear lever gaiter might be nice in beigy grey to match the leather trim rarher than the standard spec. Something for the proud new owner to consider.

[@brianiswrong]

If I owned it,I would be tempted to get a new red cover made to finish it off.