2003 Rover 75: Regular Car Reviews

[@mrrover4296]

A proud Rover 75 owner here. This car is quite rare in The Netherlands and since mine is professionally polished and near perfection it looks quite regal and dignified. British racing green with green leather and tan piping. A classy underrated car that will one day be admired instead if laughed at.

[@Yespeace-ww3un]

@Burleon Because they are unreliable !

[@Yespeace-ww3un]

@BurleonWhy are you so rude ? Romania ? Maybe that is a answer ! Gypsi country

[@jugostran]

That would probably be the dream car of my mom 15 years ago.

[@Luke-ey4js]

Burleon because they are fucking shit

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

As an Englishman I’m very pleased to hear that people on the continent still drive rovers, in the uk they are still reasonably popular as the engines (apart from some early ones) are bulletproof and they don’t rust

[@TKLm80]

Chris´s Rover, and his suit reminds me as younger James May.

[@turnerlarson12]

Rover James.

[@ben________3156]

Or Alan Partridge. Especially with the gloves.

[@BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

James may once did a review of the Rover 75 way back as well.

[@BritishCommentWriter]

The string-backs just give you a bit of extra purchase.

[@passacaglia28]

But which tweed is best tweed?

[@ambassador.to.Christ]

3:15 chandelier? I'm getting an alien spaceship vibe...

[@Cubester64]

An alien-chandelier?

[@oliverkalamata2753]

I was literally thinking the same thing

[@tw9925]

Shin Chan I was thinking the same thing!

[@Dan_B]

War of the worlds

[@TheYeshivaguy]

Shin Chan yes!! The same here

[@richtysoe6393]

The "Japanese" feel will have a lot to do with Rover's 15-year association with Honda in the run-up to the BMW buyout.

[@2thedudestdude]

Too bad it doesn't have the Japanese reliability to go with it. Rovers are notorious for the opposite of that.

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

@@2thedudestdude Not true. There were headgasket troubles for a few years when they did some budget cutting but they were resolved. Generally they're very reliable.

[@fhujf]

I've got English exam in 3 hours, but RCR is more important. So fancy!

[@JakeAviator]

Fawn-seh

[@RockSolitude]

SEW FFAAHNSEUH...

[@Marco768]

With RCR's excellent writing I would argue watching RCR before English exam actually helps.

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

Leto Atreides SEEWWW FAHUNSEEEHHH

[@nomoreheroes93]

RCR>OCR (English Joke)

[@papinrapijs]

3:20 you can lower your headlights if you have passengers in the rear or something in the trunk, so you won't dazzle oncomming traffic

[@olliewebbuk]

I think you'll find it's called a "boot".

[@hyperlogos]

I think you'll find a boot in your plums

[@101Volts]

Britain also has car boot sales instead of flea markets.

[@papinrapijs]

You get the idea... I'm not from UK, neither from US, so my english is not excellent.

[@RechargingBatteries]

As a brit, I thought you did really well with this. Your view on car culture in the UK was pretty accurate. And yeah, manuals are ubiquitous here along with smaller engine sizes (generally).

[@AdrianosClassicGarage]

I love UK cars cause I love the UK car culture. When this car came out it was pretty cool, and it's a shame Rover ended like it did. MG ZT is the way to go if you like the 75 btw.

[@indenturedLemon]

75 if you want the executiveness, the zt if you red-blooded driver

[@AdrianosClassicGarage]

When I was like 17, I used to go to the Rover dealership and spend hours sitting in all the mg's... I think the ZT is still pretty nice and less of an old person car :P

[@mazder_2709]

so you like chavs?

[@AdrianosClassicGarage]

I thought chavs drove saxo's, 106's and the occasional corsa tho!

[@Stratos1988]

I've seen top gear review that car. From what I heard it's a damn fine machine with V8.

[@benrgrogan]

Whenever i hear that "baby pull me closer in the backseat of your rover" song, I always imagine an old guy in his rover 75

[@captainevenslower4400]

That song is American right? Was Rover ever present in the US?

[@benrgrogan]

@@captainevenslower4400 a long time ago yes. The song is reference to Range Rover though. Presumably the writers had no idea Rover existed. To this day the song lyric makes me laugh because of my associations though

[@dzikrawardhani5585]

those gloves

[@alidaraie]

SEEEEEEEWWWW FAAAAANCAAAAAAAI!

[@JoeyTeson]

alidaraie took me a few seconds but I got it haha

[@OfficialUnderDog]

+10hp

[@falagarius]

I my dad used to own a subaru/british leyland dealership. The 75 was the last Rover our family owned. I really liked it back then.

[@alastairward2774]

falagarius the two extremes of reliability.

[@dannyDC2]

I've secretly always wanted one of these. Well that secret's out... My dad had the previous model when I was a kid (620si). Rover made a lot of cool cars, it was a shame they bit the dust.

[@MongooseTacticool]

620ti... 2.0.turbo T series and Torsen diff. Must be rare now. I had 2x 220 non turbo coupes, loved them.

[@MrRandomcommentguy]

Always rather liked the Rover 75... Specially the MG ZT version with the Ford 4.6 Modular V8

[@dcanmore]

FUN FACT: the Rover 75 was still in production in China until 2016 as the Roewe 750 and was sold in South America as an MG.

[@AdoringFan]

China bought out MG and took the rights to make 75s with them. Luckily they never got Rover themselves though.

[@dcanmore]

would love to see JLR buy the Rover brand and create a nice Jag-based range £30-45k that sits below Jaguar.

[@dcanmore]

they could then resurrect Daimler as a super-lux £100k plus brand, possibly rivalling Bentley :)

[@aussiebloke609]

I'm not sure Tata has the marketing cachet to sell a "super-lux £100k plus" car. Not much need for cars like that in India. :-P

[@dcanmore]

yeah they'll have to rip out the interior and put a two-stroke engine in it before it would sell in India.

[@zqck]

NoT rEgULAr In AmEriCa.

[@alexstromberg7696]

Life id be able to comment this every video, but for sweden, if you dont have a volvo v70 your not regular

[@Harv72b]

I thought everyone in Sweden drove moose?

[@theking497]

Only in the north part of Sweden known as Norrland. However the Same (pronounced as Sawmehh) people prefer raindear due to their lower driving position and the lower bodyroll ;)

[@zqck]

"koenigsegg language"

[@verliebt3465]

only the poor drive a moose. regular people who are not lazy and can keep their jobs ride on polar bears. bears have better traction, can even climb into trees.

[@secondtimeround]

This car was the swan song for Rover. Now they're gone. The rightful parent of Land Rover, the car of administrative class, the car that a Queen, a Prime Minister or a farmer could own and drive. Good bye Rover may your Viking ship find Valhalla.

[@AdoringFan]

Maybe one day Tata will bring Rover back

[@mescko]

They don't own the name, they had to call their version 'Roewe'.

[@KarlHamilton]

C I T Y R O V E R pmsl

[@SpitfireFortyFour]

@@mescko You're thinking of SAIC, they created Roewe because they couldn't get Rover. Rover is owned by JLR/Tata.

[@ChevyBM]

The Rover 75 always looked good and the V8 RWD version of it is amazing!

[@carboydorifutoparty3976]

Dumb question I'm American and I wanted to know if I could find a rover 75 or a mg zt with the V8 and import one to America later on but I want to know if they are expensive or hard to find in the UK?

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

@@carboydorifutoparty3976 they're cheap as fuck and pretty common here, by the time they're 25 years old they'll be just as cheap but probably quite rare by then

[@vVAverageGamerVv]

I've been waiting for this for so long. Not too much content for the 75. I love em!

[@rallyeluke]

the 75 is in no way a 3 series underneath! lol

[@judethaddaeus9742]

The Rover 75 was not based on the BMW 3-Series. The former was FWD transverse, the latter RWD longitudinal.

[@Windrichting69]

Jude Thaddaeus They also made a longitudinal RWD V8 version. You know you can change a drivetrain while keeping the same base/chassis right?

[@cameronlovesevolve]

Rover 75. Im truly #blessed to be released from back shift this morning in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada. To come home, pop open my laptop on the deck and find this parked on my screen. Ive always had a thing for a Rover.

[@cameronlovesevolve]

hahahah a 1.8!

[@cameronlovesevolve]

and oh my god hahahah the oval

[@cameronlovesevolve]

and real wood?! you're killin me Mister R.

[@cameronlovesevolve]

imagine how often you might slap those 4ways on down on the center console. And oh my god the matching outfits buddy has for the car.

[@cameronlovesevolve]

holy cow those are some low miles! I was thinking that interior looked incredibly clean inside. Neat story. Im sorry im comment bombing this thing

[@FuzzWoof]

I've had two, a manual diesel and automatic V6. Aside from the manual eating clutch cylinders on a regular basis, both were absolutely lovely. Sold the V6 with nearly 300,000 miles on it ten years ago, drove like it was brand new and it's still going strong apparently as I still see it driving around the area. Both were pre-Project Drive cars, so had none of the cost cutting which spoiled the post-2001 cars a bit for me. A top-spec Connoisseur is still an incredibly nice place to sit.

[@Sheehy223]

My guesses for the other 5 cars: Austin Mini Cooper Black Cab Land Rover Defender/Original land rover Reliant Robin And some type of compact sedan made by Ford.

[@moeezahmedshahaab]

Why do I feel like James May would buy this car for his kid as a present

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

Shahaab Sherwani james may hated the rover 75

[@StingrayOfficial]

JagWowawawawawawa

[@spm204]

Stingray wawa > sheetz

[@tier15band98]

spm204 absolutely not. sheetz > wawawawawa

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

Why can't British people say Jagwar correctly?

[@mwmmatt1]

Kevin Smith why can't Americans say jagyouare correctly? The rest of the world says it that way.

[@stevethepocket]

"The rest of the world"? I think you'll find that speakers of the most common language on Earth say it "hog-war". With a clipped "R" that kind of sounds like a "D".

[@GreenShogun]

I owned a v6 one of these, super smooth and quiet, awesome cars!

[@90boiler]

8:58 that polarizing filter goodness

[@karigrandii]

My dream car was a 2005 rover 75 with some facelift headlights (or aftermarket) and it was metallic black with tan leather steats and in perfect condition. It had 90km on it and only cost 3000€! I started saving for that beautiful car just to hear it got sold a week later😞

[@nomoreheroes93]

8:01 Genuinely thought he was going to put that brick through the back window of the 75. Whether that says more about where I live in South-West London or the quality of the car is anyone's guess.

[@Lambdasonddd]

Im korean and I remember this car on the news! Because both Rover and Ssangyong was under control of shanghai automotive group, rover 75 was considered as a new lineup for ssangyong in South Korea.

[@samualiam9981]

1:55 Those driving gloves... UGGHHHH SO BRITISH!!!! Also: Roman, if you're going to keep doing what you do you might want to get the chords and vocals right.

[@matthewgodwin3050]

Ah, fond memories... We ran one of these as our family car from 2003-2009. Dark blue with cream leather, it had the BMW Diesel and an Auto Gearbox. Lovely lovely car and very much missed. The Audi we replaced it with never had the same charm or the sense of well-being the Rover gave. A great car, and one I will always remember fondly.

[@AutoAgitator]

Those oval gauges and the Toyota centre instrument cluster are like the pitbulls and ariana grandes of cars: both should have never left the factory, yet they're still tolerated by many.

[@boheyo]

Ariana Grande does sound like a Japanese-market exclusive Toyota.

[@miaugato93]

if ariana grande was a car she would be a Daihatsu Move Latte in white with candyfloss pink accents. this on the otherhand is your tweedy, oldy, moustache-y granpa, trying to be hip and cool for their grandsons, which are not interested.

[@satansblargh]

THANKS SO MUCH!! I've been wanting to see you review a rover for ages! LOVE IT!!

[@darrenwestley7348]

Still got my MG ZT 54 plate, had it from new, 2.0 cdti, never had any trouble with it, Love it to bits.

[@Dan-up6do]

You make a fair & informed point about the Rover company, at the height of it's power it was the "English Mercedes" it gave us the Land Rover & Range Rover, it helped create the compact luxury saloon way before BMW or Mercedes ever got around to it with the Rover P6. Even the large rear number plate harks back to it's former glory days (it's a design cue taken straight from the Rover P5) In a way Rover's still around, i believe the name is now owned by Jaguar/ Land Rover. One is a former BL stable mate, the other still proudly wears it's Rover name plate. Hope the info is useful guys.

[@2KXMKR]

Actually looks pretty intimidated when it's coming straight at you... Like Victor Meldrew swinging a flail!

[@MilsurpMikeChannel]

You inspired me to do a video on something British today.... Webley.

[@gi8809]

A friend has one of these and it spends more time in the mechanic shop than on the road. But riding in it is very pleasing.

[@garageamsterdam]

This car for me is the European version of the 3rd generation Lincoln-Town car 1999-2005. I mean look at the lines of the front bumper and the taillights. There were also 2 v8 version which were rear wheel drive! The modest Rover 75 V8 with chrome and luxury and the hotrodded MG ZT260 with stick shift. Both came with the 4.6 Ford Windsor V8. People are finally starting to appreciate these cars. I think its one of the coolest cars of those years.

[@jasondailey9402]

These had the option of the Mustang modular V8, didn't they?

[@CarDietrich]

7:17 in the car business we call that move "Putting the pants on them."

[@coejbee]

Great review as usual. I freakin love the Rover 75! I wish you where able to review the Rover 600 and the MG 6 also.

[@fatkev1983]

My dad bought a V6 one on release. I learned to drive in it.The car predated the Jag S and X type... wasn't anything with that modern retro look in that size at the time in the UK. He later replaced it with a far more fuel efficient and much better motorway cruiser of a 2.0 turbo diesel... basically a detuned bmw engine. I always loved these cars and bargains can be had dirt cheap. They're comfortable and easy going. Early cars had extra soft suspension. The facelifted model ruined the front of these cars... and the Mustang 4.6 rwd v8 variant of the Rover 75 or MG ZT is a rare big gentle cruiser and a real sleeper.

[@victorMD11]

Uuuggghhh so regular! Love it!

[@myownsite]

harris3693 In the UK nobody gives a toss what a Rover 75 could smoke.

[@corybrayshaw9927]

Its not the X-Type is a ford Mondeo with a different body

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

Cory Brayshaw so if he drove the Jaguar X-Type would he get a Ford Contour vibe?

[@nathanha8760]

The 75 also had a 4.6 V8 model that was converted to rear wheel drive from the factory. The engine was basically the 2v 4.6 modular found in the SN-95 Mustang GT.

[@WigwamK]

A mate of mine had one of these when he was 20, we called it the Grandfather clock; it was rather lush.

[@driftattack11]

looks like a cheap jaguar, which can be a compliment for sure

[@nickrustyson8124]

It kinda look like Buick from the same time for me

[@MetalTrabant]

As a kid, this was one of my big dream cars... but they were so expensive, I thought I'd never be able to afford them. Then Rover went bankrupt, the cars became old and dragged out, and cheap, so I could afford one, but their overall unreliability scared off most people from buying it... even me. I didn't want to buy another car from a brand that's long been bit the dust, and parts are becoming scarcer and scarcer every day, maybe even have to import stuff for it from the UK, which is slow and pricy. But man, I'm a sucker for that old English luxury-feeling, the leather, the wood, the chrome trim... what a wonderful looking car! I still want one deep inside... too bad most of the V6's came with an automatic.

[@lefterisnalbantis9627]

150ps at 550 rpm...

[@8bitter696]

Lefteris Nalbantis I think he meant 5500 rpm

[@RoodeMenon]

That interior was the peak of 90's jellybean styling. So was Lost in Space, ovals all over. Back then Silicone Graphics workstations were the pinnacle of hi tech.

[@furiousdriving]

I saw this car today and he told me about this, as a big fan of the 75 and RCR I was surprised Id not seen it before, nice video (but its not got any shared parts or platform with the 3 Series). Now for an evening of Binge watching RCR UK specials!

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

Interesting to hear an American perspective on the car, because you very almost got the car before BMW harpooned the launch in 1998. Great shame you didn't get to experience an earlier 2.5 automatic, the comfort levels, road noise and driver enjoyment are vastly superior on the pre 2003 cars. None the less a tidy example. And copperleaf is a brilliant colour.

[@uselessDM]

I have to say I always really liked the design. It's quite conservative, but very elegant in my eyes.

[@BluDog35]

So easy to get in and out of you know.

[@danielponder7165]

I’ve always wanted one of these after seeing these on my trips to the UK in the past. Chris and I probably would get along. Good for him!

[@bengalvin71]

That was a really insightful piece, you really nailed the market positioning and graceful decline of Rover into Chinese ownership. You observed some interesting things about cars and their owners over here. It's really informative to see your perspective on us. I look forward to the rest of the UK. Car stuff. It helps me to know better how to I gauge some of your US stuff as I have sod all actual experience of the US car scene.

[@craigbomer8962]

I know they're two completely different cars, but I can't stop this Rover from making me think of a Jaguar X-Type.

[@VDPEFi]

My grandpa had the 2.0 V6 manual one, that was 150ps too, slow but it sounded lovely and the ride, oooo yes. But that was an early 2000 made one and the earlier ones were a bit better made and more refined. I think it's handsome to this day.

[@christopherwilliams9418]

"Underneath, it's a BMW 3-series" Me: BUY A CRASHED OUT M3 AND SWAP ALL THE THINGS, ULTIMATE SLEEPER ULTIMATE SLEEPER ULTIMATE SLEEPER

[@christopherwilliams9418]

(Also the owner is kinda' cute shhhh don't tell him I said that)

[@eduardoluann]

So classy, beating the shoes' dust and driving with gentleman gloves.

[@bcat010]

Awesome to see the UK series start. Can't wait for the future episodes.

[@Bahraini_Carguy]

I spotted a Rover 75 on our roads yesterday, can't believe they sold them here at one point.

[@JakeAviator]

*Starts talking like a British auto show presenter without irony or an explanation, talking about "petrol" engines and "Pensioners'" cars, in case British people watch the show they'll be impressed... may as well have found an excuse to eat crisps in ur lorry :)

[@G55STEYR]

Even if the front overhang is too long, the MG ZT variant is cool because it's RWD with a Mustang 260hp V8

[@jordanbell4420]

Interesting fact: After UK production ended, it continued to be built in China until 2016

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

UHHHH SO BRITISH!!!

[@forresttm]

I have a Rover 75. but you should have tested a full spec one v6 auto for the mini Buick experience.

[@AightBro123]

forresttm cool

[@jamesparson3526]

This is hilarious. I was 15 in the year 2000, and my took my brother and I to Austria to visit her family. Sixt rented us one of these with a 2.5 six. I remember the nav could tune in terrestrial TV channels, and 15 year old me felt the car was baller. Also, my Ma cracked the windshield, got tailgated by a VW Polo on the Autobahn, and ran it into a cow fence, not all at the same time of course. Good memories of a kinda cool car I wish I could have now.

[@davidfos84]

I know you did your research. Just because you mentioned Countdown, my 67-year old dad's favourite show.

[@wowthisisdoge8743]

Here comes the notification squad comments

[@jacobfleming565]

First

[@-DC-]

75 was a fantastic car had 3 back in the day, 2 with the BMW diesel and one v6 petrol, glad they were company cars though big maintenance bills after 70k.

[@SalveMonesvol]

Remap the ECU to get 185 HP (+36), 260 NM of torque, and a max speed of 225 kph or more. You can also rise the rpm limit to 7k. It has a lot of potential, if you get one cheap it makes for a fun, comfortable car.

[@CarToneHK]

Mr Regular is definitely the best man for the job to review a ROVER 75

[@yasugi0153]

Fuck I'm early fuck is this car

[@roddydykes7053]

Thank you so much for the KZbin Poop-like sections, that's why half of us subscribed in the first

[@GordonMassie]

Err I don't know if anyone has pointed this out yet but the 54 in the number plate means it was registered late 2004, apart from that it's interesting to hear your opinion on a Rover (it's alot less negative than my dads). :)

[@detective3728]

As a guy from Europe, I love seeing Americans drive our cars. :P They even made a 4,6 V8 model with the shitty Mustang V8...

[@briandonovan5434]

"pod's career," what a delightful reference

[@timfrogerjenkins3600]

The back of it looks like the back of a Lincoln town car smushed together

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

The Interior was designed by Charles Coldham (of Range Rover) who then went on to design the interior of the Rolls Royce Phantom VII.

[@YNWAJUSTICE496LFC]

The Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur SE is an awesome car, lots of car for the money.

[@callumtaylor3473]

You haven't seen the best of the 75! Many like my dads are the connoisseur SE in which are in accomplishment of plenty of accessories, you got leather seats with alternate piping, a period correct sat nav, cruise control, heated seats, rear electric sun blind and a 2 litre V6 😝

[@bunkaaa8726]

Lovely review, coming from an ex-Rover driver (moved on to JDM), I will say this, you'd get a lot of flak for driving a rover, and it would take time for people to understand WHY you'd own or even modify one. However - Nobody who is into cars, who does not OWN one likes Vauxhalls. Especially the mk3-5 Astras. If you could define Beige as something other then a colour, it would be that car.

[@XDESERTXEAGLEZX]

I'm 24 and got one of these for £150, 2.0 Diesel and i can say it was a brilliant car. Kinda miss it oddly enough.

[@dansmid666]

I was actually thinking of buying Rover 75, in the end I bought Alfa Romeo 156, but I still like the looks of the Rover.

[@InitialDave]

There's a RWD one with the Ford 4.6 modular V8, too.

[@hankpog3907]

My stepdad used to drive one of these. He had to replace the head gasket once a month.

[@MacklandsMotors]

My grandad had a 75 connoisseur 2 liter diesel in gold , I loved that car until the automatic transmission got stuck in first

[@nigelcharlton-wright1747]

That would be the German made gearbox.

[@charlestsai8026]

This model continued producing until 2012 in China by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation branded as Roewe 950 since they only acquired the technology but not the Rover brand (BMW holds the brand).

[@dawgmanfat]

When I see anything Rover,I always think of the Top Gear episode when Jeremy's yellow rover is filled with water and then the door explodes off the rear LOL

[@Arctic222Avenger]

3:15 Noouu, it's a bloody Starship Enterprise!

[@MrMagnificentMedia]

That singing at the end was beautiful.

[@turnerlarson12]

That dome light looks like some sort of equipment from Voyager.

[@notroll1279]

The 75 is a good car that never tried to be sporty. In modern traffic, sportiness is a pretence, anyway. If I lived in the UK where many independent repair shops know them and spares are cheap and plentiful, this would be my daily driver. As it's Germany, I went for a SAAB 9-5 - also a very good orphan car but with a better parts and service infrastructure around it.

[@ManyTriangles]

That intro picture fits it so well.

[@Rabbit_Hill]

Excited for this season of RCR

[@frostwise87]

I'm 30 and my last car was a ZT-T and I loved it, however didn't love the amount it cost in repairs. I did drive a 75 diesel which i found really cosy but really really really really slow compared to the ZT-T

[@MCTemPErENce]

The head lights are odd, but other than that its a very handsome executive car. Especially handsome if it had chrome wheels to match the rest of the chrome/shiny plastic exteriors.

[@EazyDuz18]

Mr Regular you left the UK just as the weather got super hot

[@BenjoKazooie64]

"The length and duration of P.O.D.'s career" is equally an accurate measure of time and one of the most low-key murders I've ever heard on this channel.