1999 Rover 75

64 Bids
8:00 PM, 20 Aug 2021Vehicle sold
Sold for

£9,000

Background

Introduced in 1998, the Rover 75 was a front-wheel drive ‘executive’ car available in a variety of body styles and with a number of different engine and trim configurations, including an extended-wheelbase version and a V8-powered model.

Designed to replace the ageing Rover 600, the styling of the 75 was designed to appear ‘classic’ to tap in to Rover’s British roots, receiving high praise from all aspects of management during the design process.

With a range of Rover petrol engines ranging from 1.8 to 2.5-litre displacements and a diesel variant sourced from then-owners BMW, the Rover 75 also featured one of the first transverse engine-mounted implementations of the JATCO 5-speed automatic transmission, disk brakes on all wheels, MacPherson strut suspension up front, and BMW Z-Axle rear suspension, which featured on the 1988 Z1.

Interestingly, the 75 was the first Rover sold in the Americas since the Sterling, came with a factory-approved dual-fuel LPG conversion option which was fitted by MG-Rover themselves, and was found to be the cheapest car to insure in the United Kingdom during 2011 across all age groups.

  • SARRJSLKLYM117957
  • 3325
  • 1991
  • AUTO
  • BLUE
  • CREAM
  • Right-hand drive

Vehicle location
Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Background

Introduced in 1998, the Rover 75 was a front-wheel drive ‘executive’ car available in a variety of body styles and with a number of different engine and trim configurations, including an extended-wheelbase version and a V8-powered model.

Designed to replace the ageing Rover 600, the styling of the 75 was designed to appear ‘classic’ to tap in to Rover’s British roots, receiving high praise from all aspects of management during the design process.

With a range of Rover petrol engines ranging from 1.8 to 2.5-litre displacements and a diesel variant sourced from then-owners BMW, the Rover 75 also featured one of the first transverse engine-mounted implementations of the JATCO 5-speed automatic transmission, disk brakes on all wheels, MacPherson strut suspension up front, and BMW Z-Axle rear suspension, which featured on the 1988 Z1.

Interestingly, the 75 was the first Rover sold in the Americas since the Sterling, came with a factory-approved dual-fuel LPG conversion option which was fitted by MG-Rover themselves, and was found to be the cheapest car to insure in the United Kingdom during 2011 across all age groups.

Video

Overview

Purchased new by a retired Naval Commander, this ‘Club’ specification Rover 75 Sedan was one of the early cars assembled at the Rover Cowley plant in Oxfordshire. These early cars are often regarded by enthusiasts as being of ‘better quality’ and possessing a higher standard of fit-and-finish than the later Longbridge assembled vehicles.

With only one former keeper registered on the V5 document, the car passed from the Naval Commander - the first keeper - into his widow’s name, before being placed in long-term dry storage, having only covered a mere certified 3,300 miles in its lifetime.

Exterior

As you’d expect from paintwork that has only seen 3,300 miles of open road, there is very little in the way of wear-and-tear, and even less evidence that this is, in fact, a 22-year-old car.

There are a few stone chips here-and-there, along with some light marks to the bumpers and chrome trim, but nothing that you notice without really getting up-close to this executive saloon car.

Looking below the waistline, all four wheels are in good condition and wrapped in matching Continental rubber - fabulous! The light lenses are all clear of damage or major discolouration, and there are no noted areas of damage to the windows.

Usually, this area of the description would be three or four sensible paragraphs long, but there really isn’t too much to say here - this is a nearly-new example of a classic late 90’s Sedan; Can you say “time warp!”

Interior

As with the exterior, the rather plush cabin of this ‘Club’ edition Rover 75 has fared fantastically throughout the years, thanks to its low usage and long-term dry storage.

The seats have very few signs of use, limited to just the odd crease which is commensurate with the mileage of the car. Similarly, the carpets are virtually unmarked, along with the door cards and inner sills.

Even high-traffic areas such as the steering wheel, gear selector and dashboard are in excellent shape, and the boot looks as if it has never hauled more than the odd bag of shopping.

The wooden inlay trims are immaculate, and the headlining shows no sign of any staining or damage.

From what we could tell, and from what the vendor has told us, all systems are working as intended, with no electrical gremlins or foibles noted.

Mechanical

Looking underneath, if nothing else confirmed the low mileage of the car, the condition of the chassis certainly would.

As far as we can see, this 75 has barely seen the road, with no concerning signs of any issues that set alarm bells ringing. The silencers still look nice and solid, whilst the exhaust system and suspension components only display a light ‘bloom’ of surface corrosion in keeping with the car’s age and storage condition.

There were no reported mechanical problems or quirks from our photographer during the short drive to-and-from the photo shoot location, and the vendor backs this up by giving the car a clean bill of health as far as their knowledge goes.

History

As you’d expect for a car with such a low mileage reading and short working life, there isn’t too much in the way of history and paperwork present with the car.

The V5 is present showing one former keeper, there is one key, and an MOT certificate - that’s the lot!

Summary

Offering the unusual and rare chance to buy a nearly-new example of an executive saloon from 1999, this Rover 75 is a remarkable survivor, having been cherished by its former owner and placed in long-term dry storage or numerous years.

Due to the low mileage and lack of use, a minor mechanical inspection and refresh may be needed before any serious driving is undertaken, but, otherwise, this Rover 75 Is virtually factory-fresh throughout.

Given the condition and mileage of the car, we expect a final hammer price of £6,000 - £8,000 which represents a fantastic saving compared to the original dealership price, so if you’re a Rover enthusiast or simply looking for an interesting yet comfortable daily driver, then be sure to get your bids in for this one!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ 

About this auction

Seller

Private: snitsop


Viewings Welcome

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and is strictly by appointment. To book one in the diary, please get in contact.

d2ac4e1f-ce64-4f91-bd3f-7379ead4e43a/preview-1c9b6bb8-9204-4ec9-a407-8c1120cc5d74.jpg?optimizer=image&width=650&quality=90&format=jpg image

Thinking of selling your Rover