Anyone know anything about Rover 420 Turbo?
08 January 2002, 11:32 PM
#1
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A mate of mine had a lift to work in one of these oddities this morning, he reckoned it was ny on as quick as my scoob, I'd be amazed if it is, does anyone know what they are/were made for, (racing?)
Ron
Ron
08 January 2002, 11:40 PM
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Just a Saloon,Hatch or Coupe Rover 200/400 with a Rover T series Turbo with 197 bhp, once rolling (enormous wheelspin) they are indeed as quick as a Scoob in a straight line. Same engine as the much bigger Rover 800 Vitesse turbo. 0 - 100 in 15ish sec so on a par. What they wont do is handle very well (compared to a scoob) or be as reliable, not a bad budget screamer, £1500 gets you an L reg Saloon, pretty rare, less rare as a coupe but the coupe is more obvious. Take the badges off and replace them with "214 SI" or something.
08 January 2002, 11:58 PM
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Once had a Rover620ti (same engine). Torque steer was so bad you could nearly accelerate past people without turning the steering wheel. It was quick in a straight line once the front wheels stopped spinning and was fairly chuckable for a big car.
09 January 2002, 12:27 AM
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My previous car was a Rover 220 coupe turbo and it is as fast if not faster than a std uk scoob turbo in a straight line. Your mate was not exagerating.
They don't go round corners as well but not as badly as you think. In the wet they have very little grip and the brakes fade pretty quickly when pushing on. And torque steer is nowhere near as bad as some say.
However, reliability sucked and i had a huge bill after the LSD exploded on mine just before i sold it(the car had only done 30000 miles). Mine was a pretty special one as it had been given to Rover Japan and then returned so had Jap rear no. plate etc.
But i don't regret getting rid of it, Scoob owenership makes me much happier!
DP.
They don't go round corners as well but not as badly as you think. In the wet they have very little grip and the brakes fade pretty quickly when pushing on. And torque steer is nowhere near as bad as some say.
However, reliability sucked and i had a huge bill after the LSD exploded on mine just before i sold it(the car had only done 30000 miles). Mine was a pretty special one as it had been given to Rover Japan and then returned so had Jap rear no. plate etc.
But i don't regret getting rid of it, Scoob owenership makes me much happier!
DP.
09 January 2002, 08:49 AM
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I know something about Rover Turbo's, Ron - me ol' mucka 
They're the ones hogging all the parking spaces with the RS boys at McDonalds outlets countrywide.
LOL!
They're the ones hogging all the parking spaces with the RS boys at McDonalds outlets countrywide.
LOL!
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14 January 2002, 05:53 PM
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I remember reading a review in Top Gear where the driver said it was the first car he had driven which made him travel sick whilst driving... Strangley I felt similar when driving it, and find that whole era of Rovers (ie 90-95ish) 200/400's make me feel travel sick as a passenger. I knew loads of people at British Aerospace at the time and was always going out in them 
jon
jon
19 January 2002, 12:43 AM
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The 420 turbo is as the 220gsi turbo but with a boot. Body shell is not very rigid and doesn't help with handling. The coupe is better, but still not the best body - the 3 door is generally considered the best body.
Standard brakes and suspension have a lot to be desired on a car with the power it has. Mine is lowered 25mm on Eibachs, powerflex bushes up front (negligible torque steer
), front strut brace. And now 325mm discs and 4 pots. So much better. It handles the power a lot better and handles much better. you still get understeer through tight ones in the wet but it is a lot more progressive and quit managable. I'm very pleased with mine (which is why I'm not going to sell it when I get a scoob )
These and the 420 turbos are the rarest, they made only 500 of mine and less of the 420, as opposed to many thousands of coupe turbos.
Engine wise, the head gasket is prone to leaking bottom right as you look at it. Was a design fault, you can now get uprated gaskets that get round this problem. Gearbox is fine, but the original diff is weak, of the cases I know of people who've gone through a gearbox, is is normally actually the diff that's gone, but Rover wont sell a diff on it's own. One answer is to get a Quiafe ATB when it goes pear shaped
Mines been pretty reliable, only one or two niggling things that are easily fixed. Had it for 23k miles and no worries
Feel free to email me if you want
Standard brakes and suspension have a lot to be desired on a car with the power it has. Mine is lowered 25mm on Eibachs, powerflex bushes up front (negligible torque steer
), front strut brace. And now 325mm discs and 4 pots. So much better. It handles the power a lot better and handles much better. you still get understeer through tight ones in the wet but it is a lot more progressive and quit managable. I'm very pleased with mine (which is why I'm not going to sell it when I get a scoob )These and the 420 turbos are the rarest, they made only 500 of mine and less of the 420, as opposed to many thousands of coupe turbos.
Engine wise, the head gasket is prone to leaking bottom right as you look at it. Was a design fault, you can now get uprated gaskets that get round this problem. Gearbox is fine, but the original diff is weak, of the cases I know of people who've gone through a gearbox, is is normally actually the diff that's gone, but Rover wont sell a diff on it's own. One answer is to get a Quiafe ATB when it goes pear shaped
Mines been pretty reliable, only one or two niggling things that are easily fixed. Had it for 23k miles and no worries
Feel free to email me if you want
. So, where are the pics of the new machine then?? Seems like quite a few, well, about 4 or 5, off the 220gti list have done just that
20 January 2002, 11:49 PM
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Pics were up, but now the uploader has gone I am just finding some hosting space. Car is a bit of a mess @ the mo because some smashed into it. Not suprised a few off the 220 list are going this way, it was only way to improve of the 420 to me !
Dave
Dave
23 January 2002, 05:31 PM
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Mook,
the 220GTi Turbo is rarer than the gsi.
Anyway, i agree handling is never going to be on par with the impreza although i think you'd be surprised at the handling. The car beats standard UK cars quite easy, my mate has one. I have driven another mates wrx and thought it was great although you must agree that they are more common at the car parks than the rovers. All the boys have them round my way now they are getting cheap
the 220GTi Turbo is rarer than the gsi.
Anyway, i agree handling is never going to be on par with the impreza although i think you'd be surprised at the handling. The car beats standard UK cars quite easy, my mate has one. I have driven another mates wrx and thought it was great although you must agree that they are more common at the car parks than the rovers. All the boys have them round my way now they are getting cheap
01 September 2002, 05:58 PM
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I too had a 620Ti and I loved it, but it was well dodgy in the wet. Went through 2 gearboxes and threw one of the pistons through the side of the block. Apparently the engine in the 200/400 is a little stronger (Mahle pistons as standard). Rapid as hell and 35mpg as opposed to my Lexus which is 28mpg and slow as hell
[Edited by NotoriousREV - 1/9/2002 5:59:15 PM]
[Edited by NotoriousREV - 1/9/2002 5:59:15 PM]
01 November 2002, 09:56 AM
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Had one ..... fast as .. yes in a straight line on a good day with a tail wind ... a-b proper no way ... reliable as **** had a new engine and three gearboxes during my ownership ... but a good Q car ... yes I did take the turbo badges off the back.
The police also ran a couple of them as unmarked cars in yorkshire.
PS if your mate mate would like I have an original 420 brocheure (sic)
Dave.
[Edited by DemonDave - 1/11/2002 10:00:25 AM]
The police also ran a couple of them as unmarked cars in yorkshire.
PS if your mate mate would like I have an original 420 brocheure (sic)
Dave.
[Edited by DemonDave - 1/11/2002 10:00:25 AM]
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