Old Top Gear Rover 400 Tourer

Old Top Gear from 1994
Jeremy Clarkson roadtests the Rover 400 Tourer
The model he is driving is the 420 GSi

This clip was extracted from the episode that was first broadcast in April 1994

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Old
• Top
• Gear
• Jeremy
• Clarkson
• Rover
• 200
• Coupe
• Coupé
• Tomcat
• Hatchback
• SLDi
• GSDi
• Diesel
• 400
• 416
• 420
• GSi
• SLi
• SL
• TD
• Estate
• Tourer
• BBC
• 1994_04
• 1994
• April

[mashadani87]

hmm, its rather funny how suprisingy positive Jeremy is to rover, mentioning it as a luxury brand....And in "new" Top Gear totally rejecting everything made by them...

[blaster2012]

All this talk of K series engines being crap is utter rubbish....As long as you keep an eye on the coolant level and engine oil,they will NEVER overheat,and overheating is what causes head gasget failure. Make sure your cambelt is good,and they are virtually bombproof.

[kernals12]

@blaster2012 you can say that about any engine, is there anything else special about the K series? Is it powerful? Efficient?

[turricaned]

@turricaned Some of the later cost-cutting measures (plastic dowels replacing metal) were a mistake, and boring out to 1.6 and 1.8 weren't done with enough care. But a well looked-after 1.4 K is nigh-on bulletproof - you only have to see the number of R8-shape 214s and 414s still on the road (some of which are 23 years old!) compared to Escorts and Astras (and - yes - VW/Audis) of the same age to see that. Most modern Japanese designs have a fair bit of K DNA in them...

[turricaned]

@tubaandbasson Who serviced them? The main problem was that a lot of mechanics (and some of the designers who joined after the BM buyout) didn't understand the K, which was a revolutionary design when it came out. It's all about the coolant - the K carries a lot less than other engines of the time so you have to keep an eye on the level and *you have to keep an eye on the fan*. If the temp goes past 3/4 - pull over and get a tow if you have to!

[DANCEGASMAN]

@agt155 Not in the Tourer shape, the most powerful 420 "Tourer" came with the 2.0 T-Series N/A 136 BHP. It should have came with a turbo but it didn't.... :-( I own a white ("Diamond White" no less) 420 Tourer and it's still pretty quick for an old bus!

[agt155]

@DANCEGASMAN They did make a 200bhp turbo model.

[FaithShaylin]

@mashadani87 I always think that after watching these older clips.

[iamaparanoidandroid1]

"I know I've got wood..." (Clarkson '94)

[tubaandbasson]

@blaster2012

That is not true at all. My Dad had a Rover 75 with a 1.8 k-series and my mum a 214 k-series and they both blew there headgasket twice. They did weekly engine checks and had them reguarly serviced so, that is not true. Once the metal headgasket was fitted they were fine, but inevidtably they will blow on everycar.