Review: Rover 75 Connoisseur
The way the motor industry slipped away from them in the second half of the 20th century you’d never say Britain won the war. But now things have started to turn around.
From the outside the Rover 75 Connoisseur looks like a winner, and from the inside even more so. Two-tone leather abounds. Cream-faced, “squashed” round dials give a retro look. Fake walnut stretches across the dashboard. Plush is the word, posh is the message. The doors close with a clunk as solid as the Bank of England’s, and once you’re under way there’s little to be heard except the robust growl of the 2,5 litre transversely mounted V6 engine. Road and wind noise is virtually non existent, and it’s almost disappointing that the clock doesn’t click loudly enough to disturb the cigar fumes.
But the Rover’s not without its faults, albeit minor ones. The CD shuttle takes up most of the space in the already small cubby-hole — I suppose it should be called a glove-compartment in a car of this stature. The boot isn’t as big as one would hope for, and the lid is narrow and high, meaning loading large items can be a bit of a nuisance. Still, I suppose that’s why God gave us chauffeurs. Other than these minor points, that’s about it on the negative side.
You can see that the six-year marriage between Rover and BMW bore some fruit when you look at the electronics on offer in the British car. Cruise control, an on-board computer, a rain sensor, heated exterior electric mirrors, climate control, auto-dim internal rear mirror, parking distance control sensors in the bumpers, electric seat heaters up front, a rear electric sun blind and a programmable (three programmes) adjustable electric driver’s seat are all part of the Connoisseur package. All the other usual gadgetry is also there — electric windows, four airbags, adjustable headlights, remote immobiliser/alarm, remote central locking, leather upholstery and so on.
Given the bulk and the solid feel of the car we were worried that the 2,5 litre V6 might prove disappointing — surely a 3,5 or four-litre unit would have been a better option? Or a Rolls Royce Merlin, perhaps? After a week driving the car we feel that the choice was great — a top speed of around 220kph, 0-100 acceleration in a shade over nine seconds and more than enough torque to make gear changes unnecessary once rolling made the engine a perfect choice for the job. Those who spend their time in the pub brag-racing might find the performance figures a trifle unexciting, but in the real world, where it counts, the 130 kilowatt/240 Newton-metre unit provides more than enough motivation for most of us.
But where the Rover really excels is on the open road, where high speeds can be maintained in absolute comfort for hour after hour without flagging. The ride is soft but handling is good and, thanks to the plush suspension and the excellent sound-proofing the car’s as comfortable as any we’ve been in on a long trip. It doesn’t offer the rapier-sharp driving experience that a BMW does, but then again it’s not aimed at the sort of person who needs that — this is a genteel, distinguished luxury car in which you keep your cool while the world goes mad around you.
Fuel consumption — if it matters to those who can afford the car — averaged out at 11,4 litres per 100km during the test period, which is about 25 miles a gallon for those of you who still own imperial brains. Our driving was mainly around Durban, and on the open road we’d expect 20% better.
We fell in love with the Rover 75 Connoisseur. It oozes class, and it’s just different enough to everything else out there to make it interesting without being eccentric.