The LOST ROVER BRAVO FOUND! - Solving The Greatest Rover Mystery!

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In this video we explore one of the most incredible and mysterious Rover cars ever made, one that until now has not been revealed the Rover Bravo, with the help of the Bertone Archive we find the missing link, the Rover SD1s lost replacement from 1980 and ask the question, would it have been successful if launched by British Leyland to go head to head with BMW, Mercedes and the other big players of the time.
Plotting it’s lineage within the concepts such as the Rover R16 the Rover 800 replacement to the Rover 55 to replace the 400 and 200 and join the 75 as a new luxury Rover range and even the Rover R30.
We explore how each of these incredible projects ended and what happened to these mysterious lost cars. Please note that I have tried my best to verify this information, until proven otherwise it will be presented as fact.
You can email me at: thomas.cowling@protonmail.ch
Follow me on Instagram for more cool stuff: / tomisdrivingcars
Credits:
AROnline - Rover Bravo, Triumph Lynx, Product Plans 1978-1987.
Lignes/Auto - Rover Bravo archive images (exclusive with permission)
If you'd like to read more my sources are linked below
Lignes/Auto - www.lignesauto.fr
AROnline Rover Bravo -www.aronline.c...
AROnline Product Plans - www.aronline.c...

Опубликовано:

10 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 329

@_Ben4810 Месяц назад

I'm looking at the Rover Bravo & thinking......Proton Saga. 🥴

@user-sc8dh4vn4v Месяц назад

💯

@VioletBagpipeSack-xf3ke Месяц назад

Deschamps did the Skoda Favorit, there are similar cues

@markgriffiths3804 Месяц назад

Same here. It's right on the money for early 80's boxy styling. The rear glass looks like a Montego as well. A better front and rear and it would have been a success though I think

@superflyfarmboy Месяц назад

Came here to say exactly this 😂

@monk3yboy69 Месяц назад

The side view is almost identical to my Mum’s old Mitsubishi Tredia… Can’t see any Rover in this thing

@ADE300867 Месяц назад

Reminds me of a Renault 21

@paulqueripel3493 Месяц назад

but uglier.

@tomdrives Месяц назад

100% very European but that’s expected from Bertone

@jwm5165 Месяц назад

You beat me to it. Looks like the 21 esp from the side.

@paulschneider9286 Месяц назад

Yes! Along the side from the start of the drivers door (base of front most point of A pillar) to me looks incredibly similar to the Renault 21… with maybe a bit of the Citroen BX 4dr saloon concept?

@bigbird2100 Месяц назад

Great video 👍 The Design studios don't waste their prototypes and use elements in designing other marquis car's 😊

@andreaantuoni5353 Месяц назад

Prototype was for sure located in Italy. The fiat 127 on the left and its plate (Orange for province and White for the numbers) confirms the realisation in Italy. Pininfarina or Bertone, it is difficult to affirm with absolute certainty. The distintive traits of both the styles are present in all views of the car, probably made in late 70' or early 80's, which will be adopted on several cars like 405, ZX, 164 or Montego.

@lucythemoggy1970 Месяц назад

yes agree.

@MyenoB Месяц назад

Bertone. This has influece of the Bertone Volvo Tundra (concept, which Volvl rejected) eventually developed to Citroen BX. This, after Rover rejected it was also offered to Volvo for the replacement of Volvo 300-series, but Volvo rejected it too and went through the 480 to the 400-series collaboration with Mitsubishi.

@_Ben4810 Месяц назад

Definitely a Turin workshop with those distinctive hills/mountains in the background...

@Cull-every-Tory Месяц назад

Rover made the correct commercial decision with Bravo Verses 800 product. Which is no doubt why they made it!

@paulie-Gualtieri. Месяц назад

I see a bit of Renault 25 and Alfa Romeo 164 in this concept

@avtomad722 Месяц назад

I was about to say very similar, also you can see it is a Bertone design,- very Citroen BX at the front end and front doors.

@dieselfan7406 Месяц назад

Citroen BX front?

@davidbrewer7844 Месяц назад

with touches of BX19...

@richjones5432 Месяц назад

The R25 is one of the most lost & forgoten cars of the 90,s

@MyenoB Месяц назад

Peugeot 405 (and 605) is much more similar (than the Renault 25) with Alfa Romeo 164. They are also from the same designer: Pininfarina.

@MichaelWilliams-rd9ke Месяц назад

Fascinating video. I see more than a hint of Citroën BX, which I suppose makes sense as it's Bertone.

@jonathanokeefe9783 Месяц назад

Very handsome saloon - to my eyes it looks like a fusion of the mid 80s Renault 21 and 25. I'm not sure it quite gives enough 'Rover' energy in the styling, and I think the 800 exudes more solidity and luxury. I could see the Bravo competing with the lower end of the 80s luxury saloon market - SAAB 9000, Audi 100, Ford Granada etc.; but it looks pretty insubstantial styling-wise when compared with contemporaneous BMW 5-series and Mercedes W124 (230) at the upper end.

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I agree, I think if refined it could have been a lot better looking

@ronaldderooij1774 Месяц назад

The photos were taken in Italy. A Fiat with Italian numberplates is on one of the photos. So, it will be at Bertone's studio. Bertone reused the front end of the car in the Citroën BX. It is identical.

@lucythemoggy1970 Месяц назад

i thought the front was similar!

@yossarian6799 Месяц назад

Google "Volvo Tundra" to see where the BX came from!

@dortkommendieclowns1474 Месяц назад

The Citroën BX prototype was presented to Citroën in 1978. Note: the Volvo Tundra prototype is from 1979 😉

@yossarian6799 Месяц назад

@@dortkommendieclowns1474 true but the prototype and the Tundra were both the product of Marcello Gandini at Bertone. While the production BX took the prototype's shape and proportions, and wheel openings, some details, such as the front styling and flat sides, clearly came from the Tundra. I've always looked at both as two parts of the same design project.

@richfixescars Месяц назад

Does look like the photo was taken outside Bertone studio at Caprie to the west of Turin, you can see the mountains in the background.

@AntonHoward-mx9sb Месяц назад

It looks like a Citroen BX front end, ZX middle and a Renault 17 has hit the back and left it's back lights, then an Alfa GTV has then hit it and left it's back light. That's nobody's finest moment, the 800 is miles better, a nice smooth subtle wedge, still looks good but the colour is crucial.

@stuartsaunders4518 Месяц назад

Definitely has Renault 25 vibes, not bad but nothing groundbreaking either I think Honda was the right collaboration and the company flourished until BMW took over and it was asset stripped, from then on without another credible partner they were doomed

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I think so too, although I like the Bravo proposal, I do think the 800 is a more compelling car.

@stuartsaunders4518 Месяц назад

@@tomdrives most definitely and I think Honda needed Rover back then as much as Rover needed Honda Ironic Honda is now a smaller company and stopped manufacturing in UK, it was a partnership that worked

@nickb5391 Месяц назад

It looks a cross between a Montego & Peugeot 405

@gimble447 Месяц назад

Yup certainly someone at austin rover liked the montego rear window design or vice versa depending which car was actually on the drawing board first 👍

@TheAllMightyGodofCod Месяц назад

Maybe a Renault 25 with a Montego...

@stevenpaterson9383 Месяц назад

It looks to me like a very early rendering of the Montego

@antman5474 Месяц назад

Yessss!!!!

@zedbou5040 Месяц назад

I adore the SD1 series 1, and owned 2, both V8s. It's so sad that it wasn't made well, cos it was such a sexy looking car. Seeing this clip, the 700 looks ok, but the 55 looks gorgeous! Quite the bulldog at the front. I'd love to have seen that produced, it looks both serious and elegant.

@user-rs5do6ud6b Месяц назад

First, I would like to compliment Tom on the detail he goes into. On first seeing the Bravo I thought it a smaller car than it actually is; about the size of a Montego. The treatment of the c-pillar is also similar to the Montego. The front end reminded me of the Citroen BX and also of some Renault models. Marc Deschamps was at Bertone and Bertone designed the BX. Tom said the wheelbase was 105 inches. To compare to other cars: Montego 101”, Bravo 105”, Rover 800 108.7”, SD1 110.8”. So a bit small as an SD1 replacement.

@TheFrem1 Месяц назад

Good video that Tom as always, Sorry i meant 164, The bigger Alfa that the Bravo reminded me of. I think Austin/Rover played it safe with the Honda partnership and at the time when everything was being privatised by Thatcher the Honda join up was what they needed, Honda had the growing reputation of safe, reliable cars and tbh the Rover cars of the late 80's and 90's were really nice, Well kitted out and good quality, The 600, 800 and Sterling all good cars. But as you said, If they refined the Bravo could of worked but needed back up from management and foresight with accompanying models to go with it.

@antman5474 Месяц назад

The rear window design carried over... ...into... ...THE MONTEGO!!!

@simonhodgetts6530 Месяц назад

I’m rather relieved that this one didn’t make it to production - it’s not ghastly - but it’s most definitely not a Rover. Wonder why they picked Bertone, and not Pinninfarina or Giugiaro given the links that both had previously had with BMC and BL. Interesting rear window treatment - was this inspired by Roger Tucker’s work on Montego - or did this inspire Roger?

@Reshumbox Месяц назад

I like the look of it, very 80s, yet very unique.

@yossarian6799 Месяц назад

It's not terribly bad design, but it looks very downmarket, more appropriate as a Princess replacement.

@jonathanj8303 Месяц назад

I think it would have dated quickly.

@superflyfarmboy Месяц назад

I honestly think the 75 coupe is stunning, only topped by the P5b

@Jamessshortlife Месяц назад

Keep the great content coming please 🙏

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Thanks Stewart

@davidhall7744 Месяц назад

Personally, I’m glad this prototype didnt see the light of day. It looks like the lovechild of a Citroen BX and a Proton.

@AntonHoward-mx9sb Месяц назад

I'm only 1,28 in and it's bloody hideous 😮

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Not to your tastes then! I have to admit, the SD1 is a far better looking car.

@CrusaderSports250 Месяц назад

@@tomdrivesa Bravo with a fast back hatch like the SD1 may have been better looking and a lot more practical. The idea of new body and known mehanicals is time honoured, likewise carrying on a name to keep customer identity, Ford missed that with the Sierra, new shape new name and sales flopped, call it a Cortina and everyone knew what they were doing and the Cavalier would have been an also ran, but such is life with 2020 hindsight.

@jmfitzpatrick1731 Месяц назад

Congratulations on more of your diligent research!

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Thanks Jim I put a lot into these videos in terms of research but I wouldn’t be able to without the help and prior research of this brilliant community.

@leightonrawlings3971 Месяц назад

Looks more like a Lancia to me, trouble was Euro manufacturer's were making good cars in the eighties like Fiat's Uno, Tipo, Peugeot's 205, 309, Renault's 5, 19, 21, Citroën' s and VW Golf's etc etc Metro, Maestro, Montego and Rovers just didn't compete........I mean the Fiat Uno was far more modern than the Metro in the eighties....

@tonyhorner881 Месяц назад

Very interesting video Tom keep them coming

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Thanks Tony, will do

@lloydbelle3406 Месяц назад

We can never know how the future pans out. However, for me, the Rover/Honda partnership was the better option than being a subsidary maker to BMW; thus they should have rejected BMW and stayed with Honda.

@tobihaifisch7558 Месяц назад

The Bravo weirdly looks like something inbetween a Citroën BX and a Xantia.

@lucythemoggy1970 Месяц назад

Grugliasco, in the province of Turin. Famous for its Bertone Style Center in Caprie, in the Susa Valley. so that could be a start? for further investigation?

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Just had a look, thanks for the heads up, looks to be bang on.

@richfixescars Месяц назад

Caprie has been empty for many years since Bertone went bankrupt. The cars were bought by ASI the Italian classic car club, and moved to the Vollandia museum at Milan Malpensa.

@Schlipperschlopper Месяц назад

Rover Bravo looked like an Alfa 90 V6 concept car by Pininfarina or Bertone mixed with Peugeots 309 :-)

@mattw8332 Месяц назад

I think Rover were right to do project XX with Honda. Interesting concept car though with it's C pillar glass reminiscent of LM11 (Montego).

@cjones175 Месяц назад

It's a huge departure from the previous car that Bertone named Bravo that's for sure. The Lamborghini Bravo of 1974.

@eddiehawkins7049 Месяц назад

Looking at these pictures of the Bravo, I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to own an 800 series Vitesse. The Bravo is a styling disaster, the 800 is a classy looking car.

@banyanvillaskohsamui9409 Месяц назад

Hi you referred to a V8 diesel version of the stock V8 petrol. The project (Iceberg) was dropped as the bottom end of the V8 couldn't stand the diesel compresion ratio. Several attempts were made, if I recall coreectly in conjunction with Perkins.

@LucasMeyer48 Месяц назад

It looks like a Proton Saga.

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I agree

@OwainPreece-ie6bb Месяц назад

I think the 800 they ended up with was the better looking machine (and likely better engineered). That Bravo has a Renault/Peugeot look about it.

@Toolbod Месяц назад

Rover 800 was/is beautiful after the design upgrade with longer bumper sills. Particularly after the inclusion of a hatch version, which made it more of a natural successor to SD1. This is like a 70s lancia.

@jexjexjex Месяц назад

Someone has probably already said this but - Citroen BX saloon concept? Definitely a huge hint of BX at the front.

@leopold7562 Месяц назад

Wow… it’s like the missing link that proves the Bertone design studio were running out of ideas in the 80s. There are quite a few bits which seem to have ended up on other (mostly French and Italian) cars

@TheMileswin Месяц назад

This car looks a sure winner and with the later V8 EFI engine would have been a good competitor to BMW's saloons. The 1986 825 never reached this market segment.

@englishrob8245 Месяц назад

I think they should have done larger version of Austin AR17 the replacement for Montego. sharing majority of parts with the AR17. The Bravo was rear wheel drive so it wouldn't shared as many of the parts with the AR17 which was front wheel drive . The 800 was front wheel drive, but they would've had pay Honda a fee for every car produced.

@carukchannel Месяц назад

I think rover did the correct thing in going into collab with Honda and creating the R8 series and 800. I really don't like this concept car however I did like the Triumph lynx and that was a missed op. Another great video tom (y)

@damonrobus-clarke533 Месяц назад

Must admit, I really like it! It’s different looking, shame they didn’t go with it.

@stevebishop4926 Месяц назад

Not as pretty as an 800 but prototypes are usually unrefined designs anyway, could have turned out OK. I have an SD1 and an 825, the only thing that lets the 800 down is its FWD.

@flipflopthong2 Месяц назад

The RHonda agreement was a good one - teaming up with the best of Japanese. If exchange rates had been more favourable, RHondas could have done well in Australia in the 80s ..the biggest seller was a rebadged Honda Integra with back doors (Integra was a coupe).

@ianstewartorr8455 Месяц назад

The front looks like a Citroen BX the rear window looks like a montego greeting’s from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I agree, I see that as well!

@swanvictor887 Месяц назад

Bertone really spread their designs around didn't they?! I see hints of Renault Fuego in there among others such as the Citroen BX....??

@h0meatlast Месяц назад

I think that is a rather handsome looking car, and I think it might well have done pretty well had it been properly developed.

@filmdyret Месяц назад

I always liked the SD1 , very timeless elegant & not so unlike Citroën CX. Rover Bravo looks great 👍

@jimdieseldawg3435 Месяц назад

Appealing, generally. A Vitesse version with a front valance and chin spoiler would have sorted its considerable gawky overbite, and a Vitesse-style rear spoiler would have nicely crowned that of-its-time rear end treatment. Still has the stupid narrow piece of basically C-section steel dirt trap corrosion-starter connecting the rear doors, sills and arches; I never understood why that was a thing in so many AR designs but, to be fair, it was also an Achilles’ heel of contemporary Hondas, the 800 Series and of the Sierra amongst others. As always, needs a 50mm ride height reduction and a slightly wider stance to better fill those rather stylish arches. I’m very glad that a Buick-derived diesel V8 didn’t happen, this side of re-hashing it with an iron block; at the very least it would have needed much thicker steel liners so either a sacrifice in bore and hence capacity, or bore it out and see similar issues to the 4.3 and 4.6 P38 engines, plus it would need to have been turbocharged to be competitive… a grenade in waiting. Little wonder that the VM 2.4TD became the preferred diesel option so at least any reliability issues could be Teflon-shouldered onto VM. I don’t think we woz robbed when this project was quietly put to death.

@Martin_in_Cheltenham Месяц назад

Great video many thanks. Would be cool if you can find a picture of the R9. A saloon slightly larger than the R8. It was killed in the eighties together with Anna. Anna was the coupe version of the first generation Rover 800.

@mrcogginsgarage7062 Месяц назад

Renault front,with Citroen bumper,earlier Peugeot 405 doors,and upper body, rear quarters reminiscent of Renault 21 wheels prototype Alfa.

@NORBERTUSMAXIMUS 6 дней назад

you asked about the location. If you look at the background. The white hatchback in the background seems to be on Italian plates of the era. So perhaps Italy.

@alexguest9937 Месяц назад

That's so cool! Renault Fuego??? The proportions of that design are really spot on. There's a balance to the design that's really quite satisfying. Bertone. That makes sense.THAT would have sold!!!! Mind you, wouldn't have liked to have been the one to install all those mahoosive computer monitors. The hernias......

@timbounds7190 Месяц назад

Interesting! Quite a handsome looking car, though to my mind, the bonnet area doesn't seem to quite match the centre and rear ends - it seems too low. Is it just me, or is there something rather Daewoo Espero in the rear window area? Who designed the Espero? Anyway, the Bravo might have looked good, but weren't 4 door non-hatch rear drive saloons a bit old hat by then? Unless they had BMW or M-Benz badges?

@simonabbott7323 Месяц назад

Bertone designed the Espero.

@timbounds7190 Месяц назад

@@simonabbott7323 Aha!! Family resemblance! Thanks

@keithshayle7027 Месяц назад

It looks nasty with no big car status at all. Rather more like a facelifted Montego. Thankfully Rover went with Honda.

@maesyfelin-isaf Месяц назад

Very much agree. The Rover 800 was so much better and Austin, Rover whatever should have joined up with Honda properly

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I prefer the 800 myself

@keithshayle7027 Месяц назад

@@maesyfelin-isafI think that was going to be the plan, but BMW stepped in. In that respect the 75 was a good product, some would say one of the best Rovers produced, but it was hamstrung by the need for it not to compete head on with any BMW saloon. The nail in the coffin was the insane dithering reluctance by the then Labour Government to come up with the capital BMW fairly asked for to bring the new 45 hatchback to production. I know of no other Government in recent times that could screw up its own domestic motor industry!

@kidcowdy1231 Месяц назад

Any idea how are the bravo project got? Was there ever a running prototype? I’m not sure the bravo would have helped rover at the time, I think the 800 was the right path to help save the brand at the time as they needed to make as high quality product as possible for minimum costs to shake the shoddy image they had at the time.

@chrisbiewer-rallye-info Месяц назад

Thank you for this great video. It doesn't look as big and premium as SD1 and 800 to me. 8:46 "...unit, location unknown" - For sure Italy. In the background you see a Fiat 127 with Italian number plate. Sadly I can't identify the region of the number plate and the Fiat 127 has no connection to Bertone, so it is not necessarily Bertone where the photos are taken.

@tomdrives Месяц назад

I’ve just looked on maps at this, more to follow.

@chrisbiewer-rallye-info Месяц назад

@@tomdrives I will be very happy if I could just help a little bit

@colindowd9756 Месяц назад

75 Coupe is a beauty ❤

@RoadCone411 Месяц назад

I'm assuming some of the styling quirks would have been cleaned up if this car was ever moved to production, but it's not what I would call beautiful or distinctive. The Rover SD1, for example, might have been poorly engineered at launch, but the styling was stunning. The Rover 800/Sterling was probably the way to go at the time, however in retrospect we know how this ended. 09:53 This looks like TRRL in Crowthorne.. Those trees look familiar! It would have a great place for an advert because it had British roads (colour/markings, etc.) and there was no impact to traffic, of course.

@dbenjaminf Месяц назад

Others may have commented but the photos almost certainly taken in Italy as there is a white Fiat in the background of one of the two pictures with Roma plates. So unlikely the model ever made it to the U.K. so if still exists likely to be somewhere in Italy.

@user-pk9nt3gv2e Месяц назад

Great video for a perfect day like this,thank you for doing this please keep up the great work

@tomdrives Месяц назад

Thanks Ralph! Appreciate you being here as always

@user-pk9nt3gv2e Месяц назад

@@tomdrives I'm a fan

@HighFell Месяц назад

Great find and interesting story. The decision to drop this and work with Honda on 800/Legend was the right one though. That ultimately led to a big change in the way ARG and Rover Group worked and for the better. I doubt the Bravo would have captured anything like the sales the 800 did, the Honda ‘ness really helped and it was a genuinely competitive car and well made. 👍

@gabrieloconnell3434 Месяц назад

bloody awesome coverage even Tony pond would be proud such an awesome car and awesome driving skills

@AlexisTichko 21 день назад

It reminds me of a Citroën BX but then in sedan form. Not bad. I loved the BX.

@mockbattles Месяц назад

I’d say that photo of the Bravo was taken at Longbridge.

@francomartini4328 Месяц назад

That these photos were taken in Italy circa 1980 is evident from the white Fiat 127 seen in the background. It's a series 2 (facelift model) and therefore built between 1977 and 1981. The styling is very Marcello Gandini with the swage lines and that rear window, and in terms of styling language is very reminiscent of the Citroen BX which he was designing at the time, though the over all silhouette is more Renault 21, i.e., a svelte squared-off 3-box body with a large greenhouse. The tail lights anticipate those of the late '80s and Pininfarina-designed Alfa 164 and the early '90s Alfa GTV and Spider. Presuming that this is something more than a static mock up, two other things to remark are that it is right-hand drive and that it has twin exhausts, presumably then it has a Rover V8 under the bonnet. Was the body new clothes on SD1 underpinnings?

@jammy_rex3038 День назад

It is very interesting to unearth this model, but lets face it, it would have been an outdated and poorly built car had it made production. Honda was needed to help Austin/Rover modernise their production techniques and build cars efficiently and reliably. As soon as the Acclaim entered production, it became their most reliable model by a huge margin, with record low warranty claims. The 800 should have been similarly good, but was scuppered significantly by its poor Lucas electrics and marred its early reputation with build and teething issues. Turns out not quite enough Honda in that car despite the collaboration. The 800 was a more contemporary and modern car than this Bravo ever could have been though.

@alanjenkinson7812 Месяц назад

The Bravo looks like a cross between a Shitroen and a Proton

@marcbrasse747 12 дней назад

Ah, it IS a Bertone design! Should have known.

@steveholder3712 Месяц назад

It's photographed in Italy, the number plate on the car in the background is Italian....probably sitting in a Bertone warehouse somerhere

@Bodgemiester 26 дней назад

Looks like a fancy proton/ lancia thema

@progrocker45 Месяц назад

Looks a very similar profile to the Montego!

@marcbrasse747 12 дней назад

The front bumper is very Citroen BX series 1 which was a Marcello Ghandini design.

@marcbrasse747 12 дней назад

I think It looks great. Almost Bertone-like.

@bentullett6068 Месяц назад

You can see styling ques to future Rover 800 model. The rear window gives it away.

@tjfSIM Месяц назад

It does bear an uncanny resemblance to the Alfa/Fiat/Saab collaboration!

@26col Месяц назад

I'm seeing Montego rear windows in the Bravo.

@silvermane9370 Месяц назад

I’d bet money this styling prototype was developed into the Alfa Romeo 164. Even the wheels are strikingly similar.

@smhorse Месяц назад

I can see why you'd think that. In the end, the 164 body was styled by Pininfarina and looked like a big Peugeot 405.

@silvermane9370 Месяц назад

@@smhorseindeed buck styling proposals used to float around design houses in Italy. Often when designers moved companies. For example a styling proposal for the first Fiat Punto ended up as the seat Ibiza.

@arkhsm Месяц назад

Was a good looking car !!

@markjones-vx3kp Месяц назад

That shirt is serious mate 👍👍

@betaorionis2164 Месяц назад

Hints of Montego and VW Passat.

@NuttyAboutOldMGCars Месяц назад

Tom, reminds of a Proton Saga Looks .. circa 1988

@brianmonahan7990 Месяц назад

Interesting video , why did we let every other country beat us in manufacturing better cars surely we had the engineers to make great vehicles and be proud of our achievements. Britain as a technological advanced nation is a distant memory.

@apmcd47 Месяц назад

It's funny how Leyland had money for new Austin vehicles but none for the flagship marque, Rover. I do wonder, had the Bravo made it to production would it have been a Rover? Would they perhaps have badged it as a cut-price Jaguar, putting it in reach of those who aspire to that marque but could never afford it, or badged it as an Austin? After all, it would have been built at Cowley or Longbridge regardless of the badge on the front.

@markiesmith4537 Месяц назад

The pictures of the Bravo outside an industrial area look like they were taken in somewhere sunny - Italy? or Spain?.... in one picture a white hatchback, that looks like a Fiat 127 , seems to have an Italian "Prova" (prototype) numberplate ?? Just trying to figure it out - Great video - Thanks!

@tangerinedream7211 Месяц назад

Very montegoesque, hint of 405 as well.

@thatcheapguy525 Месяц назад

to my eyes the front and side look like a squared off Renault 18, the back end like the Montego and you can see the genes of the Rover 800 in there

@sjg4967 Месяц назад

I'm getting Renault 21 with a Citroen BX twist and Montego rear screen. On balance I think the 800 was the best choice and I was there and remember it well. I can't decide if this design barks or oinks....

@stuartfletcher5755 Месяц назад

Another great and informative video Tom. The Rover Bravo looks like another lost opportunity for BL.

@NuttyAboutOldMGCars Месяц назад

Rear also borrowed from a Hillman Hunter and Space 1999

@ronantierney856 Месяц назад

Looking at the front of the Bravo, it looks a little like the B4 VW Passat. I like the RWD choice in keeping with Rovers of old. But, financially it would have lead to the end of Rover and the whole company as development and production of a totally new car is very expensive. The Honda partnership bought BL & Austin Rover time,, it also provided freedom for Rover engineers to put their shine on cars like the MK2 Rover 200, which had better styling that the Honda variant. I had 2 of them a 216 GTi Twin cam and then one of the very rare 220GSi Turbo's, which in my opinion were better than the coupe.

@harrygiles1098 Месяц назад

rover 55 looked good

@paulillingworth1242 Месяц назад

Proton is what it reminds me of, it’d probably been a good Montego upgrade, but not Rover.

@HologramJones Месяц назад

Im looking at the Rover Bravo and thinking Citroen BX. I also looked at the Rover SD1 and thought Citroen CX. There's a theme going on there...........

@mockbattles Месяц назад

I reckon the Bravo would not have been competitive against the Vauxhall Carlton & Senator.