Vehicle Description
For fans of the Le Mans 24 Hours, the name Rover-BRM will recall
the gas turbine-powered prototype jointly developed in the early
'60s by Rover and Formula One constructor BRM. It finished 10th
overall and first British car home in 1965, driven by Graham Hill
and Jackie Stewart. These days it forms part of the Heritage Motor
Centre collection at Gaydon. The Rover 200 BRM LE was first seen at
the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show and was a quiet tribute to that '60s
Rover/BRM partnership, and grew into a limited run of 795 special
versions (for the UK market) of the three-door Rover 200. Based on
the range-topping Vi model, the cars were powered by a 145bhp
variant of the 1.8-litre DOHC K-Series engine that drove through a
five-speed, close-ratio gearbox to a Torsen limited slip
differential. The ABS braking was by discs all round. The ride
height was 20mm lower than standard and the distinctive exterior
also featured: Brooklands Green paintwork; silver trim details;
large six-spoke 16 inch alloy wheels and roof spoiler, plus an
exclusive woven mesh grille perched above a large orange-coloured
air intake (as per BRM's 1960 Formula One cars). The inside was
notable for its red quilted leather seats and door panels, red
carpet, seat belts and steering wheel, alloy heater controls and
gear knob and turned aluminium trim. Originally supplied by Priory
of Nottingham on 5th June 1999 with an invoice total of �17,033.78,
the Brooklands green coachwork of this Rover 200 BRM LE is in good
order and the quilted red leather seats are comfortable and no
excessive signs of wear. The 1796cc engine started immediately when
requested and T935 UCH drove well on our test drive with a
responsive engine and smooth operation of the five-speed gearbox.
Road holding is greatly improved over the standard 200 with wider
wheels and a lower suspension set-up. The BRM is a great little
hatchback, with a sporty image, good fun to drive and running costs
that will not break the bank; the marque is well supported by
various Owners clubs with parts in plentiful supply. The history
folder contains a V5C registration document, a current MoT test
certificate valid until 11th October 2017 and a collection of
invoices and receipts. Offered for sale without reserve, this Rover
could well prove to be a sound investment. � For sale by auction on
Saturday 23 September 2017 with Historics at Brooklands, Brooklands
Motor Racing Circuit, Weybridge, Surrey, Call 01753 639170
