Tax-Beater And Performance Diesel
by Ross Finlay (18 Oct 02)

Never mind what it's about to announce at the Birmingham Show; Rover has put two new 75 variants on the market this month already. The CDTi offers a power boost over the standard two-litre CDT turbo diesel, and the petrol-engined 1.8T is a crafty tax-beater which uses light pressure turbocharging to get the CO2 emissions down into a lower VED category.

The 75, in saloon or Tourer estate form, has always been a smooth-running, rather suave machine, and the 1.8T carries on that tradition. It's fitted with the latest development of the K-series engine - indeed, the first-ever turbo version of a power unit which has served Rover (and MG) very well.

While it uses the latest type of Garrett GT20 turbocharger designed specifically for petrol rather than diesel technology, the new engine isn't tuned for maximum power. The mission was to find a good compromise in which performance, economy and low CO2 emissions were almost equally rated, and that's pretty much what has happened.

Rover didn't just slap a turbocharger and intercooler onto the standard 1796cc engine. The development team modified the pistons, conrods, exhaust manifold and oil pump too. What they've ended up with is a quite lively if not tyre-burning car with 148bhp at 5500rpm and 158lb/ft of torque at 2100rpm - so it's flexible rather than peaky, even though the gearing is reasonably high at 22.6mph per 1000rpm in fifth in the Getrag box.

In the saloon, 0-60mph takes 9.1 seconds, the top speed is around 130mph, economy is 35.3mpg combined, and the CO2 emissions are at the important mark of 193g/km. Tourers are slightly slower off the line, but their economy and emissions figures are the same.

Tourer Gets The Style Marks

Prices range from £18,295 for the Classic saloon to £25,000 for the Connoisseur SE Tourer fitted with the Hi-Line navigation system. As before, although it's only a personal opinion, I find the Tourer much more elegant than the saloon with its rather pinched-in rear styling. And although the 1.8T, like the other models in the 75 range, has a far better looking interior than most of its direct rivals - especially when Rover really gets going with wood and leather trim - it's not over-generous with rear leg room or foot room.

It is the case, though, that the curved-in front seat backs introduced quite soon after the 75 was originally launched do provide better rear knee room.

In the manual transmission cars the Getrag box offers slick changes, although Rover is persevering with that unusually shaped gear lever top which is maybe just a little too big for the job. It's also continuing with what have become trademarks for the 75 - those gorgeous cream-faced oval instrument dials styled as they might have been half a century ago.

The 1.8T cruises well on dual carriageways, and it's lively enough on some of the favourite CARkeys moorland roads. No sports saloon, of course, but quiet-running, composed and smooth.

Improved Performance Diesel

Priced from £18,230 in Classic trim to £24,975 as the Connoisseur SE with satellite navigation, the CDTi is available in 14 different variants, equally split between saloons and Tourers.

It's fitted with the familiar 1950cc common rail turbo diesel engine, but with the power boosted to 129bhp, which is 15bhp up on the standard CDT and increases the peak torque to 221lb/ft at 1900rpm.

As a result, the 0-60mph time for the manual saloon versions is trimmed to 11.0 seconds, the top speed is 118mph and the CO2 emissions figure is very similar to that of the petrol 1.8T at 190g/km.

Where the CDTi scores particularly well is in its stronger mid-range performance and, of course, in the economy figures of 54.7mpg extra urban and 40.9mpg combined. These are just the same as the results for the less powerful CDT.

Thanks to the mid-range performance, the CDTi went pretty smartly on the moorland roads of the test area. A five-speed automatic model climbed well, and yet was very relaxed at a 70mph dual carriageway cruise. While noise levels are restrained at cruising speeds, there's no mistaking when the engine is accelerating hard, although even then it sounds eager rather than clattery. And the good ride quality of the 75 is maintained.

Earlier remarks about the interior and exterior styling apply to the CDTi, of course, as much as to the 1.8T. The turbo diesel, though, has something that's not available on any petrol-engined 75s - an optional parking heater which warms the car and de-ices the windows after being activated by a timer or the remote control "plip".

And it's not just new-car buyers who can get the performance improvement over the CDT. Rover offers an after-market XPower upgrade for £490.

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