[Johnny 216GSi]

Yep, let’s see if it works… right…Maybach top, Rover bottom. No wait, Rover top.. no hang on… oh, I’m just not sure any more

You jest, but at the time, and having collected together a great many period reviews of the R8, the cabin was been described as a triumph, as being light, airy and uplifting, and as a lesson in middle-class opulence [for all other manufacturers].

No, really. Most people who ever knew about the R8 and saw the interior in the flesh as a passenger or driver know these days they can look inside one again and know it still seems much nicer than their current, brand new car, which is simply drowned in textured black plastic everywhere.

Maybach or R8? I prefer the R8 to be honest.

If someone offered me a Maybach over an R8, I'd take it of course. But only for the resale value. Think how many R8s I could buy with that kind of money

[MatthewL]

I’m with you on that. If I hit the motherload it would not be a Maybach I’d get… probably a barn and most of BL’s back catalogue. 1987 MG Montego EFI, 1986 Rover 825i Sterling, 1991 Metro GTi, Rover 420 GSi Turbo saloon, SD1 twin plenum vitesse and maybe commission someone to recreate an MG EX-E for me with a Metro 6R4 engine.

Went in a colleague’s 5 year old 1 series BMW. Honestly felt my 420 felt classier and nicer inside. Bigger too.

[Johnny 216GSi]

Went in a colleague’s 5 year old 1 series BMW. Honestly felt my 420 felt classier and nicer inside. Bigger too.

Early reviews included the R8 trouncing the BMW 316 and Audi's equivalent model which just appeared tired and out of date. Rover wasn't aiming that high, supposedly, but it got there anyway. Their declared target market was the Golf, Astra, Escort and so on, - and of course the fleet sales market. No wonder there were questions asked internally about it being under-priced after the first reviews were in.

When I bought my SLi, the person I bought it from said he had a friend with a BMW at the same time he owned a 216GSi back in the 1990s. All the time they ever went anywhere long distance, the decision was always to take the Rover.

[MatthewL]

I remember the road tests at the time and the 416GSi thrashing the 318i e30. Must have surprised BMW. The E36 is a very nice car but the interior, seats etc aren’t as nice. I have both!

Around 1990 my mum looked at a Cavlier 1.6 LS, Rover 214SLi and an Escort Ghia. The escort Mk5 was awful. The cavalier was nice enough but slow. The Rover was a revelation. Not sure why but she ended up not changing car. A few years later my brother got an R8 216SLi - we all loved that.

[MatthewL]

Maybach? Rover?

Guesses below please?

[Johnny 216GSi]

You need to get hold of some sew-on Rover badges - either in the design of the bonnet badge, or some others I remember that were just the word "ROVER" in white on a claret background.

Or actually, you may be able to get some custom embroidery done - there are several listings for such services on eBay.

Think "Bentley" and the flying spur, or the Aston Martin logo pressed into the leather.

Maybe you could get someone to do the original Viking radiator cast head with "ROVER" written in the middle?