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The Rover CityRover is a supermini car that was marketed by the former British manufacturer MG Rover under the Rover marque, between 2003 and 2005. Launched in the autumn of 2003, the car was a rebadged version of the Indian developed Tata Indica.[2] Its performance was considered poor for a small car in contemporary road tests, and its lack of quality, poor road handling and high price were not well received.[3]

Rover CityRover
Overview
Manufacturer	Rover Group / MG Rover
Production	2003–2005
Assembly	Pune, Maharashtra, India
Designer	I.DE.A Institute[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Supermini
Body style	5-door hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Tata Indica Tata Indigo
Powertrain
Engine	1.4 L I4 (petrol)
Transmission	5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length	3,703 mm (145.8 in)
Width	1,924 mm (75.7 in)
Height	1,500 mm (59.1 in)
Kerb weight	1,040 kg (2,293 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Rover Metro
Successor	MG 3

Production of the CityRover ceased in April 2005, along with the rest of the MG Rover range, when the company fell into administration.[4]

Technical details

The CityRover was offered with only one engine: a Peugeot derived 1,405 cc (1.4 L) four cylinder, eight valve engine producing 85 bhp (63 kW; 86 PS) and 88 lb⋅ft (119 N⋅m).[5] It could accelerate to 60 mph in 11.9 seconds and had a top speed of 100 mph (160.9 km/h).[6] It could manage up to 46.6 mpg.

The CityRover was manufactured by Tata Motors, at their factory in Pune, India.[7] Alterations for the British market included new bumpers, Rover badge grille, 14" wheels, and new suspension settings.[8]

Safety

The high driving position and large glass area afforded drivers with good all-round visibility, while the rear lamps were mounted high up on the structure so other road users could see them more prominently. All doors were fitted with anti-intrusion bars, with child locks on the rear doors.

The steering column was collapsible, and a driver-side airbag was fitted as standard to all models, with a passenger airbag standard on the top trim level and available as an option on the entry-level and midrange trims. All seats had anti-submarine ramps and three-point seatbelts, with the front getting belt pretensioners and height-adjustable head restraints. ABS was included on "style" models.[9]

Criticism

MG Rover was reported to be paying Tata £3,000 for each car and, with each model featuring a Rover corporate nose and revised suspension settings, the buying public was not impressed by the £6,495 starting price.[10]

In May 2004, Rover refused to lend a CityRover to motoring show Top Gear to test it. In order to answer the question of "just how bad could it be?" James May went undercover and test drove one at a dealer while carrying a hidden camera. May went on to say, "that is the worst car I have driven on this programme".[10]

Sales were well short of MG Rover's targets, so the CityRover was given an upgrade for the model year of 2005, with more standard equipment. In December 2004, prices were reduced by £900, confirming that the car's previous prices had not been competitive.[11]

According to car reviewer Parker's, the CityRover was the worst rated Rover car from MG Rover, with a rating of two out of five.[12] In October 2013, Top Gear Magazine placed the CityRover as number two behind the Perodua Kelisa on its list of "The thirteen worst cars of the last twenty years."[13]

Achievements

The upgraded 2005 version was chosen to be used as the reconnaissance vehicle for the 2007 Himalayan Challenge Endurance Rally. With only minor modifications, the car was driven over the 7,000-mile (11,000 km) planned route from London to Delhi, by students from the University of Southampton, Chris Cardwell and Nick Clarke, without any major problems, including crossing significant distances of desert, and a number of mountain ranges.

The reasons given by the event organisers for the choice of vehicle were that it is "the cheapest brand new car you can drive in Britain", and to prove that the route could be driven in an ordinary small car, without the need for a large four wheel drive vehicle.

Following completion of the race, the car was shipped back to the United Kingdom and sold to a prospective competitor, with the intention of using it on the event in September 2007.

References

External links

• Media related to Rover CityRover at Wikimedia Commons

На других языках

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[de] City Rover

Der City Rover war ein Kleinwagen von Rover, der im Herbst 2003 vorgestellt wurde. Es handelte sich dabei um einen geringfügig modifizierten Tata Indica mit Rover-Logo (sog. Badge-Engineering).

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- [en] Rover CityRover

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[fr] Rover CityRover

La Rover CityRover est une citadine commercialisée par l'ancien constructeur automobile britannique MG Rover de 2003 à 2005. Il s'agit d'une Tata Indica rebadgée, ainsi que la première voiture Rover produite hors d'Europe puisque fabriquée dans l'usine Tata Motors de Pune en Inde. Elle est lancée afin de combler le vide laissé par la Rover 100 des années 1990.

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[it] Rover CityRover

La CityRover è un'autovettura classificata come utilitaria compatta prodotta tra il 2003 e il 2005 dalla casa automobilistica inglese MG Rover grazie ad una joint-venture con il gruppo indiano Tata Motors

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