This British racing green 5 door fastback Vitesse rolled off the Cowley production line in June 1994. Purchased by Barclays Bank
Putney branch it was ordered with climate control, Recaro leather interior and a 180hp 2 litre twin cam turbo engine. Barclays bank
owned the car for 2 years covering 30,500 miles, the next 4 years it was owned by a lady living in Kent until I purchased the car in
2001 with 87,000 miles now covered but still in very good condition. That is how the car stayed for the next year or two other than
regular servicing, new uprated lowering springs and a Mongoose stainless steel exhaust system.



The standard car has good performance with 0-60 in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 145mph but I felt the car had a lot of potential
with more to come from the 2 litre turbo engine and long wheelbase independent suspension chassis. So the modifications began.
It is not an easy car to modify, it is heavy, front wheel drive and no tuning parts are available so most parts are specially designed.
This car is always evolving, in 2004 it was fitted with a new engine, forged pistons, bigger turbo and modified cylinder head. 2005
a race specification cylinder head and camshafts were fitted. 2006 four extra injectors were fitted, two per cylinder, individual coils
per cylinder replaced the HT leads and distributor cap along with DTA engine management. The turbo size was increased further and
front suspension and brakes uprated in 2008. 2010 an FIA spec full roll cage was welded in for safety and to stiffen the bodyshell,
most of the interior has been removed, replaced with two lightweight Recaro bucket seats and 4 point harnesses, 2014 Willwood
6 piston brake calipers and larger front discs were fitted. 2015 saw the car back on the road after 7 years in the garage. 2016 the
rear suspension was rebuilt and uprated.

This car competed in Redline TOTB4, held at Elvington airfield near York a competition to find the fastest road legal cars in the
country, despite running problems on the day it was the fastest FWD on the handing circuit

Redline magazine covered a rolling road shoot out at the G-Force Porsche tuning rolling road in 2003, the Vitesse topped the FWD
group at over 320hp. Quote "Jims Rover Vitesse looks like it should be driven by someones granddad but nitrous oxide and 322hp
means serious fun"

This website rovervitesse.com is dedicated to showing the maintenance and evolution of one particular Rover Vitesse as well as
information on other MG Rover models. Click on the menu at the top of this page for more images and information.

Rover have produced 4 versions of the Vitesse, the best known is the rear wheel drive SD1 from 1982-86fitted with a 190hp
3.5 litre V8 with countless motorsport victories in the UK, Europe and around the world

Then the rare front wheel drive 216 Vitesse 1985-89 fitted with a Rover 1.6 litre 4 cylinder engine producing 103 hp

Then the 827 Vitesse 1989-92 This Rover/Honda calibration design is fitted with a 177hp 2.7 litre V6

The last Rover Vitesse is the 820 Vitesse 1992-99 this is a face lift version of the 827 Vitesse but now fitted with a Turbo
charged 2.0 litre 4 cylinder engine producing 180 or 200hp. Available as a 4 door saloon, 5 door hatch or the 2 door Coupe