Rover 75 = Roewe 750
Here’s another follow up story, this time, it’s on the Roewe. Last week we showed you what the brand’s logo looked like, and how the Chinese were dealing with the loss on the ability to capitalize on the Rover name, which was sold to Ford. Well, the 75 is back in production, as close to the original as possible. Ditching the original plans to call it “Grand Prestige”, it’s now known as the 750 (how creative), it looks like a final-run Rover 75 both inside and out. Yes, right down to the gauges, and the oh-so-British wood on the dashboard.
Mechanically, the 750 shares the same drivetrain components as the old 75, though, only two engines will be available. The former is the K-Series 1.8 Turbo, and the top of the line car gets the 2.5-litre K-V6 engine.
But there are a couple of complications. SAIC, the company that owns the rights to produce the Roewe 750 is also in cahoots with GM and Volkswagen, producing their vehicles for the Chinese market. The 750 is a direct competitor to the Passat, which is one of China’s most popular cars. And, with production set at an unprecedented 120,000 units for its first year of production, it looks as if SAIC might be stepping on the toes of one of its clients.
