Rover RDX60

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Having a good skim through AROnline earlier, and I read the following piece on the RDX60 project:

 

https://www.aronline.co.uk/concepts/concepts-and-prototypes/mg-rover-rdx60/

 

I had some awareness of it before, but looking at these pictures, it's uncannily close to being a Vauxhall Signum?

 

Check out those door cards, and interior door handles as well, lots of very vauxhall touches. Maybe it's just me?

 

 

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[They_all_do_that_sir]

Bloody phone started this topic four times.....

 

Can a mod please help an idiot?

 

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[tooSavvy]

..... never helped me :/

[John F]

Really? The only Vauxhall thing I can see in there is the tatty gearstick gaiter, which is definitely a TADTS.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Having a good skim through AROnline earlier, and I read the following piece on the RDX60 project:https://www.aronline.co.uk/concepts/concepts-and-prototypes/mg-rover-rdx60/

I had some awareness of it before, but looking at these pictures, it's uncannily close to being a Vauxhall Signum?

Check out those door cards, and interior door handles as well, lots of very vauxhall touches. Maybe it's just me?

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Interior is very different...

 

 

 

Side profile similar though:

 

 

 

I reckon Rover ripped off the headlights, and then made the rest vaguely similar.

Could* have worked though.

[ProgRocker]

I had some awareness of it before, but looking at these pictures, it's uncannily close to being a Vauxhall Signum?

 

 

Signum was my first thought when I saw the exterior.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Interior is very different...

 

E5E74B3B-BE15-4320-9CDC-3249DB2B0C7C.jpeg

 

C82A366F-9F91-4EA8-A811-5A27C8D4BCE0.jpeg

 

Side profile very similar though:

 

42BA4B01-2646-4525-A1DB-13685455A46A.jpeg

 

74C786F5-E9BF-4519-8243-143D5C6B4E94.jpeg

Fair point, interior nothing like.....

 

Exterior could be just the angle of the photo. I wonder where that car is now?

 

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[willswitchengage]

I can see it - large hatchback, Vectra lamps, and Vauxhalls used that turquoisey colour. Chunky steering wheel and similar plastics.

 

Is it just me?

 

When I first opened this article I initially thought LOL he posted it four times then thought it was a link to some Retrorides Vauxhall-MG fusion project.

[Split_Pin]

Looks very like a Signum. The same cuboid language is very strong in the dash too.

[Datsuncog]

Could it be argued that Rover were inevitably doomed, if their management could see a Vauxhall Signum and their first thought was "Fuck me lads, we need to get one of those bad boys in our line-up..."

 

Though in fairness, I suppose the Signum was an effort to market an executive-type car that didn't look like it would appeal mostly to retirees - and despite the best efforts of the MG range, Rover could have done with a genuine aspirational car that didn't just look like your grandad's car after he'd won a Ripspeed trolley-dash...

 

Ah, what might have been.

[Cavcraft]

First thing I thought was Signum. Oh well, it went to the best manafacturer, so all was not lost.

[lesapandre]

Fascinating article. It has struck me how similar in look the front 3/4's of the Rover 75 is to the 2004 BMW 1 Series - and BMW have subsequently done very well with that. BMW/Rover pulled the retro thing off with MINI but as James May pointed out in a contemporary review taking Rover down the pipe and slippers route (however attractive) was ultimately going to limit its appeal. This is the company after all that ran a gas turbine powered car at Le Mans, gave us the ultracool interior of the original Rover 2000 and the design language of the Range Rover still in use today.

 

So a snipped down and simpler hatch 75 might have been the way forward. We will never know.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

The Signum is the one modern vauxhall I'd make an exception to own....

 

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[83C]

The Signum is the one modern vauxhall I'd make an exception to own....

 

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Don't. 

 

I did.

[fatharris]

That interior is dreadful.

[Pillock]

That double-bubble dashboard binnacle is ripped off something else but I can't for the life of me think what. 

Passenger door armrest/electric window switches/release handle are straight out of a Mk5 Golf though.

 

I guess at that stage they just need random parts to fill gaps, that car was shown off to dealers and buyers so just needed to look more finished than it was.

[lesapandre]

Alfa Romeo 156 and earlier Alfas?

[Pillock]

Hmmm, no, the "Rover" one has a bridge between the two binnacles quite high up. But not as high as a 2009-ish Fiesta which is also close (albeit 6 years younger than that design)

I can even picture the plastic it's made from, quite a scratchy hard thing. Naturally that made me go looking at Volkswagen but no, can't find anything with that design.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

That double-bubble dashboard binnacle is ripped off something else but I can't for the life of me think what.

Passenger door armrest/electric window switches/release handle are straight out of a Mk5 Golf though.

 

I guess at that stage they just need random parts to fill gaps, that car was shown off to dealers and buyers so just needed to look more finished than it was.

Thats where I've seen those bits before....

 

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[Alusilber]

For me the best bit from that AROnline article is this...

 

One Engineer involved on the programme said: ‘I’d been tipped off by an Engineer, who had seen the RDX60 at the TWR Design Centre, that the car looked interesting. Apparently, Kevin Howe had overruled Peter Stevens and chosen the final design over some much more stylish options.’

He added mischievously: ‘From my experience, I’ve leaned that when Styling Departments present a number of design themes for Directors to choose one for development, they usually already know which one they want, and present a couple of lame ducks as alternative options, thus increasing the chances of their ‘favourite’ being chosen. To me, it sounded that had such a plan been pursued, but had backfired.’

[Datsuncog]

Seems that GM had the Signum concept pretty much nailed down at an early stage, right down to the name. I found this in the July 1997 edition of Vauxhall Motorist:

 

[jumpingjehovahs]

Seems that GM had the Signum concept pretty much nailed down at an early stage, right down to the name. I found this in the July 1997 edition of Vauxhall Motorist:

 

20190109_195517.jpg

I have to say, I think that looks significantly better with the Astra front end.

 

 

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[dougiefourspeed]

I believe the green car still exists in some shape or form. If memory serves it did some time in the Elephant House at Longbridge whilst it was MG Motor UK's (lack of) sales HQ. It might even still be there. I think it might have had a KV6 in it as well. 

 

I always thought it was very Signum. Not a bad effort though from a team who, towards the end, were forced to divide their time between taming axle tramp on V8 ZT's and tarting up Indicas. Oh and manning sales booths in motorway service stations. Cheers Kev.

[AMC Rebel]

That double-bubble dashboard binnacle is ripped off something else but I can't for the life of me think what. 

 

 

Made me think of the T4 Rover (it's not obvious from the angle of this pic but I reckon that's what they were "paying tribute to"-

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-1961-rover-t4-gas-turbine-car-artist-unknown-135283618.html

 

Edit - this shows it better

 

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/28302171840/

[Skut]

I hope that still exists as dougiefourspeed suggests. I remember reading that it was driven on stage by Peter Stevens to show dealers.  It must have cost a fortune to make by whatever contractor was handed the job.  Its quite surprising we don't know more about that prototype considering all the time that has passed.   

 

Currently trying to draw the earlier 3 door TWR MG version.  Still quite Vauxhall but a bit more rakish and aggressive.

 

 

[AnthonyG]

Keith Adams refers to seeing it ‘in the flesh’ for the first time in a visit to Longbridge in 2011, so I assume it exists if MG Motor UK haven’t scrapped it.

 

For me that two-tone dash looks very Fiesta Mk6 (2002) of which the interior was designed in Dunton. In the end Ford didn’t do much with this, but the original intent of the designers was all sorts of colour combos.

[Redfred]

That double-bubble dashboard binnacle is ripped off something else but I can't for the life of me think what. 

My first thought was early 2000s Clio, the top shape is quite similar iirc

[DoctorRetro]

I do like that, but then I'd quite like to try a Signum too.