Unfortunate Facelifts.

[Pete-M]

Fair enough. Though I'd much rather have an 800 over a Jag. The later 800 felt much better to drive than the 1st, though I like the first better.

 

Driven several of these facelift Jags. One of the most unfeeling pieces of crap I've driven.

 

You've obviously never tried a good one, or the XJR, but hey, horses for courses.

 

I agree about the late 800s being better to drive than the first, but unfortunately in order to get a smidgin of ride quality they softened the suspension - which meant they didn't handle as well as the early ones.

 

Jags have ride quality and superb handling, because they have suspension and damping control that is still unmatched by pretty much anyone else. The X300 XJ won't have steering feel like an 800, because the XJ doesn't suffer from torque steer and can keep all four wheels pointing in the desired direction whilst keeping them on the ground. The Jag only has to inform the driver of grip levels, if the road camber has changed, or that a touch more opposite lock may be a good idea. It doesn't have to mention scuttle shake, dodgy suspension or torque steer as there is none.

 

It's a pointless comparison anyway. May as well start comparing Louis Vuitton luggage to Aldi carrier bags.

[Guest]

I like a lot of these older facelifts to be honest, I think the Ital was a bloody good effort considering. Some of my favourite cars are 70s ones with 80s facelifts, you get nice swoopy swage lines and then some "hard" looking square lights. They're great - best of both worlds.

 

Like this:

 

Superb!

[Formula Autos]

This:

became this:

Including trendy new rear light clusters that ate into the boot opening.

 

The MK2 was recognisable as a VW at a glance. The Mk3 (or is it 2F/ 2B/whatever?) had generic late '80s/early '90s styling (from the front - Nova with a different grille, perhaps?). All subjective of course, but I think this was unfortunate, as restyles go.

[Lord Sterling]

You've obviously never tried a good one, or the XJR, but hey, horses for courses.

 

I agree about the late 800s being better to drive than the first, but unfortunately in order to get a smidgin of ride quality they softened the suspension - which meant they didn't handle as well as the early ones.

 

The ones I tried were very good and well-kept examples, and yes, one of the examples I did try was an XJR. Whilst fast and very responsive, it never felt 'right'.

 

As you say, its horses for courses. I like my "rubbish" Rover 800s. I dont like Jaguars, I've been put right off by the examples I drove, they were very disappointing. To me personally, yhey are the Aldi-carrier bags to my Louis Vuitton luggage 800s

[flat4alfa]

This thread doesn't seme to be about FACELIFT models any more.

 

I'm going to wind back to page 1 and 2 and edit/add to posts there for a bit.

[gtd2000]

It's a pointless comparison anyway. May as well start comparing Louis Vuitton luggage to Aldi carrier bags.

 

Yes agreed, obviously LV = Ronda and Aldi = Jaguar

 

Have to admit that may a bad analogy as Aldi basically offers good products at a very reasonable price

[Calum_B]

 

[barrett]

This thread doesn't seme to be about FACELIFT models any more.

 

I'm going to wind back to page 1 and 2 and edit/add to posts there for a bit.

 

The same thing happened on the last 15 'rubbish facelift' threads, so I'm somewhat used to it by now

[RedSparrow]

Does anyone remember the first Rover 100s? The ones where they lost the Metro name?

For a brief period they had a 200 style grille awkwardly stuck on the front of the bonnet, above the air intake on the plastic bumper.

I can't find a picture of one anywhere, so either it's one of those forgotten facelifts or I have really lost it and imagined it!

[Vinylseats]

Does anyone remember the first Rover 100s? The ones where they lost the Metro name?

For a brief period they had a 200 style grille awkwardly stuck on the front of the bonnet, above the air intake on the plastic bumper.

I can't find a picture of one anywhere, so either it's one of those forgotten facelifts or I have really lost it and imagined it!

 

 

Weren't they just standard Metros with a Rover 200 grille stuck on the front to make them look more like a Rover 100, but failing miserably?

[ladalout69]

It was sad people thinking it looked good to put a Rover 200/400 Grille on their Rover Metro. Mind you there were loads of people who did it!, so you can be forgiven for thinking Rover did it themselves.

[chaseracer]

 

[RedSparrow]

Does anyone remember the first Rover 100s? The ones where they lost the Metro name?

For a brief period they had a 200 style grille awkwardly stuck on the front of the bonnet, above the air intake on the plastic bumper.

I can't find a picture of one anywhere, so either it's one of those forgotten facelifts or I have really lost it and imagined it!

 

 

Weren't they just standard Metros with a Rover 200 grille stuck on the front to make them look more like a Rover 100, but failing miserably?

 

Really?

I guess it's possible, maybe there was one near me (a home made effort) that I used to see all the time that made me think that it was done by Rover.

Hmm, I am determined to find a picture of one now!

[CIH]

I quite fancy an 800. 'Ave never been a fan of Jags. New ones are shit and you have to be a little loopy to run an old one.

[eddyramrod]

 

 

All right, what's wrong with that? I happen to think the restyle did the Spit and GT6 a favour and made them a lot prettier. Am I really alone in that?

[Lord Sterling]

Does anyone remember the first Rover 100s? The ones where they lost the Metro name?

For a brief period they had a 200 style grille awkwardly stuck on the front of the bonnet, above the air intake on the plastic bumper.

I can't find a picture of one anywhere, so either it's one of those forgotten facelifts or I have really lost it and imagined it!

 

Something like this?

 

[RedSparrow]

YES!

That's it! I knew i wasn't mad!

Thank you!

[chaseracer]

...I knew i wasn't mad!

You're here, yet you say that...?

 

[55bloke]

 

 

All right, what's wrong with that? I happen to think the restyle did the Spit and GT6 a favour and made them a lot prettier. Am I really alone in that?

 

No, me too.

[Formula Autos]

All right, what's wrong with that? I happen to think the restyle did the Spit and GT6 a favour and made them a lot prettier. Am I really alone in that?

 

You're definitely not alone on that. In fact I think most of Triumph's restyles around the start of the '70s were pretty successful.

This wasn't exactly horrible, but became a sexy bit of kit when it morphed into this:

And this was formed around the same time from the same base vehicle (big differences, I know, but 2000 still begat Stag):

 

This:

was successfully restyled (via a couple of steps) into this (OK there was the whole retro-fitting RWD issue as well, but hey, let's not delve into that here):

 

I guess most people would prefer the look of the re-styled models. It's all subjective though.

[eddyramrod]

I guess most people would prefer the look of the re-styled models. It's all subjective though.

 

It is, yes; beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder. I have reservations about the 2000 but the Stag swings the deal really. Can't imagine one with a Mk1 nosecone. Dolomite, yes, that was easily the best thing they could do with the old 1300 body. In the end, we like what we like, and don't like what we don't like, and nothing anyone says here will change that. Hey ho.

[Pete-M]

 

All right, what's wrong with that? I happen to think the restyle did the Spit and GT6 a favour and made them a lot prettier. Am I really alone in that?

 

No, me too.

 

Me three. That's one of the few things about 70's Triumphs I don't mind.

[brammy777]

I thought the 200 style grilles were added onto Metros by owners who had got busy with glue?

I always thought the Proton MPIs looked a lot better prefacelift, the refresh made them look a bit plain.

1992 Proton 1.5 SE Saloon. by bramm77, on Flickr

1995 Proton 1.5 SL Automatic Hatchback. by bramm77, on Flickr

Probably just me, note the ironic use of Mitsubishi trims on the later one. Also, just noticed the incredibly identical numberplates!

[barrett]

Gotta say I much prefer the pre-facelift Trumpets, mainly because I think the Stag is a big ugly wankfest of utter shit bollocks ugly turd. And you won't find me dissin' my main man Giovanni very often, that was one of his few cock-ups. Though they looked better in prototype form without the hideous T-bar, but only just.

[Lord Sterling]

I thought the 200 style grilles were added onto Metros by owners who had got busy with glue?

 

They were, same as the mk1 800s that had cheap 200/400 grilles added to make them look newer. Whilst the 200/400 grilles added didnt look nice they were not exactly offensive, though the grilles added on Metros by thier owners just looked desperate and plain wrong.

 

The picture of the Metro I put up there is the first time I've ever seen a grille added onto one of those.

[forddeliveryboy]

All right, what's wrong with that? I happen to think the restyle did the Spit and GT6 a favour and made them a lot prettier. Am I really alone in that?

 

You're definitely not alone on that. In fact I think most of Triumph's restyles around the start of the '70s were pretty successful.

This wasn't exactly horrible, but became a sexy bit of kit when it morphed into this:

And this was formed around the same time from the same base vehicle (big differences, I know, but 2000 still begat Stag):

 

This:

was successfully restyled (via a couple of steps) into this (OK there was the whole retro-fitting RWD issue as well, but hey, let's not delve into that here):

 

I guess most people would prefer the look of the re-styled models. It's all subjective though.

 

Think the 2000s were neither an improvement nor unsuccessful. The estates were always the best looking, in my eyes. Interiors good also, I used to love the smell and the quadrant indicator display. The Dolomite was a backwards step at least in terms of the way they went, had a 1300 (before Dolomite but rwd) and a friend had a fwd 1300. No comparison in any respect. The suspension on the Dolomite seemed to have less travel, and bounced terribly along fast backroads which the fwd made mincemeat of.

 

Once went out with a girl who said her Dad had engineered the fwd-rwd swap and told her what I thought! She seemed as uninterested that I was slagging off her dad as he had been doing the engineering. The project had probably been given £1500 to do it all.

[Calum_B]

It's the same with all the Triumphs for me - I much prefer the earlier models. I don't like the ones as much that have had a Kamm tail slapped on, and an early GT6 is a car I really really want to get hold of atm

[HillmanImp]

I am definately all about the Mk3 GT6. Never liked the look of the earlier ones.

 

I totally agree about the 2000/2500 estates. I would quite like to get one at some point in the future.

 

[RedSparrow]

Yeah 2000 estates are superb things. Really under rated.

I would love one, I'd imagine it wouldn't take to much to make one into a very practical family vehicle.