Chinese Rover on test in UK

Development engineers testing this new model must have thought they had done an excellent job with the black sheeting and masking tape...

Auto Express Car Reviews

Heavily disguised prototype was spotted as former MG Rover engineers hone new Roewe’s suspension for UK roads

By Richard Yarrow

19th May 2007

The big giveaway is the one thing they couldn't hide - the exhaust. The unique oval shape made by the twin pipes means this can only be the Roewe 450, the Chinese version of the Rover 45. So what's so special about this picture? It was taken in the UK, and signals the Chinese have arrived!

This advanced testing means two things; firstly, that Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) is deadly serious about selling the car in Britain. Secondly, the firm is tuning the suspension and steering specifically for UK roads.

As previously revealed in Issue 958, the Roewe will be based on the W2 concept. It was unveiled at the recent Shanghai Motor Show. Development of the Ford Focus rival is well advanced because large chunks of engineering research had been carried out before MG Rover collapsed two years ago. Put simply, it's the car that would have replaced the 45 if the Midlands firm had been given the chance.

The 450 is the result of an Anglo-Chinese collaboration, with input from experts formerly employed by MG Rover. They've been working both for special engineering consultancy Ricardo 2010 in the UK and within SAIC in China, while the manufacturer's own team in the Far East has also been involved in development work. The new car is built on a shortened Rover 75 chassis, with suspension tuned to offer sporty handling and a comfortable ride. There will be a range of engines, including a 150bhp 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol motor based on the Rover K Series unit. A 2.0-litre turbodiesel is also in the pipeline, and a hybrid system may follow, too.

Production of the Roewe 450 will begin at the end of this year, and it's scheduled to arrive in Europe in 2009, with prices starting from £14,500.