Anyone ever raced a Rover 600

[Ben P]

Was coming home the other day and joining the motorway from a big, fast island. This Rover 600 (dunno what engine etc) came racing round and belted it past a calibra 16v that was caning it.

Dont know much about these cars but jees this one was fast.

Just wondered if anyone knew anything about them or had ever had a race with one?

It seemed just like a normal fat-cat mobile. The only difference was alloys (I reckon about 16") and a twin exhaust at the back.

 

[m@thew]

top rover 600 is the 600ti

197bhp 0-60 in 7.8
16.2 1/4 mile

 

[Ben H]

-1.8 16v 115bhp (K-Series Rover- a la boggo MGF)
-2.0 8v 120bhp (Honda - not T-series Rover as in 820. Found on 620i only)
-2.0 16v 140bhp (Honda - on 620Si onwards)
-2.0 16v Turbo 200bhp (T-Series Rover. Found on 620ti. VERY FAST. Mental note - do not race if not in 16v/Willy/172)
-2.0 8v Turbo Diesel 110bhp (Rover engine)
-2.0 8v Turbo Diesel 140bhp (Rover again. Does 0-60 in under 10 secs)
-2.3 16v 160bhp (Honda again - in 623SLi and GSi. Flagship prior to 620ti)

Thats your lot! The 600 was the most "Honda" of the old Rovers, based on the old Accord. Quite a resonablr piece of kit actually - unlike the 800s (apart from rapid Vitesse Turbos). 623s and especially 620ti rapid.

 

[Ben P]

Yeah I have to say I was quite impressed.

I think it was the turbo as my mate said his dad used to have one and it had twin exhaust pipes.

As I say, this thing didnt half shift, especially considering the size of it.

I take it a 620Ti would have all the toys?

 

[MarkB]

I used to drive one of the 620tis quite a bit as the director at my old place had one... they are rapid motors and have torque to burn when the turbo kicks in...

I reckon I would take it with the 172 though... except from say accelerating from 90 - !40 up a hill on the motorway due to the turbo torque.

Very quick motors, and definitely understated - an archetypical wold in sheeps clothing.

P.S. A disclaimer - When I used to drive this (about 4 years ago) I had a 1.1 Fiesta, so maybe it isnt as fast as I remember, but it was a tad quicker than my Fiesta....

 

[weight]

Dads got a Ti, Looks mundane, but very rapid.

 

[Simon172]

Drove one a while back, a friend at uni had one. Not bad acceleration, and remember the boost can just be turned up! theres a modded one that goes to the guildford cruise with a dump valve...

 

[derv]

i was stuck behind a tractor before and there was a rover 600 behind me, we both saw a clear gap and started to overtake at the same time, i saw him and dropped to second, he booted it too but after a few secs he was a spec in the mirror, must have been the 1.8 or the 2.0 16v at the most.
i have seen the rover turbos up merryhill (quite a few vittesses too) and by golly they shift in a strait line!

 

[Tim-Grove]

Raced one about two weeks ago beet him but it wasnt by loads.

 

[Pillesnoppen]

A mate of mine had a 620ti when I had my first Corrado VR6, and his was slightly faster than mine. But then there was a bit of a problem with the Corrado, and the second one I had was quicker...

 

[Alex M]

These 2ltr Turbo engines (T-series) are bloody rapid alright. Mate used to have a 420 Turbo, which with a bleed valve (pennies- home made job) was unbelievably quick and until he smashed it was regularily blowing all the local cossies and porsches off the road, 240bhp is less than 200 squid away with them, even in big 800 they will shift,

All are very boaty in the old handling dept as standard, so would be confident in the twity stuff

Alex M