A Grand Monday: Rover 416 GSi

Believe it or not, the Rover 200/400 ‘R8’ turns 30 this year. As the most successful product of the Rover/Honda partnership, the R8 was also one of the UK’s best-selling cars until its untimely demise (Coupe, Cabrio and Tourer excepted) in 1995, after just six years on sale. 

The fact that you still see the odd 200 or 400 knocking around in daily use is testimony to the build quality of what was arguably Rover’s best-ever car (the 75 was probably better in a contemporary context, but the R8 is certainly more durable), and with interest in the model expected to pick up throughout 2019, we can’t help but think that this week’s star of the small adsis a bit of a bargain.

Yes, £995 is decent money for a 400, but with just 18,000 miles on the clock, in range-topping 416 GSi spec and with the Honda D-Series engine, this one is worth every single penny. The best thing about these R8s isn’t just the value for money they offer, but also the way in which they drive - ignore the unashamedly turn-of-the-Nineties styling, and you have a car that will mix it all day long with modern traffic, and in 1.6-litre manual form, with a decent turn of pace as well. 

It surely can’t be long before these cars really catch on, so snap one up while they’re still great value for money. 

• Read our Rover 400 review and buyer's guide
• How many Rover 400s survived? Find out
• Find a Rover 400 for sale