I know that there are many fans of the 1990’s Rover cars but I can’t say that I was ever one of them. However, I did use to drive them for work when I was driving VIP’s around. They were really nice to drive and had a lovely engine and gearbox but I never realised that these cars had an imressive record of smashing UK Land Speed records.
A hugely significant British built car that still holds 36 UK land speed records it set 34 years ago was auctioned by H&H Classics at the venue where it made history.
A very special car, estimated at £19,000-£23,000, it was specifically modified by the Rover development team to break land speed records held by other car manufacturers to highlight the launch of the new 2-litre turbo Rover Coupe, the fastest production car the British manufacturer had built at the time. The car did sell at the auction but the price was undisclosed. But if it sold within the estimate then it would be a historic car for a relatively small price.
The speed and distance records it aimed to break included those for 2-litre front-wheel-drive vehicles.
It successfully achieved 37 UK land speed records, including a 24-hour world endurance land speed record of 138mph, plus a flying 5 km speed of 156 mph, and still holds 36 of these records.
To help achieve this amazing feat, it was stripped back to a bare shell, checked and rebuilt with various modifications including engine performance, fuel feed, roll cage, large capacity fuel tank, racing seat and various safety devices..”
The car that went under the hammer with H&H Classics is one of the two specially modified pre-production Coupes, and is thought to be the sole survivor of the land speed record attempt which took place in August 1992. It remains to land speed record breaking specification.
It was professionally recommissioned in 2022 for a commemorative event at Millbrook Proving Ground where it led a cavalcade of surviving Tomcats, while the original team from the Rover factory who built the car were reunited with it for the occasion.
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The 1992 Rover 220 Coupe Turbo ‘Tomcat’ that still holds 36 UK land speed records it set 34 years ago, will go under the hammer with H&H Classics30/04/2026
The car will be auctioned at Millbrook Proving Ground on 10th May, the venue where it made history