David Bache's superbly styled hatchback gave Rover a highly distinctive large executive-class car in the 1970s and 1980s, and a successful motorsport programme in the first half of the 1980s only added to its desirability. The original carburetted V8 and 6-cylinder petrol models were supplemented by injected V8s and by 4-cylinder petrol and diesel types to widen the range's appeal " and yet sales