All brochure images are from the collection of Mark J. McCourt
It’s unfortunate that Sterling automobiles became a punchline in the U.S. market, because they had the chance to redeem the reputation of the venerable Rover, which had been burnished by the highly lauded P6 -sold here in four-cylinder 2000 and V-8 3500 forms between 1964 and 1971- and tarnished by the slow-selling “SD1″ 3500 of model year 1980.
The crisply styled, luxuriously trimmed 825 sedans sold in 1987 and 1988, which were equivalent to Rover 800s, would be replaced for 1989 by the 827 sedans and five-door. Carried over into 1990, the attractive, accommodating and aerodynamic (.30 Cd) 827 SLi was a throwback to the SD1′s hatchback body style and a potential competitor to Saab’s upscale 9000 series.
New in 1990 was the enthusiast-leaning 827 Si sedan, which had a standard Honda-sourced five-speed manual gearbox and wore front and rear spoilers, 16-inch Roversport alloy wheels and combination Lightning cloth and Connolly leather upholstery.
Unfortunately, falling sales led Sterling to leave our market in the summer of 1991, before the debut of the undeniably elegant Rover 800 Coupé; that car had been designed as a Sterling, for our market, and would have made a fine cut-price XJS 4.0 and good competition for Acura’s Legend Coupe, the Infiniti M30 and perhaps even the Cadillac Eldorado.
Ponder what may have been, and click on the images below to enlarge.
